Why Do You Call Yourself “The Psychotic Entrepreneur” ?

Why Psycho?

I’m Kamraan Rashid, The Psychotic Entrepreneur and this is my story—a story of pain, struggle, and survival, but also of hope and resilience. I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help others who are going through similar challenges and let them know that they are not alone.

Talking about my mental health journey isn’t easy, but I’ve realised how important it is to share my story. For years, I’ve battled Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and psychotic depression, and while the stigma surrounding mental illness still exists, I refuse to stay silent.

My Struggle with Intrusive and Obsessive Thoughts

When I was first diagnosed with OCD, I didn’t fully understand what it meant. Most people think OCD is just about being overly neat or liking things in a certain order. But for me, OCD was so much more than that. My compulsion wasn’t something physical, like needing to wash my hands repeatedly or straighten objects. No, my compulsion was internal—Compulsive Thoughts—and they were relentless. They were dark, disturbing, and completely irrational, yet they consumed my mind every waking moment. These thoughts weren’t just fleeting worries; they were intrusive, obsessive, and constant. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop them.

It’s hard to explain what it feels like to have your mind turn against you. These thoughts would attack me out of nowhere, often about things that made no sense, and they filled me with overwhelming fear. My anxiety skyrocketed, and I started working on my business ideas to try to control or suppress the thoughts by keeping my mind occupied. But nothing worked for long. The thoughts always came back, more forceful than before, until it felt like they were all I could focus on.
As the OCD worsened, I sank into a deep depression. I didn’t realise it at the time, but the constant barrage of intrusive thoughts had triggered something even darker: psychotic depression. This wasn’t just sadness or feeling down. It was a crushing weight that pressed down on me every single day. It was the feeling of being trapped inside my mind, where everything was distorted, and nothing made sense. I became paranoid, convinced that everything around me was a threat. There were moments when I couldn’t even trust my perception of reality.

The Fear and Reality of Being in a Secure Mental Health Unit

At my lowest point, I felt like I was drowning in my thoughts and emotions. The silent screams inside my head were deafening, I could feel the emotions erupting inside and needed to release them. That’s when I started self-harming. It wasn’t because I wanted to die, but because I needed something to take the edge off, to silence the chaos in my mind, even if only for a few moments. But self-harm is never a solution. Eventually, it led to my first hospitalization.

Being locked up in a Secure Mental Health Unit was terrifying. I had always considered myself strong, but being in that place made me feel utterly defeated. The stark white walls, the isolation, the sense that I had lost control of my own life—it all weighed heavily on me. I was there for my safety, but it felt like punishment. Still, I knew deep down that I needed to be there. The thoughts and the depression were too much for me to handle on my own.

When I was released from the unit, I thought maybe things would get better. I wanted to believe that the worst was behind me. But the truth was, the compulsive thoughts hadn’t gone away. If anything, they came back stronger. My depression lingered, and some days, it was all I could do just to get out of bed. There were good days where I felt like I could manage, but they were always followed by bad days where the weight of my mental health felt unbearable.

It wasn’t long before I found myself back in the Secure Mental Health Unit for the second time. This time was even harder than the first. I felt like I had failed myself and everyone around me. I had tried so hard to push through, but the OCD and depression had consumed me once again. Being locked away for the second time was a wake-up call. I realized that this was something I would have to manage for the rest of my life, not something I could simply “get over.”

During that second hospitalization, I was put on a cocktail of medications, including antipsychotics, to help manage the psychotic depression. The meds helped in some ways, but they also left me feeling numb and disconnected from the world. I struggled to find a balance—between being present in my life and quieting the storm in my mind. There were times when I questioned whether I’d ever feel like myself again, or if I was losing myself to this illness.

Sharing My Journey: Using TikTok to Break the Silence on OCD and Depression

But even in those darkest moments, there was a part of me that refused to give up. I started speaking openly about my mental health, not just with the people closest to me, but even to strangers, anyone who would listen. I began making TikTok videos about my experiences with OCD and depression, sharing the raw, painful truth of what I was going through. It wasn’t easy, and I knew I was opening myself up to judgment. But I also knew that there were others out there, feeling the same things I was, who needed to hear that they weren’t alone.

Talking about my mental health openly has been both empowering and challenging. The stigma around mental illness is very real, and I’ve faced my fair share of it. Some people have distanced themselves from me because they don’t understand what I’m going through. I’ve had people look at me differently, judge me, or even pity me. But I refuse to let that silence me. I’m determined to keep talking about my journey, because every time I do, I chip away at the stigma just a little bit more.
After my second hospitalization, I started to find better ways to cope. Therapy became a lifeline for me, and I found a therapist who understood my condition and helped me navigate the complexities of OCD and psychotic depression. Medication also played a role, though it took a long time to find the right balance. I learned that there’s no quick fix for mental illness, but that doesn’t mean you can’t live a meaningful life while managing it.

