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Comment by sergiotapia | Hacker News Reader

After Kroll's girlfriend received no response when she called him, she asked NYPD to visit his New York City apartment.[8] Kroll was found dead at the age of 34[1] of a drug overdose.[9] Drugs found in his system include fentanyl, fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, the examiner said.[10]

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He passed away from his battles with addiction, not really from "working too hard".

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Sure, but how many founders out there are addicted to various kinds of self-harm, be that drugs, working for 20h/day, lack of healthy eating, not leaving the office for weeks at a time...etc.

Point is, it's incredibly easy to engage in destructive behavior, especially if you've got the mindset of taking things to extremes.

All the things you mention are incerdibly damaging, but not necessarily the same thing. not leaving the office, not exercising, poor diet are all symptoms of things like working 20 hour days. In my mind that's the alternative to drugs, which is an escape from not being able to disengage from your startup.

I think the parent comment is referring to more than just the ‘standard’ recreational drugs — I know lots of founders who abuse amphetamines to maintain the habits you describe.

His addiction could have been a symptom and/or a way to cope with working too hard.

That sounds like an excuse for it. There are countless examples of accomplished people who typically work too much, and who don't engage in recreational drug use.

Adderall abuse is rampant in the 100 hour week set. So is provigil abuse.

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