“The ability to jump into a meeting with people in five different parts of the planet is powerful,”
Seeing people from all around the world talk about your shared experiences and talk about their recover can be a launch to be better. Knowing there are people who feel the same way you do just makes you feel connected and safe.
“What we’re saying is, let’s have a balance and not glorify this.”
having this balance could save lives for the future. if there was this type of balance In the past, so many musicians and crew members could be saved.
“I recall going to an awards show and they came round with 10 glasses of champagne and one glass of juice,”
the industry promotes this type of heavy drinking and it need to stop. Showing that many drinks and being told to drink does something to your brain. It'll make you believe that this is normal.
“It wouldn’t even be known that this is what they died from because there’s so much shame and stigma around it. It’s covered up.”
addiction has such a negative stigma behind it, it seems to be better to hide how they died then just say they overdosed. being ridiculed for something that you never wanted or you had no chance of knowing will happen is sad.
On my solo tours we have instituted a ‘no alcohol on the bus’ policy.
even a lot of the crew and staff are victims to excessive drinking, being influenced by everyone around them. when you are a recovering addict and seeing the whole place filled with alcohol. You'll feel like your drowning and suffocating.
“I didn’t start drinking until I started playing music,”
music companies usually encourage their musicians to drink and get fucked up on stage. this is usually for the performance aspect. Such as 1975, Matty Healy was known for getting drunk and herion high on stage. everyone loved it but when he got sober, everyone suddenly realized he needed help.
“I was nervous at first [when sober] that I wouldn’t be able to write. In fact, it unlocked sort of a creative switch in my brain.”
they might feel locked out and stuck in their minds. Constantly hiding behind their drunken state. When they're sober they can discover more about themselves. Exploring their creative side more and more.
There’s almost this unwritten rule that drugs and alcohol are a necessity if you’re a musician or in the music industry. It’s a narrative that needs to change.
you aren't a true rockstar unless you are coked out and drunk beyond belief. its dealt like a necessity, you need to be drunk or how else will you make music. your true emotions and creativity comes out so why not be drunk?
If we want to continue to be this creative, wonderful industry, we’re going to have to start getting better at [supporting mental health], or we’ll lose more people.”
In this field it seems to be known that you shouldn't have mental support. That mindset Is what is causing so many people to lose to addiction and to mental health issues.
Music Support has trained more than 100 people, and heightened interest has led to the number of sessions doubling, from monthly to fortnightly.
The rise in members and the needed increase of workers show how many musicians need this support. A lot of them will feel the need to hide and shy away from help due to the constant spotlight. Mental health in Hollywood is almost a career death sentence, your addiction and mental health will be used against you at any moment. Your rockstar lifestyle will no longer be a funny or exciting life, they'll call you crazy and erratic.
UK charity that specialises in mental health and addiction in the music industry, runs a regular training course on mental health first aid.
The impact that substance abuse has on the music industry has caused a new support group to surface. many musicians may find this group more supportive due to a lot of the other group members are musicians.
Now, as Covid-19 has forced a pause, change is afoot to help those who need it.
Covid-19 seemed to be like a small miracle to many musicians who had drug and alcohol problems. The weeks that they were isolated lead them to sobering up and even take advantage of online sources. It was a forced wake up call.
I felt if I could do it out there, I’d be able to maintain it anywhere.”
As an addict you'll feel like you're surrounded by opportunities to relapse. Blythe was on tour and his first time preforming sober, he was feeling overwhelmed and scared. Once he gotten done with the tour, he found himself believing that he can be sober anywhere