The Cultural Factors that Affect the Mental Health of Musicians

Dedication

Thank you to Mac

for inspiring me to be creative and write about mental health

Thank you to Alma, Edward, and Isiah

for always supporting me and my educational endeavors

Thank you to Christine, Bill, and Mike

for supporting my ideas and sharing their knowledge

Thank you to Renee

for pushing me to write this thesis

Thank you to Adam, Alex, Christian,

Elizabeth, Farouq, Gabe, Hayley, Hunter,

Ken, Kyle, Mariel, Mikey, Nick, Quinn, and Vv

 Abstract of the Thesis

The Cultural Factors that Affect the Mental Health of Musicians

by

Ismael Eduardo Pohlert

THE MASTER OF ARTS IN LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
San Diego State University, 2019

The thesis analyzes the various cultural factors that affect the mental
health of musicians. The use of historical and theoretical analyses
provides a background to mental health, while also providing a new
view on mental health in the music industry. The ontological approach
to mental health is meant to bring awareness to the social stigma of
mental health and inspire change. Understanding the historical and
theoretical framework of mental health and music shifts the attention
to the social essence of being human. By studying different cultural
factors, such as the culture industry and panopticism, we can
understand the impact that these cultural factors have on a multitude of
individuals and begin to reframe the way we think about mental
health. Raising awareness creates room for understanding, which
allows for the reevaluation of the societal stigma of mental illness.
 Introduction

Throughout modern history, music has developed into an industry that has brought upon

many musicians into the starlight. The music industry has made billions of dollars yet has

invested miniscule amounts of money in the artists that generate profits. Oftentimes the social

factors of the music industry are casted aside and economic factors1 are the main priority. I will

be writing this thesis in a quasi-traditional way that will review previous literature and will focus

on the ontological2 perspective of the musicians within the music industry. I am bringing light to

the various cultural factors that affect the mental health of musicians, while also seeking to get a

better understanding of musicians’ essence.

I was inspired to write this thesis because of Mac Miller. I discovered Mac Miller’s music

in 2011 from a free song download provided by iTunes. The song was called “On and On” and

was about traveling the world and living the glamorous life of a musician. I checked out his

mixtape K.I.D.S and became a fan of his upbeat, chill, and rebellious music. I was starting high

school and his music perfectly fit the vibe of high school and made me feel free. Mac released

his mixtape Best Day Ever and album, Blue Slide Park, which were scrutinized for the subject

matter consisting mostly of partying, drug-use, and care-free behavior. After facing scrutiny for

his teenage-inspired music, Mac created the mixtape Macadelic and brought a refined

psychedelic sound to hip hop. He constantly discusses his use of drugs in this mixtape and dives

deep into his own mind, while expressing his thoughts about being in the limelight.

After releasing Macadelic, Mac released Watching Movies with the Sound Off, which was

his most introspective album filled with self-reflection and questioning the meaning of life. In

1
Economic profits are oftentimes at the forefront of the music industry. This causes social factors, such as mental
health, to be cast aside.
2
Ontology deals with the nature of being. My thesis will contain both implicit and explicit analyses on the various
cultural factors that shape the lives of musicians and ultimately study their essence.
the song Aquarium, he sings: “I'll always wonder what happened 3000 years ago / I like to toy

with the idea that we really know / Is what I do important in the grand scheme of things? / In my

head these dreams are dreamt, trust me we are kings.”3 Mac is contemplating the meaning of life

and how important his impact is on the world. When he released this album, I loved it because of

his raw introspective outlook on life. It was such a stark change from his previous music and

further cemented my love for Mac and his creative expression. Both Macadelic and Watching

Movies with the Sound Off were forms of Mac Miller exploring addiction and the fear of the

unknown. Since releasing Watching Movies with the Sound Off, Mac Miller released many

mixtapes and albums that had roots extending from jazz, hip-hop, and rock. His mixtape Faces

was a philosophical expression of life infused with jazz samples that dealt with the stories of

being human.

His next two albums, GO:OD AM and The Divine Feminine were perfect examples of

Mac infusing different genres together to create a beautiful and experimental sound. These

albums focused on raw hip-hop, life stories, and love. The infusion of alternative rock, hip-hop,

jazz, r&b, and soul showed a new side of Mac Miller and displayed his musical versatility. Mac

Miller took two years in between The Divine Feminine and Swimming, to create music and

isolate from the world through drugs and music. Mac was arrested for driving under the

influence in 2018 and was released on bail. His appearance in the news was surprising because

he was keeping his presence in the world and on social media to a minimum. He released his

final album, Swimming, in August of 2018. Swimming experiments with a new sound and

focuses on the themes of swimming or drowning. Mac’s experimentation with these themes

shows a darker and meaningful side to his music that is centered around his heart as the driving

3
Miller, Mac, writer. "Aquarium." Recorded 2013. In Watching Movies with the Sound Off. Mac Miller. Rostrum
Records, 2013, MP3.
influence. He created a fresh, funky, and sonic sound that told a story of life, addiction, isolation,

and depression. His last studio album before his death was his most comprehensive piece of

work that exemplified his true emotions and empowered us to float, when challenged with things

that may drown us. Mac Miller’s eloquent songwriting allowed an introspective look at life that

resonated with his fans and so many others.

Mac’s charismatic soul and creative expression is why I have decided to write this thesis.

His music has had such a positive and empowering impact on my life. Mac Miller passed away

on September 7, 2018 from overdosing on fentanyl. When Mac passed away, I felt as if I lost a

friend because of his musical growth being present in my life for nearly a decade. He talked

about different aspects of life in his music that helped me become more introspective of my own

life. Mac constantly inspired me to be creative, so here is my creative expression inspired by the

extraordinary musician, Mac Miller.

This thesis is meant to bring awareness to mental health in the music industry and

discover ways to help musicians that struggle with their mental health. Mental health and

substance abuse are important topics that have been gaining exposure in mainstream media. The

increasing exposure of these sensitive topics allows there to be room for discussion and changing

the discourse in how we think about mental health and substance abuse. Through studying the

various cultural factors that impact mental health and musicians, there can be a shift of any

negative stigma towards the topic. Understanding the historical and theoretical framework of

mental health and music is beneficial because it steers away from the traditional medical model

and shifts the attention to grasping the essence of being human.

