Mental Health Awareness Directory
Meaningful resources from the shesaid.so Wellbeing Committee [Written by Meenal Odedra]
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK and whilst we should talk openly about our mental health every day, this week is a great reminder that we need to take care of our mental health as well as our physical health.
The current situation that we are faced with has been testing for many. Whilst we can feel alone in the stress and anxiety, we are in a unique situation in the fact that globally, we are all going through the same pandemic. People deal with stress and anxiety in different ways; some cook, some cry, but whether you’re furiously baking banana bread or scheduling in some ‘worry time’, it’s important to have a support system around you.
According to the Help Musicians UK Report ‘Can Music Make You Sick?’, those working in the music industry may be up to three times more likely to experience depression compared to the general public, so it’s particularly important for us to reach out for help and make use of the support available to us.
Here are three guides that are readily available for you to download and read:
Music Industry Therapists- Guide to Self Isolation
Although the resources page is mainly UK-centric, there are so many tips for anxiety and stress whilst in self isolation from which everyone can benefit.
The Music Managers Guide to Mental Health
This guide by Music Managers Forum and Music Support is to offer support to Artist Managers.
The Association for Electronic Music, Music Managers Forum, Help Musicians UK and Music Support’s The Electronic Music Industry Guide to Mental Health.
This is a reworked version of the Music Managers Guide to Mental Health Guide aimed at everyone who works within the electronic music industry.
The below services are unfortunately not a global representation of the mental health music-related services available, rather they are UK or US-centric, so please check in with your local services for those catering to your region/country.
Backline
Connecting music industry professionals and their families with mental health and wellness resources.
MusiCares
Providing a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality.
Music Minds Matter (Help Musicians UK)
“If you work in music and are struggling to cope, or know someone who is, talk to us. It doesn’t have to be a crisis, or about music.”
Tour Support
Support for Touring professionals who are in need of support services that help them deal with difficult feelings surrounding life on the road and to help build a tool kit for support when they get home.
After personally having bad anxiety during the beginning of lockdown, I set up the Music Industry Coffee Break along with some others [Joanne Croxford, Chris Tait and Nick Ashton Hart]. I found that during this time, community is everything and so it’s a chance to connect with others that work in the music industry who understand the pressures our sector is facing. Everyone is welcome to join please get in touch for the Zoom details
Also a reminder on some tips for self care during isolation.
In light of this unprecedented situation, we want you to know that we are here for you. If there is a silver lining to this nightmare pandemic at all, it is a reminder that we are all in it together, as a community, and we want to support you all during these troubling times.
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#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #KindnessMatters
