In the wake of several tragic losses in recent months, more than fifty music industry professionals have banded together to launch an industry-wide mental health support initiative, Backline. Backline is a hub for artists, industry professionals and their families to quickly and easily access mental health and wellness resources.
Related: Backline Shares Andy Frasco Testimonial For World Mental Health Day
As part of their launch, Backline collected testimonials from people with first-hand experience dealing with the mental burdens of life on the road. You can read the Backline Leadership Story from Monet Weir, daughter of Grateful Dead singer/guitarist Bob Weir, below:
The crossover between mental health and the music industry is something that often goes unnoticed unless it is of value to the news and media industry.
As soon as Kendall (of Backline) reached out to me and told me about this budding project, I could not have been more eager to add my piece and share the message of this organization.
Growing up in the music industry is an exciting way to see life, but also a very dark way to see life. The exciting part is typically highlighted. I, myself, have watched my immediate family and close friends of my family struggle with mental health. Some have passed away because of it, and some have come close.
The music industry is a very overwhelming place. There is a plethora of admiration and attention. The word “no” is often lost to the notion of everyone wanting to cater to those in power. Nobody wants to tell you what you don’t want to hear. When you have that much access to whatever you need, and loads of pressure, a sense of self and boundaries with oneself becomes lost. Whether it is addiction, depression, anxiety (and more), so many find themselves trapped in a world of mental degradation. Many feel that it is hard to escape because there are so many expectations from those around them. Nobody wants to look weak and take some time for themselves, or feel that they are letting down the people who look up to them so much. This sensation becomes a vicious cycle.
Something I have never publicly shared with my “platform” is that I struggled with severe anxiety and panic disorder throughout high school and into early college. A lot of this stemmed from my immediate family members severely struggling with mental health as well and having to grow up coping with that for many years. I decided my freshman year of college to take a semester off to work on myself, and eventually, soon after, those who around me who had affected me so much did too. I can honestly say the way out of that cycle, from my experience and watching the paths of both my parents, is actually to take the time and energy for working on yourself. I finally found my way out, and there’s a lot of strength that comes with that. Of course, once in while I still have bad days, but now I acquire the tools to be able to cope when that happens, and I want that for everybody else. Struggling with mental health not only affects yourself but those around you.
Backline is an organization that can help those involved in the music industry find HEALTHY escape, so that you can preserve a happy and long career, and truly be the inspiration that those around you think of you to be. Backline will assign you a case manager and help you create the journey you need to better yourself.
Don’t let yourself be another headline tragedy, inspire others to take care of themselves by taking care of yourself.
–Monet Weir
Stay tuned for more information, artist testimonials, and other mental health-related content in the coming weeks on Live For Live Music courtesy of our friends at Backline. Until then, head over to the new Backline website to learn more about this important new initiative and how you can get involved or get help for yourself. You can also follow Backline on Facebook here and on Instagram here.