 Chapter 1: A Historical Analysis of Musicians and Mental Health

There has been previous research done on creativity, mental health, and musicians that

has majorly focused on quantitative and qualitative analysis. The research done by various

individuals had added important information to discussing musicians and their mental health.

The historical context of mental health will allow a clear insight into how mental health has been

seen by those before us and how it is seen today. No matter how you look at it, the saliency of

mental health has been prevalent throughout our history and constantly been changing in the 21 st

century.

History of Mental Health

In the early 1900’s mental illness was looked as a form of “madness” and that it could be

treated as a disease. John Murphy provides a historical look at mental health and how the illness

is conceptualized and diagnosed as if it were a physiological problem.” 4 Science is often seen as

something that is value-free or objective. Whatever is dictated as scientific is deemed true and

used as a basis for the “truth.” Throughout Murphy’s analysis on mental health, he uses the word

“madness”5 in lieu of “mental illness.” Scientists mainly used the term “madness” because

individuals with a mental illness were viewed as having a deficiency or absence of rationality.

Mental illness was seen as a psycho-physiological breakdown and scientists believed that it

could be “identified, examined, and, if possible, eliminated.”6 Viewing mental illness as a

disease was dangerous because hospitals were restarting patients’ psychic functions by using

drugs, surgery, and electroshock therapy.

4
Murphy, John W. Postmodern Social Analysis and Criticism. New York: Greenwood Press, 1989.
5
Madness is defined as insanity, which is the opposite of sane. Sane individuals are considered “normal,” while
individuals who are mad, are not “normal.” The term of madness is used in a derogatory way and alienates
individuals who do have a mental illness.
6
Murphy, John W. Postmodern Social Analysis and Criticism. New York: Greenwood Press, 1989.
 In the 1950’s, the medical model for mental illness was questioned because of the

inhumane practices of psychosurgery and drug therapy. The medical model caused patients at

hospital wards to develop institutional neurosis.7 Patients became well acquainted with hospital

life, but in turn were not able to function outside of the institution. This was detrimental to the

patient because they would remain in the institution and be unable to live a “normal” life

detached from the institution. The hospitals created a sense of dependency that alienated the

patients further from society. Fortunately, in 1963, the Community Mental Health Centers Act

(CMHCA) was passed by John F. Kennedy. The Act “led to the establishment of comprehensive

community mental health centers throughout the country. It helped people with mental illnesses

who were ‘warehoused’ in hospitals and institutions move back into their communities.” 8 The

CMHCA focused on bringing a new way to treat patients with a mental illness. The Act focused

on community-based care and steered treatment away from the traditional medical model. This

transformation of the mental healthcare model allowed there to be a stronger focus on the socio-

cultural factors that impact mental health. As Murphy states, “The aim of a therapeutic

community, in short, is to illustrate that madness transpires between persons and can only be

remedied through constructive dialogue.”9 The care for mental health must originate from a

social understanding for there to be a remedy for those affected by mental health problems.

Having a constructive discussion about mental health is beneficial for society because the stigma

against mental health can be broken down and more people can seek help.

7
Ibid.
8
Nationalcouncil.org. "Community Mental Health Act." National Council. Accessed April 02, 2019.
https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/about/national-mental-health-association/overview/community-mental-health-
act/.
9
Murphy, John W. Postmodern Social Analysis and Criticism. New York: Greenwood Press, 1989.
 Health Care Access

The transformative care was beneficial in changing the way mental health is looked at by

society and providing a holistic approach to mental healthcare. When analyzing musicians and

their access to mental healthcare, the access was limited and a challenge to obtain. In 2003,

Susan D. Raeburn and other researchers performed a study of convenience samples that surveyed

the health status of musicians. The study was done at music conferences around the United States

and had about 178 viable surveys returned. More than half of the musicians (58%) had access to

health insurance, but most insurance was obtained “from a non-music-related day job or through

a spouse or parent.” 10 Musicians get involved in their independent careers or are signed to a

record label and healthcare is not an affordable option given to the musicians. In cases of

musicians who have signed to record labels, they do not receive many benefits other than money

to record their music for the majority of profits going to the record label.

In a study done by Sally Anne Gross and Dr. George Musgrave, 2,211 (self-selected)

musicians took part in a qualitative survey about mental health and music. These study

participants consisted of prominent UK artists and 53 percent of them found it hard to get mental

health help due to stigma and access being the biggest factors.11 Despite some musicians having

healthcare, “mental health benefits often are arbitrarily and significantly limited.” 12 Mental

health benefits are often not the main focus of healthcare providers because it is not viewed as a

predominantly medical issue. The Community Mental Health Centers Act was proactive in

10
Raeburn, Susan D., John Hipple, William Delaney, and Kris Chesky. "Surveying Popular Musicians' Health
Status Using Convenience Samples." MPPA 18, no. 3 (September 2003): 113-19. Accessed April 2, 2019. Medline.
11
Gross, Sally Anne, and George Musgrave. "Can Music Make You Sick? Music and Depression A Study into the
Incidence of Musicians’ Mental Health." Music Minds Matter, November 2016. Accessed April 2, 2019.
https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/publications/files/can_ music_make_you_sick_part_1-
_pilot_survey_report_2019.pdf.
12
Raeburn, Susan D., John Hipple, William Delaney, and Kris Chesky. "Surveying Popular Musicians' Health
Status Using Convenience Samples." MPPA 18, no. 3 (September 2003): 113-19. Accessed April 2, 2019. Medline.
providing community-based care, but many of the Health Centers are not covered by major

health care providers because it is not deemed as medical treatment. The flaws of the healthcare

system are detrimental to the access of mental healthcare and further discourages musicians to

seek help. The for-profit healthcare system is not affordable for many musicians that were

interviewed at the conferences around North America.13 The high costs of healthcare and the

accessibility are some of the reasons that musicians are unable to get help for mental health

problems.

Stigma

The cost and access to mental healthcare are barriers for musicians trying to get help.

