Schalk Venter PRO
🔧 Front-end Development / 🎨 UI Design / 🌍 Social Good / ❤️ Destigmatising mental illness
Mental Illness & Vurnerability
The Human Stack
Text
The Speaker
Who the heck is this guy even?
The Stigma
The cost of shame
The Tech Industry
Mental health of those in tech industry
The Discussion
Making space for honest conversation
👤
🐸
🤖
👂
The Speaker
Who the heck is this guy even?
The Stigma
The cost of shame
The Tech Industry
Mental health of those in tech industry
The Discussion
Making space for honest conversation
👤
🐸
🤖
👂
The Speaker
Who the heck is this guy even?
The Stigma
The cost of shame
The Tech Industry
Mental health of those in tech industry
The Discussion
Making space for honest conversation
👤
🐸
🤖
👂
The Speaker
Who the heck is this guy even?
The Stigma
The cost of shame
The Tech Industry
Mental health of those in tech industry
The Discussion
Making space for honest conversation
👤
🐸
🤖
👂
The Speaker
Who the heck is this guy even?
The Stigma
The cost of shame
The Tech Industry
Mental health of those in tech industry
The Discussion
Making space for honest conversation
👤
🐸
🤖
👂
The Fineprint
The Fineprint
The Fineprint
The Fineprint
The Fineprint
💙 WELCOME TO MY TALK
About Me
Who the heck is this guy?
👤
Community
ZA Tech
17 000+ Members
FEDSA
6000 + Members
Codebridge
3000 + Members
2006 - 2010
Teaching
Commercial
Personal Life
mhit.org.za
Get in Touch
Website: https://schalkventer.me
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/schalkventer
Github: https://github.com/schalkventer
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👦
The Advice
The Advice
The Advice
Eating the Dog Food
"Eating your own dog food or “dogfooding” is the practice of using one's own products or services. [...] he remembers is from the president of Kal Kan Pet Food, who was said to eat a can of his dog food at shareholders' meetings [...] argued that the phrase "dogfooding" was unappealing and should be replaced by "icecreaming""
Eating the Dog Food
Inner Archeology
2014
2014
2014
Inner Archeology
2014
2014
Inner Archeology
2014
Inner Archeology
2014
"However, I'd like to let you know that I've started developing the same types of thoughts regarding my facial features/structure in January this year (for the first time at the age of 27) . I woke up one morning and realised that my smile is skew (the one corner of my mouth doesn't lift up when I smile)..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"However, I'd like to let you know that I've started developing the same types of thoughts regarding my facial features/structure in January this year (for the first time at the age of 27) . I woke up one morning and realised that my smile is skew (the one corner of my mouth doesn't lift up when I smile)..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"However, I'd like to let you know that I've started developing the same types of thoughts regarding my facial features/structure in January this year (for the first time at the age of 27) . I woke up one morning and realised that my smile is skew (the one corner of my mouth doesn't lift up when I smile)..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"However, I'd like to let you know that I've started developing the same types of thoughts regarding my facial features/structure in January this year (for the first time at the age of 27) . I woke up one morning and realised that my smile is skew (the one corner of my mouth doesn't lift up when I smile)..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"However, I'd like to let you know that I've started developing the same types of thoughts regarding my facial features/structure in January this year (for the first time at the age of 27) . I woke up one morning and realised that my smile is skew (the one corner of my mouth doesn't lift up when I smile)..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...I fell into a episode of suicidal depression - not being able to sleep/eat and being convinced that people get uncomfortable in my presence due to my distorted face. I went to a plastic surgeon and he mentioned that although I (strictly speaking) have a skew smile, it's still within the parameter of a 'normal' face, and if I had to talk to him without pointing it out he wouldn't even have noticed it..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...I fell into a episode of suicidal depression - not being able to sleep/eat and being convinced that people get uncomfortable in my presence due to my distorted face. I went to a plastic surgeon and he mentioned that although I (strictly speaking) have a skew smile, it's still within the parameter of a 'normal' face, and if I had to talk to him without pointing it out he wouldn't even have noticed it..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...I fell into a episode of suicidal depression - not being able to sleep/eat and being convinced that people get uncomfortable in my presence due to my distorted face. I went to a plastic surgeon and he mentioned that although I (strictly speaking) have a skew smile, it's still within the parameter of a 'normal' face, and if I had to talk to him without pointing it out he wouldn't even have noticed it..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...I fell into a episode of suicidal depression - not being able to sleep/eat and being convinced that people get uncomfortable in my presence due to my distorted face. I went to a plastic surgeon and he mentioned that although I (strictly speaking) have a skew smile, it's still within the parameter of a 'normal' face, and if I had to talk to him without pointing it out he wouldn't even have noticed it..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...I fell into a episode of suicidal depression - not being able to sleep/eat and being convinced that people get uncomfortable in my presence due to my distorted face. I went to a plastic surgeon and he mentioned that although I (strictly speaking) have a skew smile, it's still within the parameter of a 'normal' face, and if I had to talk to him without pointing it out he wouldn't even have noticed it..