The Pressures of Musician Life

The music business can often feel like an anxiety pressure-cooker. The nonstop stress of chasing streaming numbers, social media fame, touring demands, recording perfectionism – it’s relentless. Studies show music professionals are up to three times more likely than the general population to suffer from depression, anxiety, and substance dependence.

The touring lifestyle especially feeds mental health issues with its erratic lifestyle and loneliness. Artists may turn to drugs, alcohol, sex, food, shopping, chaos just to fill voids or numb pain. Without healthy coping tools, it’s incredibly tempting to self-medicate stress and emotional pain this way. But it only provides fleeting relief, while exacerbating the core issues over the long run.

I’ve witnessed far too many talented friends and fellow artists battle mental illness and addiction demons they felt unable to escape. Outwardly they were achieving career milestones, but inwardly they struggled with dark, hopeless thoughts.

If this sounds familiar, please know that you can find your way out of the darkness. There are people, resources, communities ready to help, including myself. You deserve support. Do not remain silent and assume struggling is just an inevitable part of the music life. The stigma must be dissolved.

The Successful Struggle Too

There are countless examples of successful artists who have publicly addressed their mental health and addiction issues, including Demi Lovato, Halsey, Adam Levine, Shawn Mendes, Hayley Williams, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Kesha, Kid Cudi, Zayn Malik, Adele, Kendrick Lamar, Sia, Jonny Craig, Vic Fuentes and many others. Their honesty provides hope.

Pop singer Demi Lovato has long been outspoken about her struggles with bipolar disorder, eating disorders, self-harm and getting sober after nearly losing her life to opioid addiction in 2018. She continues to focus on suicide prevention and providing mental health resources to young people.

Rock singer Hayley Williams of Paramore discussed experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts often triggered by the pressures and isolation of fame and touring. She advocates for artists taking responsibility for their mental health and not romanticizing pain.

Pop icon Lady Gaga prioritizes dismantling stigma around mental illness, which she personally suffers from. She founded the Born This Way Foundation to help young people address issues like depression, trauma, anxiety, addiction, and bullying.

Justin Bieber has courageously shared his very personal and ongoing struggles with drugs, depression, suicidal thoughts, and how therapy and spiritual work guides his recovery process.

Kesha has been transparent about her mental health battles with anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, and the importance of seeking therapy rather than turning to damaging vices.

The honesty of these musicians and others demonstrates that hope and recovery are possible. The music industry still has progress to make when it comes to preventing mental health crises. But there are always people who care and want to support artists in need. You deserve to thrive as both a human and musician.

My Personal Struggles

As an artist and a career in the music business industry, who has faced my own addiction and depression battles, I understand how isolating and scary it can feel at times. The lifestyle led me down self-destructive paths of substance abuse for years before I found the courage to address and help my mental health issues.

But I’ve learned that by being vulnerable and seeking help through counseling,, support groups, lifestyle changes, there is always hope. Our mental health struggles do not define our identities or talents. I’m still a work in progress, but speaking openly about these issues has been integral to my recovery journey, both for myself and to help others.

You Are Not Alone

If there’s anything at all I can do to listen, help or just be a supportive voice in your mental health journey, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. My messages are always open. No problem is too small or too big to deserve care.

Wishing you the peace, joy and creativity that music is meant to bring into our lives. Stay strong and resilient on your path, friends. Brighter days always lie ahead.

Online Help for Musicians

In addition to in-person counseling and treatment options, there are many great online resources tailored specifically to helping musicians with their mental health. Here are some top organizations to check out:

Backline – Provides free counseling, peer support groups, wellness education, and crisis services for the music community. They match artists with therapists who understand the industry’s unique pressures.

Sound Mind – A 24/7 mental health support line by Help Musicians UK offering free, confidential advice to the music community dealing with issues like depression, addiction, grief, trauma.

Music Minds Matter – Connects music industry professionals to a network of therapists along with mental health resources and tools. Offers subsidized therapy costs.