However, one of the largest barriers is that of the negative stigma that mental health receives. As

seen earlier in John Murphy’s analysis of mental health, it was seen as a disease that could be

treated with medicine and other extreme medical approaches. 14 There has been improvement to

mental healthcare and incorporating social aspects of care, but the stigmatization of people with

mental illness still exists. Arthur H. Crisp et al. performed a study that determined the opinion of

the British adult population concerning mental health. “The survey was carried out on behalf of

the College by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)” and had 1737 participants respond out

of 2679.15 There were seven disorders that respondents responded to and the most negative

responses were to schizophrenia, alcoholism, and drug addiction. Individuals with these three

disorders were seen as dangerous to others by about 70 percent of respondents.16 Both

alcoholism and drug addiction are prevalent throughout the music industry and often are results

13
Ibid.
14
Murphy, John W. Postmodern Social Analysis and Criticism. New York: Greenwood Press, 1989.
15
Crisp, Arthur H., Michael G. Gelder, Susannah Rix, Howard I. Meltzer, and Olwen J. Rowlands. “Stigmatisation
of People with Mental Illnesses.” British Journal of Psychiatry 177, no. 1 (2000): 4–7. doi:10.1192/bjp.177.1.4.
16
Ibid.
of mental health problems. In a study by Johannes M. Just, musicians had the highest mortality

rate (38.6%) caused by drug and/or substance abuse among celebrities.17 Musicians turn to drugs

and alcohol to cope with mental health issues because seeking help is heavily stigmatized by

mass media and access to mental healthcare is obstructed by the bureaucratic process of large

healthcare providers. According to the study done by Crisp et al., “people with alcoholism and

drug addiction were frequently rated as to blame for their disorders and capable of helping

themselves.”18 The consensus of respondents viewed people with any of the seven disorders as

hard to talk to. When analyzing the survey responses on depression, “19% responded that they

could pull themselves together, 23% that they would not eventually recover, and 23% that they

are dangerous to others, yet only 16% thought that they would not respond to treatment.”19 The

results from the study of various disorders further exhibits how there is a prevalent stigma

against mental health and the issues that arise from a mental illness.

Cultural Factors of Music Education and Mental Health

In addition to stigma, there are other psychological and social factors that come into play

when examining the mental health of musicians. David J. Sternbach20 provides insight on the

lives of musicians at an earlier age and how isolation plays a role in a musician’s life. He notes

that musicians who are in school and playing instruments usually practice in isolation, so they

can improve their craft.21 Since most young musicians are going through constant socialization

17
Just, Johannes M., Markus Bleckwenn, Rieke Schnakenberg, Philipp Skatulla, and Klaus Weckbecker. "Drug-
related Celebrity Deaths: A Cross-sectional Study." Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 11, no. 1
(2016). doi:10.1186/s13011-016-0084-z.
18
Crisp, Arthur H., Michael G. Gelder, Susannah Rix, Howard I. Meltzer, and Olwen J. Rowlands. “Stigmatisation
of People with Mental Illnesses.” British Journal of Psychiatry 177, no. 1 (2000): 4–7. doi:10.1192/bjp.177.1.4.
19
Ibid.
20
David J. Sternbach was a professional music performer, private studio and classroom teacher, and has practiced
psychotherapy with musicians for over twenty years.
21
Sternbach, David J. “Stress in the Lives of Music Students.” Music Educators Journal 94, no. 3 (January 2008):
42–48. doi:10.1177/002743210809400309.
processes, their musical isolation promotes introversion and a sense of individuality. Young

musicians tend to be more introverted and have less opportunities to engage in social interactions

because of their isolated practice. Sternbach continues to discuss the other psychological factors

of excessive criticism, which is largely present in the lives of young musicians. Oftentimes, there

is criticism from instructors and peers that is internalized by young musicians, who then become

their own critic. The overly self-critical attitude is developed at a young age in the musician’s

life and continues to exist throughout their adult life.

In the UK Minds Matter study, Sally Anne Gross and Dr. George Musgrave discovered

that prominent musicians in the United Kingdom are reflective and highly self-critical of

themselves and their creative work.22 The self-critical attitudes of musicians begin at a young age

and have a negative impact on their mental health. One of the reasons why musicians have these

attitudes of critique is because it has become a basic operating style in dealing with any

frustrations that are music-related. Sternbach states that “musicians are taught to be highly self-

responsible.”23 Musicians are socialized at a young age to be independent and isolate themselves

throughout their musical practices. These social characteristics transcend their young lives and

are internalized to become bad habits when analyzing mental health. Many musicians are self-

employed or work in their own creative space. Working in their isolated creative space is

beneficial for their musical creation, but it can cause musicians to feel on their own when it

comes to dealing with mental health problems. 24

22
Gross, Sally Anne, and George Musgrave. "Can Music Make You Sick? Music and Depression A Study into the
Incidence of Musicians’ Mental Health." Music Minds Matter, November 2016. Accessed April 2, 2019.
https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/publications/files/can_ music_make_you_sick_part_1-
_pilot_survey_report_2019.pdf.
23
Sternbach, David J. “Stress in the Lives of Music Students.” Music Educators Journal 94, no. 3 (January 2008):
42–48. doi:10.1177/002743210809400309.
24
Gross, Sally Anne, and George Musgrave. "Can Music Make You Sick? Music and Depression A Study into the
Incidence of Musicians’ Mental Health." Music Minds Matter, November 2016. Accessed April 2, 2019.
 Another cultural factor that can impact the mental health of the musicians is the family

environment they grow up in. Ks Pavitra et al. conducted a study that compared the stress and

mental health of creative versus non-creative populations. There were forty writers, forty

musicians, and forty control group participants that were randomly selected. The majority of

writers and musicians had history of mental health problems present in their family compared to

the control group.25 Although this finding is not indicative of causing generational mental health

problems, it is important to consider the breadth of mental health in the familial structure. David

J. Sternbach discusses the familial environments that can affect a musician’s mental health by

describing the toxic family style that he has studied in his field of psychotherapy. A toxic family

environment consists of accidents being perceived as avoidable, low tolerance for frustration,

and a high level of indignation about life.26 This environment is a breeding ground for anxiety

and further causes musicians to be self-critical of themselves and their creative works.

