Contradictions have lengthy plagued the music trade, the place artistic freedom meets relentless strain. A brand new research examines the devastating actuality beneath the floor: musicians are at a considerably larger threat of suicide than most different professions internationally.
Printed in Frontiers in Public Health, the epidemiological knowledge discovered that musicians in England have one of many highest suicide charges of any occupational group, rating fourth behind development employees, tradespeople and agricultural employees. Within the US, the broader occupational class that features musicians had the very best feminine suicide charge of any career in a number of years, and the third highest for males (138.7 per 100,000).
The research means that the trade is, within the phrases of co-author Dr. George Musgrave, “demonstrably unsafe.” It cites as cautionary tales Avicii and The Prodigy’s Keith Flint, who died by suicide in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
“Occupational mortality data in the US and the UK should make all of us who love and care about music stop and pause,” Musgrave mentioned.
Sean Eriksson
Roughly 70% of musicians are freelancers, which means they haven’t any advantages, no sick pay and little security internet, per The Guardian. Even those that obtain recognition typically discover themselves in a cycle of financial uncertainty, compelled to tour relentlessly or tackle a number of aspect jobs simply to maintain themselves.
Regardless of rising consciousness of psychological well being struggles within the music world, actual change has been sluggish. Some main document labels have launched psychological well being initiatives and organizations like Assist Musicians and Music Minds Matter supply important help, together with disaster hotlines and monetary assist.
However Musgrave and his colleagues argue that way more have to be carried out. They’re calling for the trade to implement a “zero suicide framework,” a structured strategy that has efficiently diminished suicide charges in different high-risk professions.
You possibly can learn the total research right here.
