Musicians and Mental Health Risks

Researchers found that popular musicians are an occupational at-risk group for suicide, exposing a need for targeted mental health screenings and interventions within the music industry.

They point to unique challenges faced by musicians such as mental health issues, substance abuse, financial instability, relationship strain, and performance anxiety, which can lead to an increased risk of suicide. These factors are particularly pronounced among female artists and are consistent with occupational mortality data from England and the United States that show higher suicide rates among entertainers.

The study, co-authored by Dorian Lamis, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory School of Medicine, and George Musgrave, a sociologist at Goldsmiths, University of London, is published in Frontiers in Public Health.

“This study is a wakeup call to the industry and health care providers,” says Lamis. “Musicians, with their public lives and unique pressures, require tailored, evidence-based strategies to manage and mitigate mental health risks effectively.”

 

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