There are still days where I struggle, where the compulsive thoughts creep back in and the depression looms over me. But I’ve also learned to be kinder to myself. I know now that mental illness isn’t a weakness; it’s just a part of who I am. I don’t have to be ashamed of it, and I certainly don’t have to hide it. Being open about my struggles has helped me heal in ways I never thought possible.

The truth is, my journey isn’t over. I’ll probably always have to manage my OCD and depression, but I’m okay with that. I’ve learned that surviving doesn’t mean everything is perfect; it means waking up every day and choosing to keep going, even when it’s hard. I’ve found strength in my vulnerability, and I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.

Sharing my story has been one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. I know that by speaking out, I’m helping to break the silence around mental health. I’m showing others that it’s okay to struggle and that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength.

Balancing Mental Health with the Pressures of Entrepreneurship

Despite the ongoing struggles with my mental health, I’ve always had this burning desire to build something of my own. Becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t just a dream for me—it was a necessity. There’s something about creating and having control over your path that gave me a sense of purpose, especially when everything else in my life felt chaotic. The idea of starting a business while managing OCD and psychotic depression may sound like an impossible task, but for me, it became a lifeline. It gave me something to focus on, something beyond the darkness in my mind.

When I first started my entrepreneurial journey, I had a lot of doubts. Could I manage a business when there were days I couldn’t even manage my own thoughts? The compulsive thoughts and intrusive fears were always there, nagging at me, telling me that I wasn’t good enough, and that I would fail. But deep down, I knew that if I allowed those thoughts to control me, I’d never take the risk. I’d never know what I was capable of. So, I decided to push through the fear. I learned to take small steps, focusing on what I could control rather than what felt impossible.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was finding a balance between my mental health needs and the demands of running a business. Entrepreneurship is inherently stressful, and there were times when the pressure seemed unbearable. The constant decision-making, the responsibility, the financial worries—they all triggered my anxiety in ways that were hard to manage. But I quickly realized that if I wanted to succeed, I needed to prioritize my mental health as much as my business. I began structuring my days to ensure I had time for therapy, self-care, and moments of rest, even when it felt like I didn’t have time to stop.

In many ways, my OCD helped me as an entrepreneur. The attention to detail that comes with the condition meant that I was always thorough, always looking at every angle of a problem before making a decision. While it was exhausting at times, it also made me more cautious and methodical in my approach. I found ways to harness the aspects of my OCD that could benefit my work, and I developed systems that helped me stay organized, even on days when my mind felt like it was spiraling.

There were days, of course when everything felt like too much. Days where the depression was so heavy that I didn’t want to get out of bed, let alone run a business. But on those days, I leaned on the people around me. I built a team that understood my mental health challenges and supported me through the tough times. Being vulnerable with my team was crucial. I didn’t hide my struggles from them; instead, I was open about my mental health from the beginning. I wanted them to understand that there would be times when I couldn’t give 100%, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t fully committed to our success.

If At First You Don’t Succeed…

One of the hardest lessons I learned as an entrepreneur with mental health challenges was how to forgive myself for not always being perfect. In the beginning, I pushed myself too hard, thinking that I had to overcompensate for my illness. But that mindset quickly led to burnout. I had to learn that it’s okay to have bad days, to take a step back when I needed to, and to let go of the guilt that came with not always being “on.” It took time, but eventually, I found a rhythm that worked for me—a balance between pushing forward and giving myself the space to heal when necessary.

As my business grew, so did my confidence. I started to see that my mental health struggles didn’t define me or my ability to succeed. If anything, they made me more resilient, more empathetic, and more determined. I began to see entrepreneurship as another form of therapy—an outlet where I could channel my energy and creativity, where I could build something meaningful that gave me a sense of purpose beyond my diagnosis. Every milestone we hit, every success we achieved, felt like a victory not just for the business but for me. It was proof that I could still accomplish great things, even with the weight of mental illness on my shoulders.

As my business found its footing, I made it a point to incorporate mental health advocacy into our company culture. I didn’t want anyone on my team to feel like they had to hide their struggles the way I had once felt. We started offering mental health days, provided resources for therapy and counseling, and made sure that mental well-being was a priority, not an afterthought. I wanted my business to reflect the values I’d learned from my journey—that success is not just about profits, but about creating an environment where people feel supported and understood.

Proving Mental Illness Doesn’t Limit Your Dreams

Through my work as an entrepreneur, I also found new ways to give back to the mental health community. I began speaking at events, sharing my story not just as someone who has battled mental illness, but as someone who has built a successful business while doing so. I wanted to show others that having a mental health condition doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams. It’s possible to live with both, to manage both, and to thrive in both.

