Mental Health Matters: A Musician’s Guide to Getting Support

Being a musician is tough work, and it comes with many ups and downs. Sometimes, musicians let these downs get the best of them, so it is important to know how, when, and where to get the mental support you need, because your mental health matters!

What are some of the struggles musicians face?

Musicians struggle with many things within their career, including:

• Mental Health

• Addiction

• Sexual Assault

• Abuse

• Bullying and Harassment

• Physical Health

• Exhaustion

Who can I reach out to if I don’t have a support system?

There are many different ways to get the mental support you need if you do not already have a support system.

Free* Mental Health Resources:

• The National Suicide Hotline: Dial 988 or visit 988 Lifeline to chat

• New Jersey Addiction Hotline: 1-844-732-2465 

• Crisis Text Line: Text ‘HOME’ to 741-741

• BuddyHelp volunteer listeners: visit BuddyHelp to chat

• 7 Cups volunteer listeners: visit 7 Cups to chat

• List of Mental Health Resources: mentalhealthfirstaid.org

• Mental Health for College Students: Taking Care of Your Mental Health - NAMI

• Mental Health for the LGBTQ+ Community: The Trevor Project

*Resources listed are free. Extra Services may cost an additional fee.

Along with these resources, there are also free* mental health apps that can help, including:

Mental Health Apps:

• Moodfit

• MindShift CBT

• Sanvello

Meditation Apps:

• Calm

• Headspace

• Insight Timer

• Balance

*Resources listed are free. Extra Services may cost an additional fee.

How can I help my musician friends with their mental health?

Support them in every way, shape, and form. Stream their music, tell them how much you care, advertise their music, buy their merch, anything to show that you support them as a musician and a friend. You can also support them by being a part of their mental health support system, checking in on them and asking them how they are doing, asking them if they need help, and being there for them!

There are many different resources for help for those with mental health, but what are some resources for mental health in musicians?

Free Mental Health Resources for Musicians:

• Backline Care: Backline Care

• Music Health Alliance: Music Health Alliance

• MusiCares: MusiCares

• Sweet Relief: Sweet Relief

• Music Industry Therapist Collective: Music Industry Therapist Collective

• Music Minds Matter: Dial 0808 802 8008 or visit Music Minds Matter  (UK-based, additional fees may apply).

• Help Musicians Bullying and Harassment: Dial 0800 088 2045 or visit Help Musicians  (UK-based, additional fees may apply).

• Headstock X Mental Health Innovations and Shout: Text ‘Shout’ or ‘MUSIC’ to 85258 or visit Shout and Headstock team up to support the music industry | Shout 85258  (UK-based, additional fees may apply).

*Resources listed are free. Extra Services may cost an additional fee.

Credit: Isabella Basile

LONG STORY SHORT: Your mental health matters, and it’s okay not to be okay. But, it’s not okay to not get the help you need! You matter, as a musician and a person, and it helps greatly to know how, when, and where to get the help you or a loved one needs before it’s too late. Take care of yourself and your loved ones, and remember to keep the music going!