Depression And Anxiety, The Artists' Fiercest Enemies: How To Overcome Them
Why artists are more depressed and anxious than other? And how to overcome these mental health problems? This is your start up kit to deal with these problems!
An elephant in the room. So big, that even after the music industry claimed the life of artists who’ve fought anxiety and depression, the pressure is still constantly increasing, as defined by the cold numbers: likes, followers, streams and reach.
Stress has been classified by the World Health Organization as the health pandemic of the 21st century. Looking at the life of an independent artist from outside, it all seems covered in glitter and bubbles: a creative environment, with artists doing nothing more than music, touring, having fun on stage and backstage. Not a rock star life, but at least an instagramable lifestyle, where your only worries would be if your hair looked good enough on the most recent music video.
Depression? Anxiety? Stress? These scary words should be only on the big artists’ agenda, with 500 performances per year and a full crew private jet to support the tours.
Well, actually, the statistics are scarier: a study commissioned by Spotify in 2019 revealed that 87% of the independent artists experienced a mental health problem, due mainly to the lack of the support structures found in larger organizations. In a survey by MIRA (Music Industry Research Association), 50% of musicians reported struggling with symptoms of depression. Additionally, 12% reported having had suicidal thoughts, a figure significantly higher than the general population.
Still, the question remains: why on Earth are independent artists prone to experience mental health problems, when a music career should be a fun, easy going way to experience life in its wholeness? There are actually more reasons that you could imagine
Financial instability: gone are the monthly checks at the end of the month. When you don’t have a consistent back catalog to deliver a constant passive income, you have to deal with sporadic gigs and low streaming royalties. Paid leaves? For this one you need to think about a regular job
High pressure and expectations: breaking through with a song? This event would not only raise your income levels, but raise the bar into following up with releases that have at least the same amount of success like the previous one. And this pressure, both from you and your fanbase, to constantly create, perform, and remain relevant can lead to burnout. Add the perfectionism to this recipe and you’re down for a slice of self-doubt and anxiety over whether your music is good enough.
Social isolation: contrary to the general beliefs that artists tend to have a rich social life, countless hours spent in the studio or on the road put pressure on maintaining relationships.
Uncertainty of success: we feel comfort when we can predict things and events in our life. The highly unpredictable nature of the music industry, where success is not guaranteed despite hard work and talent, can lead to frustration and anxiety.
Public scrutiny: you need a thick skin to take the beat of the social media hate and criticism. Because every single person on instagram has an opinion on your music. And this will badly heart your self-esteem. Exactly like the other side of the coin will: the lack of engagement on social media.
Work - life balance. “I am so close to getting it perfect! A few more minutes and I’m done!” Sounds familiar? If it does, then your personal life is going to hit a dead end sooner or later.
Substance abuse: it’s all fun until it stops being fun. Alcohol and other substances abuses are actually coping mechanisms to stress and pressure. Escapism for a little while, but a sure road to mental health problems.
Career longevity concerns: nowadays the music industry is super fast-paced and this can make musicians feel as though they must constantly innovate to stay relevant, leading to anxiety about their long-term viability in the industry
Isis Salvaterra has been active as a promoter, booking agent and artist manager for more than 25 years, most of these spent on the dancefloors of London’s thriving electronic music scene. A Psychology and Sociology graduate, Isis has been witnessing the ups and downs of music careers. She’s been more than a mere agent for the artists she has worked with, but rather a life and career coach. This is the main reason she recently closed ToiToi agency and started a Masters in Psychotherapy and Neuroscience. Based on her experience, Isis provided us with a pitch level perspective on the mental state and wellness issues for artists.
Can you identify the most important factors that contribute to the mental state of artists?
Touring schedules, sleep deprivation, drug use and abuse, inability (mostly due to shame and taboos) about sharing what they feel are some factors.
What role does the pressure to succeed and maintain relevance play in the mental well-being of artists?
I believe this aspect has been mostly exacerbated due to social media exposure, the pursuit to excellence may lead to anxiety, creative block, self-doubt and self-sabotage to name a few.
What are the warning signs that a music producer or singer might be struggling with their mental health, and how can they seek help?
Mental illnesses are way more present than it meets the eye. The easiest way of course is if it originates in the person realising something and sharing, to a closed one, family, friend or a therapist. Spotting it without them sharing or even realising it, aspects such as feeling depressed, lacking enthusiasm , drug abuse, sleep deprivation, lack of exercise, unhealthy habits (aka diet), feeling drained or devalued, burn outs, temper, sudden mood swings are just a few flags. Most importantly, whether coming from the artist in question or those around him/her, one can only be helped if one accepts help is necessary (aka they see the problem) and beyond that, that they can be open enough to receive it so its important to find a balance between making that person aware if he / she isn't already and respect their pace in terms of privacy, confidentiality and timing.
Until asking for professional health, is there anything an artist can do to improve his / her mental state, while keeping a balance between work / touring and personal life?
Yes, I normally use the acronym MEDS:
Meditation | Exercise | Diet | Sleep
Covering these 4 aspects is already a great start towards guaranteeing a good base physically, mentally and psychologically for sure.
How can the music industry as a whole better support the mental well-being of its artists and producers?
Valid to note mental health issues are everywhere, not just artists and producers. I feel lately we have a tendency to focus only on artists and their needs so as a point here I think the musical industry can actually pay attention to its whole.
Creativity comes from the proper state of mind. How to obtain a proper state of mind, with all the pressure around us? These online resources could be a good start:
Musicares: a non-profit organization by the Recording Academy offering health and welfare services to the music community.
Backline: provides mental health and wellness resources to the music industry, including free therapy sessions
Help Musicians: A UK-based charity offering mental health support to musicians
You can also watch Avicii: True Stories, a documentary that follows the life of DJ Avicii, highlighting the mental health struggles he faced.