D.I.Y.

Mental Health Essentials for Musicians

Behind the spotlight, many musicians are silently battling anxiety, burnout, and depression. This guide to mental health essentials for musicians breaks down the challenges artists face, and what to do today to protect your wellbeing.

Mental Health Essentials for Musicians

by RYAN DILELLO via DIY Musician

Navigating today’s music industry can take a serious toll on a musician’s mental health. More than 73 percent of independent music makers experience symptoms of mental illness according to a 2019 mental health survey by Record Union. The 2025 MusiCares Wellness In Music Survey found 8% of the 2,800 musicians surveyed reported having serious thoughts of suicide, compared to 5% nationally. 

Success requires that you function as both an artist and a business person, protecting and nurturing your creativity while overseeing your business and managing your career. 

Amidst touring, marketing, recording, and writing, it’s essential to monitor your mental health, stay honest with yourself, and reach out for help when you need it. Most of all, it’s crucial not to equate yourself with your artistry—especially in contexts of your popularity, performance, and practice. You are a person first and foremost and must value your health and wellbeing above all else. 

In this guide, we’ll discuss the common health concerns artists face, resources that can help, and steps you can take to improve your mental health.

Mental Health Essentials for Musicians

Common Mental Health Concerns and Sources of Stress

Working in a volatile industry places unique stressors on artists. Some common sources of stress include:

  • Unpredictable income: Artists’ contend with fluctuating revenue sources as the profitability of touring, music sales, and merch varies.  
  • Demands of touring: Life on the road away from family can be fatiguing and isolating
  • Performance anxiety: High-stakes performances, especially moving up through room sizes, can contribute to stage fright. 
  • Writer’s block or creative lulls: Creativity often comes in spurts through spontaneous inspiration. Even the most practiced musicians occasionally deal with writer’s block and lulls in their creative output, which can contribute to anxiety or depression.
  • Imposter syndrome: It’s common for artists to struggle with authenticity, ownership, and fulfillment in an industry that seems built on stardom and individuality. 

5 Steps to Protect Mental Wellbeing

You can take proactive measures in your career to prevent initial pitfalls that can have deleterious effects on your mental health over time. 

  • Set goals: You can avoid monotony and burnout by setting goals. Using a mix of hard and soft metrics allows you to be holistic with measuring your goals. You don’t have to reduce your career into surface-level numbers, but monitoring milestones and accomplishments can provide deeper meaning in your career journey. 
  • Take creative breaks: Engage in non-musical activities. This not only makes for a better work-life balance, but helps your brain recharge to return to the studio, rehearsal space, or stage in better form.
  • Avoid passive social media use: As an independent artist, chances are you’re already spending a good amount of time on social media promoting your music. Be intentional about the time you spend on addictive apps and avoid doomscrolling.
  • Spend time with friends, family, and loved ones: Between rehearsals, shows, and studio time, your schedule can quickly fill up. Be proactive about scheduling time with people you care about. That time can help you get grounded, connect on issues that have been bothering you, and maintain crucial support networks.
  • Avoid alcohol and drugs: It’s difficult working in an industry in which partying and substances are ubiquitous, but you can mitigate substance dependency and protect yourself by avoiding binge drinking and drug use.

Techniques for coping with stress and anxiety

There are a few techniques you can use to deal with momentary stress and anxiety on your own.

Technique #1: The three Cs

  • Catch it: Observe and catch your thoughts
  • Check it: What evidence is there that this thought is true or false? Is it negative or positive? Is it helpful?
  • Find it: Find a neutral or evidence-based thought and assess your logic by thinking about what you would tell a friend

Technique #2: Replace worry with planning

If you notice a pattern in situations, tasks, or behaviors that trigger your anxiety, develop a plan to systematically cope. You might experience momentary anxiety and stress in situations where you are not sure of what to do. Identify solutions and develop strategies outside of these moments so you know what to try when a moment arises. 

Consider the following:

  • What are your triggers?
  • What calms you down?
  • Are there alternatives to this situation/task/behavior that achieve the same ends?
  • What can you modify in your approach?
  • Who can you turn to for help?

Technique #3: Controlling for your inner-critic

As the saying goes, we’re our own worst critics. Whether you’ve just finished a performance or you’re writing a song, you may encounter a voice in your head that casts doubts: “This song is no good,” or “I messed up that performance.” It’s crucial to give yourself the time and space to create then return to a finished or substantial piece of work later. You’ll be surprised how differently you’ll evaluate and revise material with some distance from it.

Existing Support & Resources: Mental Health Essentials for Musicians

Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Management

Industry Organizations

Sleep, meditation, wellbeing

Daily Practices & Support Networks

Setting healthy mind-body routines: Incorporate mindfulness practices, wellness rituals, and burnout prevention into your daily routines to help maintain a healthy body and mind. 

  • Mindfulness practices: Yoga, meditation, and breathwork to alleviate stress and enhance focus
  • Wellness rituals: Musician-specific yoga and breathing to support mental & physical health
  • Burnout prevention: Prioritize sleep, nutrition, realistic goal-setting, breaks, and find a daily routine that works for you

Consult a therapist and other healthcare professionals: Especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed by health concerns, it’s always best to seek out professional help. 

  • Psychologist: schedule a screening call to discuss challenges and receive recommendations for care. You can also receive referrals.
  • Fitness coach: If you’re unsure of where to start with physical fitness, scheduling an introductory session with a fitness consultation can help you get started.
  • Social worker: Reach out to a social worker for help identifying your needs and finding local community resources

Community and identity

  • Musician friends: The music industry is unique and isolating at times. Finding friends within the industry who resonate with your challenges is key.
  • Community: Seek out tight-knit communities that make you feel at home. Those can develop into support networks.
  • Social groups: Finding local groups centered around shared identities and experiences.

Action Plan: What Musicians Can Do Today

Self-care checklist

Establish daily routines based on what makes you feel happy and fulfilled such as songwriting or jamming, exercise, meditation, nutritious meals, sleep, etc. Then come up with healthy fallbacks for when these practices feel daunting or impractical. For instance if you can’t sleep, read a book instead of scrolling on your phone. Or if you’re too tired to exercise, learn a new recipe, listen to music, or take a nap.

Second, build a supportive community network of people you engage with regularly who enhance your life: peers, music groups, online communities, local business owners, pets, etc. Make it a habit of connecting with these people regularly for a drink or a brief phone call. Maintaining your support system means staying connected. It can sometimes feel daunting to pick up the phone or pay that person a visit, but when you’re feeling down, you’ll want people you can turn to.

Professional resources

Reach out to the list of available resources above to schedule a consultative session with a mental health professional. You can ascertain next steps and get yourself on a path to well-being. 

Advocacy & structural involvement
Part of what fuels mental health challenges in the industry is the lack of conversation and awareness around the issue. When you’re able, consider taking a stand to discuss your mental health issues with your network and with activists pushing for better industry standards, equitable access to care, and worker protections. 

Conclusion

Your mental health comes before everything else in your career. If you’re struggling to find help, consult your primary care provider or a mental health professional about solutions. Never let fear or anxiety prevent you from reaching out.

Alana Bonilla on 09/03/2025 in D.I.Y. | Permalink | Comments (0)
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