According to a survey curated by Help Musicians UK, almost 60% of professional musicians have dealt with psychological issues and nearly half said they experienced problems with alcohol. So, behind the music – do we really suffer for our art? Research found that anti-social working hours contributed hugely to the health and well-being of artists and proved one of the biggest concerns for musicians, leading to speculation that this could lead to further psychological issues, relationship difficulties and loneliness.
Although we have seen some major breakthroughs in changing attitudes toward mental health in music with the likes of Kendrick Lamar who, in an interview with The Observer, spoke of his experienced depression as a teenager and once again, after releasing good kid, m.A.A.d city and the more recent, Laura Mvula article by The Guardian’s Tom Lamont regarding her struggle with panic attacks, we need to see/read and hear more in order to move in a better direction so why does it still remain the case that so many artists are still so reluctant to speak the truth about their mental health?
OK – the music industry may still be half asleep when it comes to the mental health of its artists but surely before anything can change in the industry, it’s vital that the general attitude towards mental health needs to change first and although we are talking about it more, it still looks a certain way and thus adds to that stigma we are trying so hard to get away from. Where we find most artists (or their labels) are simply terrified of being associated with it, we are left with those fair few who are brave; the artists who risk reputation or are willing use their platform to make the change – these are the artists that can make the real difference – it’s just a matter of who’s willing to step up to that rather ‘daunting’ plate. Well, we’ve found one artist willing to do so …
Crisis Renegade Speaks
“Feeling like my head is on fire, everything is fine though. Just had a nice lunch and got good news about a radio premiere. I’m out in public so don’t want anyone to see me breakdown. Took a walk to write this down – I found a small bench by the beach…PERFECT. The main thing I have to remember when this happens is to breathe, fill up your lungs and hold it. Think positive and be thankful for everything you have, for there is no particular reason for me/you/us to feel like this.
I come from a good family, apart from the general stress of life nothing else is on my shoulders, I have a very close relationship with my parents and sister, the best friends a person could ask for and a record deal with a label that really believes in me. I should be the happiest person in the world…right? I often get asked questions like “Why are you so down for? your life Is great!”, a question that I cannot answer for even I don’t know the real reason. The positives far out weigh the negatives one-hundred to one but that one negative seems to be more powerful than every smile in my body.
I think back to when I was a kid, I still felt down but I managed to shadow the feeling out as simply ‘just a feeling’ that will pass and got back to doing what kids do. As I grew up I realised that feeling down was not “accepted” in society, being given labels and names to make people feel less offended by your inability to pinpoint your emotions, “he’s just saying that for attention” or “you’ll get over it”. It wasn’t easy. But now we get to the important part, how do I deal with it? What do I do to control my social anxiety? What do I think to revert the lows? Well to do this you need to come to terms with what’s contributes to your happiness, is it a job? A hobby? Family member, pet, friend, TV show – it could be ANYTHING! Now try to create one-hundred scenarios of how you would enjoy those factors, use past memories and further goals to gather a positive image of that in your head, picture your self on the beach with that friend, picture yourself in that TV show and really let your imagination take over.
For me it’s writing. Whether it be writing lyrics, poems, stories or simply my thoughts, the feeling of the pen on the paper soothes my lows, the flow of words linking together in my mind and coming out into structured sentences helps me to think about anything different than what’s brining me down.
Then you take it to the next step. Use your method to bring more positivity into your life, turn those words to a song, write your own script, paint your imagination and share your happiness to bring more around you. People will start to see your methods being turned into work that they can relate to and in turn understand you better. But, over everything else, the main thing that gets me by is knowing that I’m not alone. People feel the same way as you, you’re not a freak, there is nothing wrong with you, we are all human and we have to stick together, so don’t be scared to talk to someone or just get it off your chest.”
Download your free copy of Crisis Renegade’s Album ‘Seizure Sessions’ here or give him a follow @crisisrenegade on all social media platforms.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with their Mental Health, you can find valuable help and advice here. Or alternatively you can speak with the Samaritans 24/7 here. In the case of requiring emergency assistance, please dial 999.Â