Musicians face many challenges that can affect their mental health, but some studies have

postulated the idea that creating music can help in the sublimation 27 process of the individual.28

In 2001, three researchers studied musical creativity and suicide to determine patterns found in

the deaths of 19th and 20th century creatives. Antonio Preti et al. focused mostly on composers

and instrumentalists for those in the musician study group.

https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/publications/files/can_ music_make_you_sick_part_1-
_pilot_survey_report_2019.pdf.
25
Pavitra, Ks, Cr Chandrashekar, and Partha Choudhury. "Creativity and Mental Health: A Profile of Writers and
Musicians." Indian Journal of Psychiatry 49, no. 1 (2007): 34. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.31516.
26
Sternbach, David J. “Stress in the Lives of Music Students.” Music Educators Journal 94, no. 3 (January 2008):
42–48. doi:10.1177/002743210809400309.
27
Sublimation is a term coined by Sigmund Freud and can bets be explained as channeling any frustrations or
irrational impulses into a creative form. If a musician is frustrated, they can transfer their frustration into their music
and displace their libido, whilst doing something that they love doing.
28
Freud, Sigmund, Todd Dufresne, and Gregory C. Richter. Civilization and Its Discontents. Peterborough, Ontario:
Broadview Press, 2016.
 The musician works with sound and could possibly be argued to be working in a realm

one step closer to the Self, even to those parts of the Self that are the source of conflict

and upset. This might help the musician to sublimate emotional conflict to be free of the

limitations which the use of socially codified symbols imposes. 29

The musicians tend to be closer to their sense of Self because they are constantly working on

their music and using their creativity to sublimate any feelings of conflict. Musicians had lower

suicide rates than the other groups of creative individuals, which suggests that musicians have a

better creative outlet to sublimate their struggles. However, Preti et al. also discovered that the

sublimation of suffering can be unsuccessful and cause musicians to further surround themselves

with anguish and torment. Being able to sublimate negative feelings into music is helpful but can

also worsen the mental health of the musician and lead to severe mental disorders. The

sublimation process for musicians is a double-edged sword and ultimately isolates the musician

further into their own creative process. The increasing isolation within a musician’s mind is a

key factor in analyzing mental health and must be understood to further help musicians

overcome any mental disorders they may be facing.

In the Music Minds Matter study, Sally Anne Gross and Dr. George Musgrave used a

qualitative approach that sought out to understand musicians’ minds. Of the 2,211 respondents,

69 percent reported they experienced depression and 71 percent had experienced panic attacks

and/or high levels of anxiety. 30 The majority of musicians are suffering from mental health issues

that oftentimes not discussed in the realm of the music industry. Musicians find solace in the

29
Preti, Antonio, Francesca De Biasi, and Paola Miotto. “Musical Creativity and Suicide.” Psychological Reports
89, no. 3 (December 2001): 719–27. doi:10.2466/pr0.2001.89.3.719.
30
Gross, Sally Anne, and George Musgrave. "Can Music Make You Sick? Music and Depression A Study into the
Incidence of Musicians’ Mental Health." Music Minds Matter, November 2016. Accessed April 2, 2019.
https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/publications/files/can_ music_make_you_sick_part_1-
_pilot_survey_report_2019.pdf.
production of their music but are facing mental health issues because of the music industry and

mainstream media. A musician’s career takes place in an “atmosphere of constant criticism, with

social media providing a never-ending flow of opinions from fans, journalists, friends, bloggers

and fellow musicians.”31 The constant criticism received by both external and internal influences

results in the musician having profound feelings of anxiety and depression. People involved in

creative artistic professions have suicide rates that are three times higher than any other

profession.32 The social nature of music performance puts a great demand on musicians and

causes musicians to have relational difficulties when it comes to social activities. The pressures

from the music industry and society strongly impact the mental health of creative individuals and

can induce feelings of anxiety.

Promoting Creativity and Implementing Mental Health into Education

Creativity must be both encouraged and practiced in education. Manchester-based

producer Yvonne Ellis said: “If you’ve got a creative spark in you and you’re a musician, you

need to use it. Because if you’re not being creative then it can make you ill, it can make you

depressed.33 Engaging in creative acts is beneficial because it is a form of sublimation and can be

aimed towards positive results if practiced at an early age. Art provides a sacred and spiritual

outlook on life, that juxtaposes the imperfect world. There needs to be more effective ways in

treating and destigmatizing mental health problems.

We need both good art and good science. Science and art, creativity and mental illness

may all be trivialized, however and we may do more harm than good to those “afflicted”

31
Ibid.
32
Preti, Antonio, Francesca De Biasi, and Paola Miotto. “Musical Creativity and Suicide.” Psychological Reports
89, no. 3 (December 2001): 719–27. doi:10.2466/pr0.2001.89.3.719.
33
Gross, Sally Anne, and George Musgrave. "Can Music Make You Sick? Music and Depression A Study into the
Incidence of Musicians’ Mental Health." Music Minds Matter, November 2016. Accessed April 2, 2019.
https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/publications/files/can_ music_make_you_sick_part_1-
_pilot_survey_report_2019.pdf.
 with either creativity or mental illness if we promote romantic association that over-look

best evidence.34

Due to the lack of education on mental health issues, romanticization tends to occur and create

an inaccurate perception of mental health. Romanticization of mental health issues is unhealthy

because it can normalize mental health issues and belittle any problems stemming from mental

health. There is rarely anything “beautiful” about experiencing a panic attack, anxiety, or

depression. These are serious issues and campaigns need provide awareness of mental health, but

also attempt to reduce discrimination of individuals who are facing issues with mental health.35

Sally Anne Gross and Dr. George Musgrave concluded that mental health issues need to

be embedded in the curriculum of music education, organizations be educated on mental health

to create a positive environment for musicians seeking help, and that mental health support

services be affordable and easily accessible.36 The UK organization, Music Minds Matter, has

taken steps in providing easily accessible mental health support for musicians and influenced

action on implementing a mental health curriculum in education. In 2018, Raluca Matei et al.

studied 2,212 classical musicians and they experienced acute anxiety (13%), depression (17%),

and sleep disturbances (14%), which hindered their musical performance.37 The aim of the study

was to design, implement, and evaluate a music education course meant to focus on health

promotion. The course offered in the United Kingdom focused on increasing musicians’ health

34
Pavitra, Ks, Cr Chandrashekar, and Partha Choudhury. "Creativity and Mental Health: A Profile of Writers and
Musicians." Indian Journal of Psychiatry 49, no. 1 (2007): 34. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.31516.
35
Crisp, Arthur H., Michael G. Gelder, Susannah Rix, Howard I. Meltzer, and Olwen J. Rowlands. “Stigmatisation
of People with Mental Illnesses.” British Journal of Psychiatry 177, no. 1 (2000): 4–7. doi:10.1192/bjp.177.1.4.
36
Gross, Sally Anne, and George Musgrave. "Can Music Make You Sick? Music and Depression A Study into the
Incidence of Musicians’ Mental Health." Music Minds Matter, November 2016. Accessed April 2, 2019.
https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/publications/files/can_ music_make_you_sick_part_1-
_pilot_survey_report_2019.pdf.
37
Matei, Raluca, Stephen Broad, Juliet Goldbart, and Jane Ginsborg. "Health Education for Musicians." Frontiers in
Psychology 9 (2018). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01137.
literacy by enhancing motivation and self-efficacy. The increasing of health literacy is important

because it can improve broader socio-economic living conditions and provide a better

community for musicians. The curriculum consisted of encouraging community action,

informing musicians of public health policies, and ensuring that health services are achieving

population health outcomes. There have been very few analyses of health education classes and

this study brought to light the importance of teaching health education to musicians. The course

of health education was offered to musicians in college, pursuing their undergraduate degree.

