Why suffer in silence when we can conquer with confidence?
Last month, the dance music world was rocked by the unexpected death of Tim Bergling. More commonly known as Avicii, the EDM extraordinaire died aged just 28-years-old.
Four days after his passing, his family ostensibly revealed his cause of death: suicide. For many, this news hasn’t settled in and still feels very surreal. After all, why would such a young and successful musical pioneer living most people’s dream want to take their own life?
Whilst we can all sit and point fingers at whom and what was to blame, one of the biggest contributors in all of this was silence. Coming as a cruel and chilling reminder that communication is essential when it comes to mental health, it is even more vital that we acknowledge and open up about these issues in order to spark the awareness to prevent this problem from recurring.
However, speaking up about your own mental challenges in the music industry has never been a straight-forward task. Benga summarises this perfectly during his 2015 exchange with The Guardian when he said: “This industry is all about perception: a lot of people wouldn’t want anyone to think they’re weak, or that they can’t do what they do, or that they’re not cool.” Wanting to progress forward, the dubstep originator then discussed his bipolar disorder, which was “brought on by drugs”, and his schizophrenia, which was caused through “excessive touring.”
We currently operate in what can sometimes be an unforgiving environment where a highly demanding schedule can leave us locked up as a prisoner in our own minds. And as a music journalist and a sufferer of OCD myself, nothing comes as lonely as this.
From the countless late nights and constantly being surrounded by drugs to the never-ending travel and hotel room isolation, the life of your average touring DJ isn’t all as glamorous as their social media platforms suggest.
It was last week that Cadenza chief, Luciano, spoke out about his near 22-year struggle with substance abuse. In order to cope with a hectic lifestyle that involved serious amounts of travel and nightlife, he would consume “tons of pills to wake up, another ton to sleep or calm down, painkillers for million reasons and substances to keep pushing.”
One year ago, the Chilean-Swiss selector checked himself into rehab in Thailand. Such a life experience has enabled Luciano to open up about his personal demons. On Facebook, he said: “I kept this in my secret box for almost 22 years with lots of shame and it is still today one of my hardest battles, but I have chosen to speak about it, almost a miraculous case sharing an experience of life and making sure I can help as much as I can.”
Australian native, Alison Wonderland, is another big name who has stepped forward in being honest about her mental health. She spoke out about her frightening experiences about fighting depression, anxiety and an emotionally-traumatic relationship. In a recent interview with Viceland, she confessed: “It was literally destroying me. I couldn’t remember what was good about me; I couldn’t remember why anyone would even like me. I couldn’t remember why I was even here, and at my lowest point, I tried to kill myself.”
Social media is another huge contributor to this subject, and despite being able to make such a positive impact upon an artist’s career, can have serious negative implications on an individual’s mindset too. From online trolls spreading pointless hate about subjects they have no idea about to unnecessary criticism on your latest record, social media can be very dangerous indeed.
ANIMA head-honcho, Jini Cowan, has also been a victim of social media’s dark side. She received tonnes of abuse for publishing a post about her mastering business in a Facebook group. The Manchester-born artist said: “It’s soul-destroying. It makes me feel like I’m taking a step back. I was told by one troll that he hoped I would die in a car accident. I try not to take anything personally but when it comes to racial or abusive comments, that’s too far. It makes me hate the industry and I sometimes question why I even try.”
Moving forward, efforts are already in motion to help those already wrestling the daily conflicts they have with the voices in their head. Late last year, Help Musicians officially launched its 24/7 services. Introducing a new system called Music Minds Matter, the UK organisation’s new platform provides a free helpline, advice and therapy all day, every day.
This year’s IMS Ibiza will host the first ever Remedy State retreat between 20th and 23rd May. Inspired by the practises of Integrated Medicine and ayurveda, this wellness platform will help guests learn simple and practical techniques for the maintenance of physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing tailored for the busiest of schedules.
Co-founded by DJ/Producer Blaise James DeAngelo, he said: “Seeing the industry lifestyle negatively impact my own physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing and that of those around me seemed like a cruel irony given that music itself is such a positive and uplifting thing. We’ve all dedicated our lives to it, so we should be the happiest, healthiest bunch on Earth.”
Continuing to be community led in feel, IMS Ibiza will also feature a keynote interview with arguably Britain’s most influential raver, Bradley Gunn. Over the past few years, Bradley has confronted his personal battle with Asperger’s Syndrome by embracing sober clubbing. He has transformed his care-free passion for dancing into becoming an inspirational role model for self-purpose. He will talk about his in-depth about his experiences.
Slowly but surely, these dark, invisible clouds that hover so prominently above our heads are beginning to distance. Whilst there remains a long, long way to go, it’s refreshing to see more music personalities opening up and discussing their own personal battles. Most importantly though, remember this… its okay not to be okay.
For anyone struggling with any mental health related issues, you can find more information on Help Musicians UK here. You can also contact its 24/7 helpline at 0808 802 8008 or email them at MMM@helpmusicians.org.uk.
Comments