I wish I had this list of resources for every city in the world, PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU KNOW OF ONE I CAN ADD AND KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND ALL OFYOUR FANS.
Musician and neurologist Dr. Joe Barnby studies how the pandemic affected the mental health of music-makers alike. Hereโs what he foundโฆ
by Jessica Letkemann from Spotify For Artists
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for health advice. You should consult your own advisors and/or mental health professionals before making any personal decisions.
Making music has always made for an intense career, often full of the kinds of uncertainties โ from money to time โ that can stress you out. On top of that, the effects of the ongoing pandemic threw a monkeywrench into many artistsโ lives that continues to be felt. Dr. Joe Barnby, a musician and neuroscientist in the field of mental health, checked back in with Spotify for Artists to share what heโs observed about how Covid has added to the unique stresses of the profession.
โData that has come out during the pandemic has highlighted who is more vulnerable to depression and anxiety,โ Barnby says. โThe one thing that stands out about musicians compared to other professions is that they [often] havenโt got that security of financial stabilityโฆ and that unfortunately means that when something like Covid happens where thereโs a huge change in the way that we need to adapt to live, it can be very difficult to carry on being a musician in those circumstances.โ
Almost two-thirds of the respondents to MusiCares 2021 โWellness in Musicโ survey felt financial stress every day. Meanwhile, over a quarter reported moderate to severe depression.
โNo sort of economic parachute for people with inconsistent incomes makes stress all the more exaggerated and magnified. Musicians feel that they canโt really afford to exist doing what we love doing, like writing music or producing music, combined with trying to afford an apartment, and trying to afford food.โ
Isolation is one major risk factor for musicians that multiplied when lockdowns and restrictions interrupted the social and support networks that are vital to good mental health. While that has eased this year, Barnby has seen that, โWe were still not able to talk to people and interact with people in the same way. We didnโt have that social spontaneity we were used to.โ To combat that, he says, itโs important to, โhave people around you that you can rely on to be there for you to talk things over and be there with you emotionally.โ
Your need for a like-minded community of fellow musicians is also key, as other stresses have piled up. โHaving a forum where you can discuss that among yourselves is so powerful,โ Barnby says. โTalking through problems that youโre all facing gives you the benefit of group ideas. Itโs not just you thinking about it on your own.โ
In addition to having people to rely on, the other โnormal things recommended for good mental health โ good exercise, nutrition, and sleepโ also apply.
โWe know the importance of sleep in regulating things like cognition, our emotion, and our ability to deal with stresses during the day,โ he says. โIf you have a completely uneven sleep schedule, we know that that is predisposing people to have poorer mental health and to find dealing with normal life stresses a lot more difficult.
โThereโs emerging evidence about the relationship between the gut and brain, and how the things we eat affect our psychology. Our social environments can encourage poorer or better eating. If youโre constantly on a tight schedule, you havenโt got the time to prepare food thatโs really nutritious. We know that eating food that doesnโt encourage healthy gut microbiota will predispose you to having poorer mental health.โ
โArt and culture is so important to a healthy, functioning society,โ Barnby says. And he feels that points to the need for mental health โalleviation for struggling musicians that otherwise could contribute massively to society.โ
Alana Bonilla on 09/16/2022