The musicians who partook in the class were more aware of the physical and mental health risks

of being a musician. The study was unable to show any changes to the musicians’ health

promoting behaviors due to the one-year analysis of the course. The implementing of health

education into a musicians’ curriculum is beneficial in creating awareness on mental health and

providing behavior-change tools inspired by health psychology. 38 Promoting creativity and

mental health awareness into education is integral in changing the way mental health is viewed

by society. Mental health needs to be discussed, taught, and destigmatized in order to provide

sufficient care for musicians and anyone struggling with mental health issues. Implementing

mental health into education is one step in ending the negative stigma against mental health and

creating a progressive and empowering environment in our society.

38
Matei, Raluca, Stephen Broad, Juliet Goldbart, and Jane Ginsborg. "Health Education for Musicians." Frontiers in
Psychology 9 (2018). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01137.
 Chapter 2: A Theoretical Analysis of Musicians and Mental Health

The music industry is a dynamic cohort that consists of record labels, marketing

professionals, streaming services, musicians and many other individuals and institutions. In the

United States, the music industry generated 19.6 billion dollars in revenue.39 Musicians only

pocket twelve percent of the revenue from the music industry, which is rather miniscule. The

musicians are the cause for the music industry’s success, yet they are usually exploited for their

work and valued only as an asset to make more money for the owners and CEO’s of major

record companies. The musician is seen as a commodity by the music industry, which alienates

them from their work and society. This form of alienation causes artists40 to experience mental

health issues and cope by using drugs and/or alcohol.

The Culture Industry and Panopticism

The alienation of musicians can be attributed to the effects of the culture industry on

society. Adorno and Horkheimer state that the culture industry is an apparatus that utilizes

mainstream/pop culture to constantly reproduce specific themes throughout music, tv shows,

movies, and other forms of media. The reproduction of mainstream culture causes an individual

to consume these cultural themes and become docile participants within capitalist society. The

culture industry alienates the individual, while also actively trapping the individual within a

cultural reproduction loop. 41 Cultural goods aid in the process of reification that surmounts from

constant portrayal of capitalist ideals throughout our lives. Objects are transformed into subjects

and subjects are turned into objects, deeming the “new” subjects as passive consumers. The

reification process can be seen when analyzing the culture industry because the mainstream

39
Fuller, Steve. "U.S. Music." Statista. 2018. Accessed April 05, 2019. https://www.statista.com/topics/1639/music/.
40
The words “musician” and “artist” will be used interchangeably throughout this paper.
41
Adorno, Theodor W., Max Horkheimer, and Gunzelin Schmid Noerr. Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical
Fragments. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ. Press, 2002.
culture is being reproduced and consumed by the passive subjects. The passive consumption of

the culture industry’s ideals further solidifies the ideology of capitalism and ensures that any

alternatives to capitalism cannot be imagined. Reification42 causes the individual to be an eternal

and submissive consumer who constantly is trying to fulfill their desires of wanting what is

portrayed in the cultural industry. One of the most commonly reproduced cultural ideals is that of

the work ethic. In capitalist society, an individual must work hard to obtain success, even if the

hard work leads to stress, sickness, and even death. The mass-produced cultural goods reinforce

the work ethic, while also showing the ideal life of an average American.43 In creating an image

of success, individuals continue to work hard for their idea of what a “perfect” life is based off

their consumption of popular cultural goods (mainly movies, tv shows, and music). The reality of

working hard all day is tiring, so people naturally desire to take a break or escape the reality in

which they live in. One way people attempt to escape reality is through entertainment, which in

turn reproduces the capitalist ideals of the work ethic, nuclear family, etc. The individual traps

themselves within a cultural loop that is reproduced by the culture industry and the reification

process.

The culture industry effects everyone in society to a certain extent. Some musicians

actively reproduce mainstream culture through their music, yet the culture industry still impacts

them negatively by exploiting their art and controlling the content that they create. The culture

industry cultivates an environment in which Michel Foucault’s theory of Panopticism thrives.

Foucault uses the idea of a Panopticon, which is meant for external surveillance, to explain his

theory of internal surveillance.

42
Reification is a theory developed by Hungarian philosopher, György Lukács and analyzed further by Theodore W.
Adorno in Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical Fragments.
43
Cultural ideal: Working hard will ultimately lead an individual to working a successful job and living happily in
love with a heterosexual family.
 The major effect of the Panopticon: to induce in the inmate a state of conscious and

permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power. So to arrange things

that the surveillance is permanent in its effects, even if it is discontinuous in its action;

that the perfection of power should tend to render its actual exercise unnecessary; that

this architectural apparatus should be a machine for creating and sustaining a power

relation independent of the person who exercises it; in short, that the inmates should be

caught up in a power situation of which they are themselves the bearers.44

The panopticon was created by Jeremy Bentham and meant to institutionally control prisoners’

behavior. The main purpose of the panopticon is to follow the principle that power should be

visible and unverifiable. The prisoners will be reminded that they are being watched by the

towering building in the center of their cells, yet they will not know if they are being watched or

not. This unverifiable presence of being watched causes the prisoner to disassociate themselves

because they are stuck in a perpetual state of surveillance.

