Many musicians struggle with mental health, yet remain silent about it due to fear that discussing such struggles could damage their reputation or needing to present an optimistic front.
Recent suicides of prominent musicians have brought this issue into focus, with studies indicating that musicians may be three times more likely than the general population to experience anxiety or depression symptoms and use psychotherapy services.
Depression
From Mahler and Schumann to Cobain and Winehouse, depression, drug use and music have a romanticised image that often romanticises it all too closely. But in truth the relationship is far more complex; some musicians may use creativity as an outlet to overcome mental health difficulties while many more struggle for much longer – sometimes for years!
Studies have revealed that those working in the music industry are more prone to depression than the general population for various reasons, including work overload, pressure to achieve success, loneliness from travel/living away from home and lack of financial security and flexible schedule requirements.
Some musicians experience performance anxiety. Stage fright is one of classical music’s biggest secrets, impacting players of all ages and levels of experience alike. Their fight-or-flight response ramps up cortisol and adrenaline production resulting in symptoms such as trembling, sweating, palpitations and nausea – psychotherapy can provide some relief; in extreme cases medication like beta blockers may provide essential aid.
Backline, the Swedish digital platform, conducted a study that revealed 73% of musicians struggled with mental illness; when researchers focused on younger musicians this number rose to 80%. Although these statistics may seem alarming, there are steps that musicians can take to help themselves cope; peer support groups or meeting with a counsellor or joining support groups are great ways to feel less isolated and gain more perspective on your situation.
The music business can be highly unpredictable, often leading to young musicians starting bands but finding themselves without work by 25. This can be highly distressful and lead to depression; but remember that one door closes, another one opens; it doesn’t mean disaster if your dream doesn’t make it big; just keep doing what you love and enjoy the ride along the way! Don’t compare yourself with your peers; each person must find their own path towards success – there is no “right” path towards being successful.
Anxiety
Musicians frequently experience anxiety about their performances. This anxiety can be debilitating and have serious repercussions, reducing performance quality or even stopping musicians from continuing in their profession altogether. This phenomenon was first identified as musical performance anxiety (MPA) back in 1990 and encompasses various physiological, emotional, and behavioural components.
MPA differs significantly from stage fright in that it is more persistent and disabling, not responding to increased exposure to performances situations like it does for stage fright; rather it seems permanent and debilitating, impacting musicians’ careers and professional lives significantly. Coping strategies and treatment proposals designed to alleviate MPA are becoming an increasing topic in scientific literature; however randomized/controlled studies with large sample sizes remain scarce.
Anxiety can lead to depression, addiction and other psychiatric conditions in musicians. Therefore it is imperative that they receive support from professionals when experiencing anxiety-based issues, as this industry relies heavily on talent and creativity of these individuals to produce music. The music industry must take responsibility for its artists’ health in order to continue producing quality works of music.
Mental illness among musicians has a longstanding legacy. Over the decades, many musicians have battled depression, anxiety, and substance abuse; some even committed suicide while others succumbed to overdoses or other mental health issues. Some musicians have openly addressed their mental health struggles which has helped reduce stigma around it and spur discussion about it.
Pop culture often romanticises depictions of tortured geniuses as tortured geniuses; it’s important to remember that many musicians suffer from depression, anxiety and other psychiatric conditions – especially those who are well known. A 2019 study showed that musicians were more likely to have mental health problems than non-musicians due to lifestyle factors contributing to music making that can cause mental illness issues.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Musicians often become preoccupied with their music as a stress reliever, using it as an escape from upsetting or unwanted thoughts, urges, visions, and fears. Unfortunately, this doesn’t teach healthy coping and relaxation techniques and they become dependent upon listening to it to calm themselves down; in extreme cases this could even become their sole means of relaxation leading to hearing loss, headaches, tinnitus and obesity if listening to loud music continuously throughout the day.
Musical obsessions and hallucinations are clinical hallmarks of OCD, listed under “miscellaneous obsessions” on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Symptom Checklist (Y-BOCS). Musical obsession involves intrusive musical fragments, sounds or tunes entering one’s mind that produce anxiety or induce compulsions to stop listening; musical hallucinations involve unstoppable images of musical sounds or instruments appearing repeatedly in one’s thoughts that cannot be shut out of one’s mind.
Luckily, musicians with OCD have several treatments at their disposal for managing this condition. Psychotherapy and medication are usually effective; if these methods prove ineffective or unsafe however, some individuals may require alternative approaches like residential treatment programs, neurofeedback therapy, deep brain stimulation procedures or surgery as viable solutions.
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of music therapy as part of an individual’s mental health treatment plan in alleviating OCD symptoms. For instance, one study demonstrated how therapeutic listening to classical music could decrease both frequency and intensity of one patient’s OCD symptoms; another demonstrated similar effects with improvisational music therapy for another.
Chemical imbalance may also play a part in someone’s OCD symptoms; when this is the case, medication such as TCA Clomipramine can help balance hormone and chemical levels in their brain to provide relief. Clomipramine has even been used effectively against OCD symptoms in musicians with musical obsessions and hallucinations.
PTSD
PTSD is a mental health condition with lasting and profound repercussions for its sufferers. Often accompanying depression, anxiety and substance abuse as well as difficulty interacting with people – this makes finding treatment all the more daunting than needed. Studies have indicated that music therapy can improve outcomes for individuals suffering from this condition.
Music is an expressive art form that helps patients express themselves non-verbally. Additionally, music can stimulate positive hormones like oxytocin and counteract cortisol levels that are out of whack with those suffering PTSD – making music an invaluable form of relief from its symptoms for many individuals living with the disorder. Listening or playing music provides much-needed comfort and relief from its symptoms for many who live with PTSD.
As musicians often face increased demands and stresses due to their profession, musicians may be at increased risk of mental illness than the general population. But this doesn’t mean they don’t have the power to overcome their difficulties and recover using music as a healing tool; there have been numerous stories about people finding strength through musical therapy.
Researchers are starting to investigate the link between music and resilience, specifically in terms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moshe Bensimon of Bar-Ilan University reported that drumming in group settings reduced symptoms associated with trauma from war or terror attacks; additionally, fMRI studies have demonstrated how musical expertise increases top-down modulation strength within the hippocampus which in turn enhances cognitive control mechanisms (Gagnepain et al. 2017a).
Researchers are also investigating the effects of therapist-led music interventions versus self-directed music interventions on PTSD. Therapists offer vital support and structure for recovery from PTSD; furthermore they guide patients through musical engagement in real time which enhances therapeutic experience. Research into such therapies shows they may even address intrusions as potential sources of trauma.