One in 3 UK musicians has poor mental health
NewsA survey of 6,000 individuals by Help Musicians and the Musicians’ Union reveals that on in three respondents has low mental wellbeing. In the classical sector the figure is 29 percent.
The highest level of poor mental wellnbeing, 41%, is among students. There is also a higher incidence among gay, disabled and ethnic minority musicians.
The survey has been released for publication tonight. More information can be found here.
It should be noticed, however, the the notion of mental ill health seems to have broadened in recent years. Ordinary anxiety about exams or other worries about everyday ups and downs is sometimes brought under the umbrella of ‘poor mental health’. A clinical psychiatrist I know says this is diverting resources away from those who used to be regarded as the mentally ill.
I so agree with this. Everyone has problems, but fewer and fewer appear willing to deal with them. All these “traumatised” young people who are made hysterical by reading Tess of the D’Urbervilles, who must flee to “safe spaces” if someone dares to disagree with them, let alone criticises them, are cluttering up the waiting lists of doctors who have serious health cases to deal with.
The mental health of these people would be vastly improved if they would realise that life is not always fair, or easy, and everything is not designed to suit You, You, You. If they would Just. Grow. Up.
The selfishness, the narcissism, of these types is devastating.
Classic whataboutery, Paul Brownsey and V. Lind. Did you not feel any concern about this story at all, or pause to wonder whether musicians might be worse off in terms of mental wellbeing than other sectors of the population, or wonder about the reasons why, if that is the case? I’m not claiming that musicians are worse off, but didn’t this story make you stop and think at all, even a little bit?!
“I’m not claiming that musicians are worse off, but didn’t this story make you stop and think at all, even a little bit?!”
No. It just made me think about the types that respond to questionnaires about mental health.
Insufficient information given by either the report or the link to discover what the musicians were asked. My point, in agreement with and support of Mr. Brownsey’s, is that too many people cannot differentiate between life problems and mental illness, and they are screwing up medical services as a result.
I have no idea whether the incidence of GENUINE mental health problems is greater in musicians than in any other sector. There is a difference between professional problems and mental illness. Inability to cope, to handle stress, to deal with issues in and around your profession MIGHT indicate a certain sickness of mind. But they more often indicate that there may have to be changes in lifestyle.
I went to a Master Class by RIchard Margison, a well-known Canadian opera singer, and he said to the students that they might not all get to be fulltime professional artists. He suggested they look for ways to allow their artistic growth and that they create their own opportunities — from taking part in local events in churches and community centres to teaching, coaching, tutoring, to supplement their musical incomes, to getting together with others, renting or otherwise using a small local space and publicising an event themselves and putting it on, to using YouTube, to SEEK SOLUTIONS, not to expect opportunities to come to them as they used to in the past.
He let them know that there might not be musical careers out there for all of them, but he reminded them that that would never remove music from their lives. I would venture that few of that particular class are in mental freefall as they struggle to make their way.
It wasn’t *any* sort of whataboutery, just a relevant comment about what mental health and ill-health are and how the latter phrase tends these days to be used for states of mind for which it didn’t used to be used.
VLind and Paul Br. blaming those who have issues. their comments are simply an excuse to vent about „fragile snowflakes“ etc…. tiresome, ignorant of music, and worst of all a bit mean-spirited, which are common attributes of many who comment on this blog.
I haven’t blamed anyone. I raised a question about what “mental ill-health” means in this context.
Not all issues are mental health issues.
I haven’t said anything about “fragile snowflakes”, let alone vented anything. Do you often make things up about people you want to have a go at?
I am not ignorant of music.
I am not mean-spirited, but that does not mean being ever so accepting of slop.
Look no further than parenting and then read Jonathon Haidt’s books, “The Anxious Generation” and “The Coddling of the American Mind”.
Many people smarter than ourselves are onto these issues and they’re not going to shut up about it either!!
I know. It’s absolutely disgusting. Some of us can play circles around many of these people yet have received maybe 5% of the recognition that they have yet they still complain. They don’t know what real hell is like.
Well Brad, just looking at that comment, if it wasn’t your playing that’s hindered you, I wonder what on earth it could be?
I believe Brad was being ironic or ironical, as you prefer.
Too many viola players in that survey sample. How many of them are related to a working dentist, and are, or in a domestic relationship with a tuba player?