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...I fell into a episode of suicidal depression - not being able to sleep/eat and being convinced that people get uncomfortable in my presence due to my distorted face. I went to a plastic surgeon and he mentioned that although I (strictly speaking) have a skew smile, it's still within the parameter of a 'normal' face, and if I had to talk to him without pointing it out he wouldn't even have noticed it..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...I fell into a episode of suicidal depression - not being able to sleep/eat and being convinced that people get uncomfortable in my presence due to my distorted face. I went to a plastic surgeon and he mentioned that although I (strictly speaking) have a skew smile, it's still within the parameter of a 'normal' face, and if I had to talk to him without pointing it out he wouldn't even have noticed it..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...However, I kept on obsessing about it. And soon developed additional reason why my face looks strange and makes people uncomfortable (from my teeth being yellow, my features being asymmetrical, etc). I started going to a psychologist, in the hopes that he'll be able to help me either (1) see these thoughts as distortions/delusions or (2) help me accept myself/make peace with it should they be 100% true..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"... I only just started going, so I'm unable to say whether I'm actually making progress. But according to my psychologist, it's quite common for people with pre-existing social anxiety and an inclination towards low self worth to develop crippling obsessions about their appearance. I don't know the extent to which this is applicable to you..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"... I only just started going, so I'm unable to say whether I'm actually making progress. But according to my psychologist, it's quite common for people with pre-existing social anxiety and an inclination towards low self worth to develop crippling obsessions about their appearance. I don't know the extent to which this is applicable to you..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"... I only just started going, so I'm unable to say whether I'm actually making progress. But according to my psychologist, it's quite common for people with pre-existing social anxiety and an inclination towards low self worth to develop crippling obsessions about their appearance. I don't know the extent to which this is applicable to you..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"... I only just started going, so I'm unable to say whether I'm actually making progress. But according to my psychologist, it's quite common for people with pre-existing social anxiety and an inclination towards low self worth to develop crippling obsessions about their appearance. I don't know the extent to which this is applicable to you..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"... I only just started going, so I'm unable to say whether I'm actually making progress. But according to my psychologist, it's quite common for people with pre-existing social anxiety and an inclination towards low self worth to develop crippling obsessions about their appearance. I don't know the extent to which this is applicable to you..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"... I only just started going, so I'm unable to say whether I'm actually making progress. But according to my psychologist, it's quite common for people with pre-existing social anxiety and an inclination towards low self worth to develop crippling obsessions about their appearance. I don't know the extent to which this is applicable to you..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"... I only just started going, so I'm unable to say whether I'm actually making progress. But according to my psychologist, it's quite common for people with pre-existing social anxiety and an inclination towards low self worth to develop crippling obsessions about their appearance. I don't know the extent to which this is applicable to you..."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...But I think merely making the jump from 'I'm unattractive" to "I want to kill myself" is indicative of something deeper that needs to be addressed by a mental health professional."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...But I think merely making the jump from 'I'm unattractive" to "I want to kill myself" is indicative of something deeper that needs to be addressed by a mental health professional."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
"...But I think merely making the jump from 'I'm unattractive" to "I want to kill myself" is indicative of something deeper that needs to be addressed by a mental health professional."
The Post
u/broodjies
08:19AM , 28 April 2014
Why?
Since 2014
Since 2017
Initial Response
Initial Response
Open Sourcing Mental Health
Mental Health in Tech Survey
Not Just Me
🐸
The Stigma
The Cost of Shame
Invisible World
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"There is so much pain in the world, and most of these people keep theirs secret, rolling through agonizing lives in invisible wheelchairs, dressed in invisible bodycasts."
Invisible World
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"There is so much pain in the world, and most of these people keep theirs secret, rolling through agonizing lives in invisible wheelchairs, dressed in invisible bodycasts."
Invisible World
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"There is so much pain in the world, and most of these people keep theirs secret, rolling through agonizing lives in invisible wheelchairs, dressed in invisible bodycasts."
Invisible World
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"There is so much pain in the world, and most of these people keep theirs secret, rolling through agonizing lives in invisible wheelchairs, dressed in invisible bodycasts."
Invisible World
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"There is so much pain in the world, and most of these people keep theirs secret, rolling through agonizing lives in invisible wheelchairs, dressed in invisible bodycasts."
Shame of Illness
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it."
