Image credit: Dan Meyers

Musicians deal with mental health issues more than the general population. Safeguard your health in the industry and know where to find help.

Mental health issues can affect everyone at some point in their life. Working within the music industry can be incredibly rewarding but it is also a very difficult industry to work within. With the toil of irregular working patterns, intense touring, and pushing to make money, it is normal to face difficulty.

Swedish digital platform Record Union found that 73% of independent musicians struggle with their mental health. Research by the University of Westminster found that 7/10 musicians dealt with social anxiety and panic attacks whilst over two-thirds had experienced depression. Whilst this is serious, it also shows that you are not alone if you are struggling with your mental health in the music industry.

The same research found that more than half of the musicians they asked found it difficult to get help. This is why we’re raising awareness of the issue on World Mental Health day, the 10th of October. Read on to discover some of the organisations helping those working in the music industry and where to reach out if you want to find support.

Where to find mental health support?

Help Musicians are a fantastic organisation helping musicians around the world. They offer tonnes of advice, information, and resources on their website for dealing with issues and finding support. Find out more at: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/

Help Musicians offer 24/7 helplines available to musicians and anyone working in the music industry:

Music Minds Matter – 0808 802 8008

Bullying & Harassment Helpline – 0800 088 2045

Another group you can reach out to are Music Support. This organisation started in 2016 to support musicians dealing with mental health issues and a focus on those struggling with addiction issues. Music Support offers support for both those dealing with issues and their family and friends, as well as training on First Aid and Recovery: https://www.musicsupport.org/.

Music Support’s helpline is available Monday – Friday between 9AM and 5PM.

Music Support Helpline – 0800 030 6789

Non-urgent issues – helpline@musicsupport.org

If you are dealing with urgent medical issues, contact your local healthcare provider. Remember that there is support out there and you can always reach out to someone.

Note: This article is intended to provide general information and does not constitute professional medical advice. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek immediate help.