Looking back, I realize that entrepreneurship gave me something that nothing else could—it gave me control over my destiny. For so long, my mental illness had made me feel powerless like I was a victim of my mind. But by building something from the ground up, I reclaimed that power. I proved to myself that I’m capable of overcoming the obstacles in my path, no matter how daunting they may seem. And that’s a lesson I carry with me every day, both in business and in life.
Today, I’m proud not just of the business I’ve built, but of the person I’ve become. My journey hasn’t been easy, and I know it’s far from over. But I’ve learned that it’s possible to live a full, meaningful life even with the challenges of mental illness. My story isn’t one of a perfect recovery, but of resilience, growth, and the determination to keep moving forward—no matter what.

Launching Krazy Kopy, a Print and Design Business

After working for years in the newspaper industry with some of the biggest names in journalism—including The Guardian, The Observer, and Financial News—I decided it was time for a change. I loved the world of media, but the daily grind was becoming too much to bear, especially while managing my mental health. So, I took a leap of faith. I quit my day job and launched my own business: Krazy Kopy.

Now, why “Krazy Kopy,” you ask? Well, I figured if I was going to be up to my elbows in paper, ink, and creative chaos, the business name might as well reflect the madness I was bringing to the table. Let’s be real—between managing OCD and psychotic depression, “crazy” was already a part of my everyday life. So, I embraced it and made it part of my brand.

At first, Krazy Kopy started as a print shop. I had no idea how quickly things would take off, but before I knew it, I was printing for huge clients like Netflix, Google, Microsoft, and even Nike. Landing those contracts was surreal—it felt like validation that I could succeed in the entrepreneurial world, despite the challenges I faced. But as the business grew, I realized I needed to evolve with the times. Printing was great, but the future was digital. So, I expanded.

The Rise of the Internet: Seizing Opportunities in a Digital Era

I threw myself into the digital world. I started designing websites and logos, offering social media and online marketing services. It was a completely new skill set, but I was excited to learn. The internet was catching on, and I didn’t want to be left behind. I also discovered that I enjoyed helping other people build their online presence, especially small businesses and startups that needed guidance. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about helping someone take an idea and turn it into something tangible.

As Krazy Kopy transformed from a printing business into a full-service digital marketing agency, I realized there was more I could offer. I started mentoring budding entrepreneurs, helping them not just with branding and marketing but with finding the funding they needed to get their startups off the ground. Over the years, I’ve helped countless individuals turn their business dreams into reality. There’s nothing quite like watching someone else succeed and knowing you played a part in that.

Teaching Online Money-Making Strategies

I’ve also expanded into teaching others how to make money online. Whether it’s through affiliate marketing, e-commerce, or building a personal brand, I’ve made it my mission to give people the tools they need to succeed in the digital world. I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape, especially when you’re dealing with mental health challenges. That’s why I’m passionate about making the process as simple and accessible as possible for others.

And the best part? I get to do all of this on my own terms. Running my own business allows me the flexibility I need to manage my mental health. I can structure my days in a way that works for me, taking breaks when I need them and prioritizing self-care. It’s been a game-changer for my well-being. I’m no longer trying to fit myself into a box that doesn’t suit me. Instead, I’ve built something that allows me to thrive, both personally and professionally.
These days, Krazy Kopy is a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs. If you’ve got an idea but don’t know where to start, I’m your guy. Need a logo? Done. A website? Easy. Social media followers and a killer online presence? No problem. I’ll make sure you’ve got everything you need to get noticed before you can even say “venture capital.” And if you need help securing that cash, I’ve got connections to help you with that too.

It’s OK Not To Be OK

Looking back, I’m proud of what I’ve built. I took a risk when I left the comfort of my 9-5 job, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Sure, there were moments of doubt, especially when my mental health was at its worst, but I didn’t let that stop me. If anything, it pushed me to work harder, to create something that would give me a sense of control and purpose when everything else in my life felt chaotic.

Through Krazy Kopy, I’ve found a way to combine my passions for creativity, business, and helping others. My mental health challenges will always be a part of my journey, but they no longer define me. Instead, they’ve shaped me into a more resilient and empathetic entrepreneur. I understand what it’s like to struggle, to feel like the odds are stacked against you, and that’s why I’m so dedicated to helping others succeed.

So, if you’ve got a business idea and need some guidance—or even if you’re just starting out and need a push in the right direction—let’s talk. I’ll make sure you’re ready to take on the world, one logo, website, and follower at a time.

If there’s one thing I want people to take away from my story, it’s this: you are not alone. No matter how dark it gets, no matter how heavy the burden feels, there is always hope. There is always a way forward, even if it doesn’t look like what you imagined. I’m still here, still fighting, and that’s enough. That’s everything.