Contradictions have lengthy plagued the music trade, the place inventive freedom meets relentless stress. A brand new examine examines the devastating actuality beneath the floor: musicians are at a considerably greater danger of suicide than most different professions the world over.
Revealed in Frontiers in Public Health, the epidemiological information 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 best feminine suicide charge of any career in a number of years, and the third highest for males (138.7 per 100,000).
The examine 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 information within the US and the UK ought to make all of us who love and care about music cease and pause,” Musgrave stated.
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, pressured to tour relentlessly or tackle a number of facet 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 file labels have launched psychological well being initiatives and organizations like Assist Musicians and Music Minds Matter provide important help, together with disaster hotlines and monetary help.
However Musgrave and his colleagues argue that much more have to be carried out. They’re calling for the trade to implement a “zero suicide framework,” a structured strategy that has efficiently lowered suicide charges in different high-risk professions.
You’ll be able to learn the total examine here.