The theory of panopticism indicates that the gaze of the prison guard is internalized by

the prisoner, which causes the prisoner to be their own guard. This theory is extended to society

because there is an anonymous power that controls our everyday lives. This anonymous power

has been created by the culture industry and has been internalized by individuals living within

society. Foucault mainly focuses on applying his theory of surveillance to prison, school,

hospitals, and the workplace. Throughout these institutions there are methods of coercion that are

reinforced throughout society. These coercive methods induce conformity to the population,

while reproducing binaries of bad and good, normal and weird, nature and technology, etc. The

theory of panopticism can be widely applied to other institutions and structures found in

44
Foucault, Michel, and Alan Sheridan. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. London: Penguin Books,
1977.
society.45 The feeling of always being watched by an anonymous power is heightened greatly in

various musicians’ lives. Panopticism plays a significant role in impacting a musician’s mental

health because they must live up to certain expectations, while also behaving a certain way and

producing money for the music industry. Musicians are in the public-eye and everything they do

is critiqued, whether it be positive or negative. The heightened sense of the disciplinary

surveillance negatively impacts the mental health of musicians by instilling an overexerting work

ethic, blurring the lines between dreams and reality, and suppressing the creative nature of an

individual through conformity.

The increased visibility of musicians establishes an external and internal disciplinary

system that causes the musician to follow the culture industry’s ideal of working hard, which

makes the musician unhappy in a career that they seemingly love. The pressure that the record

label and fans put on artists causes them to overexert themselves by creating music that will

conform to a certain sound and make money. In doing so, the creativity of the artist is suppressed

and most of their time is spent in the realm of necessity. 46 The realm of necessity is a realm in

which an individual spends working, so they can pay for their house, food, and other vital needs.

Despite music being a creative expenditure, musicians must live up to a certain standard of

musical creation that causes stress to the artist.

Foucault shares the idea that increased visibility is a trap to an individual. In today’s

digital age, the internet has exponentially increased the public visibility of individuals. This

visibility alienates the individual by creating a virtual self that is separate from the real self. It

also allows more people to watch an individual’s every move and influence an artist’s actions.

45
The family structure acts as an anonymous power that we internalize to behave a certain way. We police ourselves
based on our parents’ rules established within our household. Not being able to follow these rules, will result in
punishment, so we behave correctly and coercively follow the common ideas of good or bad.
46
Tucker, Robert C., Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels. The Marx-Engels Reader. New York: Norton, 1978.
The role of the prison guard is internalized by musicians and they fall into a dangerous alienated

state of living up to a various number of expectations. Alienation caused by this visibility allows

there to be more control over the general population and promotes assimilation through

internalizing the culture industry’s ideals of hard work and conformity.

Internalization of the Culture Industry and its Ideals

The internalization of the culture industry’s ideals and norms is partly due to the

institutions that profit off musicians. In Heather McDonald’s piece on the music industry she

states that: “Record labels typically set the terms and conditions of artist contracts in their favor.

In the case of newly signed artists, record labels can control the type of music they record which

can include everything from the way the music sounds to the song lyrics.” 47 The sheer control

that record labels impose over their artists is restricting the creative aspects of music as an art. A

record label will have an artist make a song that tops the charts, and which follows a predictable

pattern for mainstream pop songs. This controlling factor expressed by the record label limits the

artist’s capabilities and exploits them for a profit. After creating a mainstream song, artist’s face

scrutiny for “selling out” or changing the sound that their fans fell in love with. Their new sound

is one that is favorable to most mainstream music listeners and will bring in the most revenue.

The creative process of the artist is hindered and causes the artist’s fan base to criticize their

work. Despite the record labels’ control on artists, musicians are still able to create music that is

unique, but their music will not be as promoted as mainstream pop artists. The music industry’s

main goal is to make a profit off their musicians, so no matter what genre a musician makes

music for, it all comes down to the amount of revenue brought in.

47
McDonald, Heather. "Why Record Labels Have Such Tremendous Influence on the Music Industry." The Balance
Careers. October 23, 2017. Accessed April 05, 2019. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-a-record-label-
2460614.
 Work Ethic

With money being the focal point of the music industry, the work ethic is heavily

ingrained within musicians’ minds. Artists want to make their fanbase, record label, family, and

friends happy with their musical creations so they put in copious amounts of work. The

expectations for artists are at an all-time high, so the artist truly never leaves the realm of

necessity. Musicians are constantly trying to please others, including themselves, so they are

always working and attempting to create music that will be enjoyed by all their listeners.

Musicians are some of the most creative individuals in this world but being constantly

surrounded by their work can be detrimental to their health.

Work ethic is constantly reinforced through various socialization processes that infect the

imagination of an individual. Adorno and Horkheimer give an example of German fascists who

say the word “intolerable” on the radio. The next day, everyone in Germany is using the word

“intolerable” because it was said by those in power and was a new word to them.48 This example

shows how the importance of the work ethic has easily infiltrated the minds of individuals

throughout all forms of media and advertisements. Individuals will constantly be thinking about

work and daydream about escaping reality. One way that individuals escape reality is through

indulging themselves in entertainment. The multitude of entertainment sources happen to

reinforce the capitalist ideals of a work ethic and create more false needs for the audience. 49 The

false needs expressed by an individual in society are meant to reproduce the world of everyday

48
Adorno, Theodor W., Max Horkheimer, and Gunzelin Schmid Noerr. Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical
Fragments. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ. Press, 2002.
49
One popular motif in various entertainment sources is the idea of “true love.” This common trope is constantly
portrayed in movies, music, and many other cultural goods. People escape reality and then attempt to bring the idea
of “true love” into their reality, but it is often not the same feeling as portrayed in the fictional rendition of such. The
fictional account of a cultural motif distorts our reality, yet we use this fiction to escape our own reality. This causes
us to be stuck within a loop of dreaming of our ideal reality and conforming to the culture industry’s covert
assimilation of the populace.
perception. Adorno and Horkheimer state that “the world outside is a seamless extension of the

one which has been revealed in the cinema.”50 This seamless extension of films into reality blurs

the line between what is dream and reality and leaves a breeding ground for uninformed

assimilation. The entertainment industry creates a fantasy world where the individual can escape

to and forget about constantly working in their own reality. However, this escape from reality

transforms the individual into resisting any thoughts of reforming or changing their reality.

Individuals will take the easy way out and become complacent within the system that controls

them. Musicians tend to try and challenge the system that causes them to conform because they

spend more time being creative and thinking curiously about their reality.