Shame of Illness
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it."
Shame of Illness
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it."
Shame of Illness
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it."
Shame of Treatment
"There is a false moral imperative that seems to be all-around us that treatment of depression, the medications and so on, are an artifice, and that it's not natural. [...] It would be natural for people's teeth to fall out, but there is nobody militating against toothpaste, at least not in my circles."
Shame of Treatment
"There is a false moral imperative that seems to be all-around us that treatment of depression, the medications and so on, are an artifice, and that it's not natural. [...] It would be natural for people's teeth to fall out, but there is nobody militating against toothpaste, at least not in my circles."
Shame of Treatment
"There is a false moral imperative that seems to be all-around us that treatment of depression, the medications and so on, are an artifice, and that it's not natural. [...] It would be natural for people's teeth to fall out, but there is nobody militating against toothpaste, at least not in my circles."
Shame of Treatment
"There is a false moral imperative that seems to be all-around us that treatment of depression, the medications and so on, are an artifice, and that it's not natural. [...] It would be natural for people's teeth to fall out, but there is nobody militating against toothpaste, at least not in my circles."
Shame of Treatment
"There is a false moral imperative that seems to be all-around us that treatment of depression, the medications and so on, are an artifice, and that it's not natural. [...] It would be natural for people's teeth to fall out, but there is nobody militating against toothpaste, at least not in my circles."
🤖
The Industry
A single, mutual slice we share
The Work
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"Depressed people cannot lead a revolution because depressed people can barely manage to get out of bed and put on their shoes and socks."
👹
The Work
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"Depressed people cannot lead a revolution because depressed people can barely manage to get out of bed and put on their shoes and socks."
👹
The Work
Andrew Solomon
The Noonday Demon (1995)
"Depressed people cannot lead a revolution because depressed people can barely manage to get out of bed and put on their shoes and socks."
👹
Human Resources
🤖
Gregory Benford
Shipstar (2014)
"Remember that
people break down too,
not just machinery"
Human Infrastructure
Gregory Benford
Shipstar (2014)
"Remember that
people break down too,
not just machinery"
Human Infrastructure
Uptime
Yikes!
The Verge
How tech companies are ignoring the pandemic’s mental health crisis (2021)
"The one-question survey had a simple "yes or no" query: "Are you currently suffering from job burnout?" Of the 11,487 users who responded, over half of respondents (57.16%, to be precise) replied "yes." Frankly, it's a mindblowing statistic"
Gregory Benford
Shipstar (2014)
"Remember that
people break down too,
not just machinery"
Yikes!
The Verge
How tech companies are ignoring the pandemic’s mental health crisis (2021)
"The one-question survey had a simple "yes or no" query: "Are you currently suffering from job burnout?" Of the 11,487 users who responded, over half of respondents (57.16%, to be precise) replied "yes." Frankly, it's a mindblowing statistic"
🤖
Yikes!
The Verge
How tech companies are ignoring the pandemic’s mental health crisis (2021)
"The one-question survey had a simple "yes or no" query: "Are you currently suffering from job burnout?" Of the 11,487 users who responded, over half of respondents (57.16%, to be precise) replied "yes." Frankly, it's a mindblowing statistic"
🤖
Yikes!
The Verge
How tech companies are ignoring the pandemic’s mental health crisis (2021)
"The one-question survey had a simple "yes or no" query: "Are you currently suffering from job burnout?" Of the 11,487 users who responded, over half of respondents (57.16%, to be precise) replied "yes." Frankly, it's a mindblowing statistic"
🤖
Yikes!
The Verge
How tech companies are ignoring the pandemic’s mental health crisis (2021)
"The one-question survey had a simple "yes or no" query: "Are you currently suffering from job burnout?" Of the 11,487 users who responded, over half of respondents (57.16%, to be precise) replied "yes." Frankly, it's a mindblowing statistic"
🤖
Yikes!
The Verge
How tech companies are ignoring the pandemic’s mental health crisis (2021)
"The one-question survey had a simple "yes or no" query: "Are you currently suffering from job burnout?" Of the 11,487 users who responded, over half of respondents (57.16%, to be precise) replied "yes." Frankly, it's a mindblowing statistic"
🤖
Yikes!