Creativity

The study done by K.S. Pavitra et al. analyzes the relationship between creativity and

mental health. Pavitra et al. introduces the study by stating that: “Creative imagination, creative

motives and creative products are unique to human beings and are the source of their cultural

achievement… Creativity may prove to be the key to success or failure in human beings' quest

for knowledge, in their journey beyond the bounds of the sure and seen and in exploration of the

unknown.”51 The study focuses on the creativity expressed by writers and musicians and how

mental health effects their lives. Pavitra et al. makes the case that emotional instability can be

both detrimental and advantageous to creativity. The study claims that the emotional instability

allows the artist “to escape the powerful social and cultural constraints that mostly favor

conformity and convention.”52 This is an important aspect of her argument because artists are

50
Adorno, Theodor W., Max Horkheimer, and Gunzelin Schmid Noerr. Dialectic of Enlightenment: Philosophical
Fragments. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ. Press, 2002.
51
Pavitra, Ks, Cr Chandrashekar, and Partha Choudhury. "Creativity and Mental Health: A Profile of Writers and
Musicians." Indian Journal of Psychiatry 49, no. 1 (2007): 34. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.31516.
52
Ibid.
seen to break free from conforming through their creative expenditures. Despite their emotional

instability, they can create, whilst actively going against the culture industry. Pavitra et al.

studied how often creative individuals will seek help for their mental health compared to a

control group of individuals who are not directly involved in a creative career. They discovered

that seven out of eleven people from the control group had sought psychiatric help, whereas only

two out of 80 creative individuals had sought psychiatric help for their mental health. This

staggering difference in seeking help for mental health concerns can be because of the popular

notion that you have to be a “little mad” to be creative. Another reason is because of the negative

stigma that mental health has from its portrayal in various sources of media.

Stigma leading to Alienation

Mental health is prominent within artists in the music industry but is constantly

stigmatized by our society. In 1996, one of the largest and most detailed studies on mental health

stigma was conducted by the National Opinion Research Center. This study was part of the

General Social Survey and measured the public attitudes that people had towards mental health.

In this study, a representative sample was asked in personal interviews to respond to

different vignettes depicting people with mental illness. The respondents generally

viewed people with mental illness as dangerous and less competent to handle their own

affairs, with their harshest judgments reserved for people with schizophrenia and

substance use disorders.53

The study showcases that the general public has a negative stigma towards people with a mental

illness. Mental illnesses are such a stark contrast compared to people’s perceived ideas of

53
Parcesepe, Angela M., and Leopoldo J. Cabassa. "Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the United States: A
Systematic Literature Review." Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
40, no. 5 (2012): 384-99. doi:10.1007/s10488-012-0430-z.
happiness, that they must stigmatize it. In doing so, those with mental illnesses are alienated and

further shut out from being an active participant in society. Musicians are alienated by society

because of their mental health issues, but also because of their creative minds.

When musicians are alienated by society and by their own music career, they begin to

internalize social attitudes against them and become trapped within their own conflicting

thoughts. In Jenny Valentish’s article she addresses the effects that societal stigma has on

musicians. Artists tend to “internalize public attitudes and become so embarrassed or ashamed

that they often conceal symptoms and fail to seek treatment.”54 The concealing of mental health

issues by the music industry is extremely dangerous for musicians and leads to their own

entrapment within their mind. More pressure comes from anxiety and perfectionism because

musicians are constantly criticized for their musical creations.55 The internalization of societal

stigma and negative critiques is rather destructive to the mental psyche of the musician.

Drug and Substance Abuse

Musicians create a source of entertainment that allows individuals to escape reality, but

this causes great stress to the musicians. The internalization of the culture industry’s work ethic

motivates an artist to create several musical creations that will be enjoyed by their fans.

However, this work ethic is an overexertion of the musician and instills factors of criticism and

stigma that largely impacts the mental health of the musician. The inherent visibility of the

musician causes them to want to escape their reality, which leads us to the question: How do

musicians cope with all these cultural factors impacting their every move? There can be the

argument that musicians can assimilate into the culture industry and escape through other

54
Valentish, Jenny. "Perfectionism and Poverty: Why Musicians Struggle with Mental Health." The Guardian. June
19, 2018. https://www.the guardian.com/music/2018/jun/20/perfectionism-and-poverty-why-musicians-struggle-
with-mental-health.
55
Ibid.
cultural goods, such as movies or tv shows. However, the reality is that most musicians will turn

to using drugs and /or alcohol to cope with the pressures that they face from society.

Most musicians turn to using drugs and/or alcohol to escape reality and the pressures

placed on them by society. These substances are easily accessible within the music industry and

have a detrimental effect on musicians. Substance abuse is one of the leading causes of death in

musicians. In 2016, the cross-sectional study of 220 drug-related deaths of celebrities from 1970-

2015, discovered that the largest group of celebrities that died from drugs and/or alcohol was

musicians at 38.6%.56 Musicians start to use drugs and alcohol because they are constantly

surrounded by the substances at shows and parties. The factor of peer pressure is the greatest

influence on musicians’ choice to abuse these harmful substances.57 Doing drugs and alcohol is

labeled as a “cool” activity to partake in by many of those in the music industry. Although the

artist may not be into drugs or alcohol, the external influences play a significant role in

convincing an artist to try the substances. Simply trying out the substances can lead to the artist

to crave more because of the feeling that is produced by the substances. According to the

National Institute on Drug Abuse, substances create an overstimulation of dopamine, which

produces euphoric effects that cause the brain to crave more of the substance.58 The euphoric

feeling produced by drugs leads artists to partake in doing drugs. Despite drugs being expensive,

the artists usually have enough money to fund their use of the drugs. This causes a dependency

on drugs and/or alcohol to escape the stressful reality of being a musician.

56
Just, Johannes M., Markus Bleckwenn, Rieke Schnakenberg, Philipp Skatulla, and Klaus Weckbecker. "Drug-
related Celebrity Deaths: A Cross-sectional Study." Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 11, no. 1
(2016). doi:10.1186/s13011-016-0084-z.
57
New Beginnings. "Drug Abuse and Musicians - A Cruel Trend of Addiction with Musicians." New Beginnings
Drug Rehab. Accessed April 05, 2019. https://www.newbeginningsdrugrehab.org/resources/opiates-and-musicians-
a-cruel-trend-of-drug-abuse-and-musicians/.
58
Ibid.
 Artists abuse substances that can ultimately lead to their demise. The largest age group of

musician deaths ranges from 25-40 years old. The increase in prescription drug use has had a

negative effect on musicians. Since 2000, the deaths by prescription drugs have nearly doubled

and consists of over 50 percent of celebrity deaths.59 The increase in prescription drugs is

because there are multiple over the counter opioids that artists use. When artists are unable to

obtain the opioids over the counter, they turn to drug dealers to get their substances, but this

poses a risk that has affected many musicians in the 21 st century. The drugs that are sold by drug

dealers are often synthetic and contain an illicit version of fentanyl mixed with heroin. This

synthetic substance poses a legal threat to the inexperienced user and has adverse effects

compared to pharmaceutical opioids. The illicit form of fentanyl is nearly 30 times stronger than

heroine and has taken the lives of notable musicians; Prince, Tom Petty, Mac Miller, and various

others.

Substance abuse and mental health coincide with one another and have begun to be

addressed in certain countries like the United Kingdom. There is an organization called Music

Minds Matter, that has a help line for artists that suffer from mental health problems and

substance abuse.60 The help line was created by the nonprofit, Help Musicians U.K., in response

to many musicians not receiving much help from other suicide prevention hotlines.

Matthew Johnson, the front man of the Leeds-based rock band Hookworms, referring to

Britain's best-known suicide-prevention hotline [Samaritans]. “The problem I've had is,

when I've tried to explain my problems, and I've had it with therapists too, they say, 'Oh,

59
Just, Johannes M., Markus Bleckwenn, Rieke Schnakenberg, Philipp Skatulla, and Klaus Weckbecker. "Drug-
related Celebrity Deaths: A Cross-sectional Study." Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 11, no. 1
(2016). doi:10.1186/s13011-016-0084-z.
60
Marshall, Alex. "An Ear Musicians Can Bend." New York Times, Jan 27, 2018, Late Edition (East Coast).
http://libproxy.sdsu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/docview/1991562935?
accountid=13758.
 your life must be wonderful.' They don't particularly understand the pressures you might

be under.”61

Johnson points out the common idea that musicians are living the best life and are not susceptible

to mental health issues. More artists, such as Zayn Malik and Adele, are starting to talk about

mental health issues in the music industry. There remains a societal stigma against mental health,

but the more that the issue is addressed, the more awareness can be raised. Music Minds Matter

“aims to provide a caring ear to the large proportion of people in the music industry with mental

health problems.”62 Callers can receive advice on mental health services, debt, legal matters, etc.

Help Musicians U.K. is investing nearly 1.4 million dollars in the initiative to help musicians in

the United Kingdom.

61
Ibid.
62
Ibid.
 Conclusion

The mental health of musicians is an important topic that can be understood through

studying the culture industry and its influence. The increased visibility of musicians leads to

alienation and internalization of common cultural norms, such as the work ethic. This

internalization process is detrimental to the mental health of the musician because it will cause

them to trap themselves within their own realm of necessity and constantly aiming to please their

supporters. The entrapment of the musician leads to their desire to escape the stressful reality, in

which they reside in. The musician’s inclination to escape reality is easily fulfilled through the

increased accessibility of drugs and alcohol. Using these substances as an escape from reality

create an overstimulation of dopamine that keeps the brain craving more of the substances. In

turn, this craving results in addiction and can eventually worsen the mental health of the

musician. The musician depends on the substances to escape their reality, but they face various

harms of sickness and death. The stigma of mental health and addiction needs to be addressed in

mainstream society or else musicians will continually partake in substance abuse. However, it is

a challenge to address the topic of mental health and addiction because billions of dollars are

made from the selling of drugs. The main motive of organizations and institutions in a capitalist

society is to make a profit, often with disregard to the negative consequences that effect the

general populace. The United Kingdom has made steps to help musicians seek help for their

mental struggles by creating the help line, Music Minds Matter. Helping musicians with their

struggles with addiction and mental health can also benefit their supporters. Johanes M. Just et

al. believes “that successfully treating a celebrity’s addiction might have a positive effect on the
drug related behaviour of her or his followers.”63 The topic of mental health and addiction is

gaining exposure and beginning to change the way individuals think about the topic. By studying

different cultural factors, such as the culture industry and panopticism, we can understand the

impact that these cultural factors have on a multitude of individuals and begin to reframe the way

we think about mental health. Raising awareness creates room for understanding, which allows

for the reevaluation of the societal stigma of mental illness.

63
Just, Johannes M., Markus Bleckwenn, Rieke Schnakenberg, Philipp Skatulla, and Klaus Weckbecker. "Drug-
related Celebrity Deaths: A Cross-sectional Study." Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 11, no. 1
(2016). doi:10.1186/s13011-016-0084-z.
 Afterword

A possible project to bring awareness to mental health and the creative process of

musicians would be to create a short documentary interviewing a musician in their natural

element. The project would seek to understand the daily life of a musician and the external and

internal influences that impact the individual. The musician that is being interviewed can be an

individual who went to a music college, such as the Berklee College of Music, Juilliard, Curtis

Institute of Music, etc. Interviewing an individual that goes to or went to a prestigious musical

college would be ideal to understand the overarching social and economical aspects of being a

musician. The questions that can be asked of the musician can consist of various themes:

1. Finding a balance between work life, school life, and social life.

2. The impact that social media has on the musician in creating a virtual self.

3. The culture of the school and how drug and substance abuse play a role.

4. Support systems at the schools in regard to mental health.

5. Feeling a sense of euphoria from creating music and how music can be an escape

from reality.

The documentary would closely study the cultural factors surrounding musicians

involved in the music industry. There would be a qualitative approach to the project that would

focus on an ontological study of the musician. The project would focus on a single musician,

which would raise the question of its validity. However, the in-depth analysis of a musician will

be beneficial for providing a better comprehension of the lives of musicians. The process of

interviewing and learning from a musician will allow for an awareness of the environment that

surrounds musicians. Bringing awareness to musicians and their personal lives will deconstruct

the image of the musician as being a god or divine figure and aim to view musicians as human
beings. Living the life of a musician is not always glamorous and there must be an understanding

of the cultural factors that can impact the musician within the music industry.
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 Appendix

Mental Health Resources

SDSU Counseling & Psychological Services

Phone: 619-594-5220

Email: psycserv@mail.sdsu.edu (checked during operating hours only)

Location: In Calpulli Center, 4th Floor, Rm. 4401

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAMI San Diego

Helpline: 800-523-5933

Phone: 619-543-1434 (for resources)

Location: 5095 Murphy Canyon Rd #320, San Diego, CA 92123

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

San Diego Access and Crisis Line

Phone: 888-724-7240

Hours: 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National Suicide Prevention Hotline

Phone: 800-273-8255

Live Online Chat: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/

Hours: 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.

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