The Verge
How tech companies are ignoring the pandemic’s mental health crisis (2021)
"The one-question survey had a simple "yes or no" query: "Are you currently suffering from job burnout?" Of the 11,487 users who responded, over half of respondents (57.16%, to be precise) replied "yes." Frankly, it's a mindblowing statistic"
🤖
Failures of Process
Failures of Process
Bolted-on
When it doesn't work
Dishwasher go brrrrrr
When it works
Design Process
Design Process
Progressive Enhancement
Progressive Enhancement
Built-in
"accessibility is not approached as a last-minute checklist of additions that are piled onto the product, but rather a set of features that are designed in place from the start [...] In many cases, accessibility is often considered only at the end of the development process, typically during quality assurance or even after launch. Resolving accessibility issues on a finished product often yields unsatisfying solutions, for the designer and the user."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Built-in
"accessibility is not approached as a last-minute checklist of additions that are piled onto the product, but rather a set of features that are designed in place from the start [...] In many cases, accessibility is often considered only at the end of the development process, typically during quality assurance or even after launch. Resolving accessibility issues on a finished product often yields unsatisfying solutions, for the designer and the user."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Built-in
"accessibility is not approached as a last-minute checklist of additions that are piled onto the product, but rather a set of features that are designed in place from the start [...] In many cases, accessibility is often considered only at the end of the development process, typically during quality assurance or even after launch. Resolving accessibility issues on a finished product often yields unsatisfying solutions, for the designer and the user."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Built-in
"accessibility is not approached as a last-minute checklist of additions that are piled onto the product, but rather a set of features that are designed in place from the start [...] In many cases, accessibility is often considered only at the end of the development process, typically during quality assurance or even after launch. Resolving accessibility issues on a finished product often yields unsatisfying solutions, for the designer and the user."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Built-in
"accessibility is not approached as a last-minute checklist of additions that are piled onto the product, but rather a set of features that are designed in place from the start [...] In many cases, accessibility is often considered only at the end of the development process, typically during quality assurance or even after launch. Resolving accessibility issues on a finished product often yields unsatisfying solutions, for the designer and the user."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Built-in
"accessibility is not approached as a last-minute checklist of additions that are piled onto the product, but rather a set of features that are designed in place from the start [...] In many cases, accessibility is often considered only at the end of the development process, typically during quality assurance or even after launch. Resolving accessibility issues on a finished product often yields unsatisfying solutions, for the designer and the user."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Shared Paths
Stress Testing
Resilience as a Quality
"accessibility is a quality—in this case, it means how easily and effectively a product or service can be accessed and used. Physical and cognitive ability occur along a spectrum. Everyone has a limit as to what they can physically accomplish and intellectually comprehend."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Resilience as a Quality
"accessibility is a quality—in this case, it means how easily and effectively a product or service can be accessed and used. Physical and cognitive ability occur along a spectrum. Everyone has a limit as to what they can physically accomplish and intellectually comprehend."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Resilience as a Quality
"accessibility is a quality—in this case, it means how easily and effectively a product or service can be accessed and used. Physical and cognitive ability occur along a spectrum. Everyone has a limit as to what they can physically accomplish and intellectually comprehend."
Sarah Horton & Whitney Quesenbery
A Web for Everyone (2014)
Widen the Conversation
Wikipedia
"A growing body of evidence suggests that burnout is etiologically, clinically, and nosologically similar to depression. In a study that directly compared depressive symptoms in burned out workers and clinically depressed patients, no diagnostically significant differences were found between the two groups; burned out workers reported as many depressive symptoms as clinically depressed patients."
🤖
Widen the Conversation
Wikipedia
"A growing body of evidence suggests that burnout is etiologically, clinically, and nosologically similar to depression. In a study that directly compared depressive symptoms in burned out workers and clinically depressed patients, no diagnostically significant differences were found between the two groups; burned out workers reported as many depressive symptoms as clinically depressed patients."
🤖
Widen the Conversation
Wikipedia
"A growing body of evidence suggests that burnout is etiologically, clinically, and nosologically similar to depression. In a study that directly compared depressive symptoms in burned out workers and clinically depressed patients, no diagnostically significant differences were found between the two groups; burned out workers reported as many depressive symptoms as clinically depressed patients."
🤖
Widen the Conversation
Wikipedia
"A growing body of evidence suggests that burnout is etiologically, clinically, and nosologically similar to depression. In a study that directly compared depressive symptoms in burned out workers and clinically depressed patients, no diagnostically significant differences were found between the two groups; burned out workers reported as many depressive symptoms as clinically depressed patients."
🤖
Resources
mhit.org.za
OsmiHelp.org
Sadag.org
Therapist-Directory.co.za
Prescribed Min. Benefits
Even hospital plans
Prescribed Min. Benefits
Even hospital plans
Prescribed Min. Benefits
Even hospital plans
Prescribed Min. Benefits
Even hospital plans
Student Internships
If have no medical aid
Podcasts
Word of Warning
schalkventer.me
Questions & Discussion
Mental Ilness and Vurnerability in Tech
By Schalk Venter
Mental Ilness and Vurnerability in Tech
Mental Illness and Vurnerability in Tech
