Singers with anxiety

[phil06]

I hear a few famous names who have anxiety. Just wondering how they manage to perform or even travel round the globe? Do they not have travel anxiety flying fears? Do they have a therapist on stand by backstage?

[Flapj]

Propranolol

[Carnation]

Phil, it's known that many singers and actors have anxiety and MH issues. I've heard taking on a different persona as in acting or a stage character as a singer helps them. But also, there are meds that help them too.
They don't have a therapist on stand by but they will normally have an entourage and of course money helps to be able to get whatever they need. Although not all actors and singers/musicians have the benefit of fruitful earnings and work can seize up.
And of course, singing is good for you. It helps your breathing and generally gives you a good feeling.

[ankietyjoe]

Everybody has anxiety. It's as normal as needing a shit or feeling tired.

Maybe they don't spend 65% of their life checking for worst case scenario's and moaning about things in forums. Maybe that have coping methods they actually use, rather than just moaning about it on forums.

[phil06]

Everybody has anxiety. It's as normal as needing a shit or feeling tired.

Maybe they don't spend 65% of their life checking for worst case scenario's and moaning about things in forums. Maybe that have coping methods they actually use, rather than just moaning about it on forums.

Possibly but it was always said famous people use to go on Digital Spy. I imagine they would use different names. Maybe even WhatsApp. They couldn’t use real names.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Do they have anxiety about things at normal levels or an anxiety disorder? For instance, my GF has a fear of flying yet has done it a few times. But it doesn't impact her life any other way. That's closer to normal human anxiety, it's just focussing on a specific action. Just like how it's normal to be afraid of the dentist or worried about exams.

So the first thing to consider is whether something is connected to what you need to do. Joe mentions 65% worrying but again if that is all about HA why would it stop you flying? Does Agoraphobia stop you doing other activities inside your house that another disorder would.

So is their anxiety connected to their work? Is it about going on stage, travel, etc? If not just suffering from anxiety disorders may be irrelevant. It can still be impacting though in that worrying about cancer all day can make your body so anxious it leeches into other areas of the life.

Celebs also love a good media bandwagon. How many think mental health awareness in interviews can help your profile? I can think of some or some that falsely equate a disorder with a positive e.g. my OCD means I have a lovely clean kitchen.

If you are picking a genuine high profile singer then perhaps consider the difference between having lots of money and not. Would you wait months & years for help? Time does matter with mental illness and using your resources to obtain private treatment might mean you don't sink as far as you could sitting on a waiting list whilst your GP uses you like some kind of antidepressant guinea pig.

I don't doubt there are those who are genuine and have a tough fight like the rest of us but I'm not sure their stories are as relevant since they have access to doctors, rehabs and even drugs the NHS don't or won't offer you.

There are singers on here. Why not have a look at Cloudbusting. Perhaps her threads will give you an insight into how hard she found it to get on stage?

We should also consider how many singers never make it because of mental health problems. Singers are only human like the rest of us and we only hear about the successful people. How many suffered anxiety and never made it? Or couldn't cope and faded away to normal jobs and lives?

Remember phil you can work yet another anxiety sufferers can't? They may wonder why you obsess over xyz and you the same over their issues. This is why we must try to be open minded about such a wide ranging subject.

[Lencoboy]

Possibly but it was always said famous people use to go on Digital Spy. I imagine they would use different names. Maybe even WhatsApp. They couldn’t use real names.

Slightly off-topic, but I'm sure I've seen identical posts from you on Digital Spy threads in the past with exactly the same wording as a couple on here, obviously with you under a different username to on here.

[phil06]

Thanks Terry that makes sense. And yes I work which is a bonus. Maybe work is my “singing” as I don’t talk about anxiety in the work place. And maybe the singers use that as an escape from the anxiety. But for me I feel flying fears must be common with anxiety. I notice a film star stopped doing press events due to anxiety. But yeah they must have access to quick theapry. They can probably afford to call them a few times a week. I hear alot people who are famous consider quitting or wish they could go back to the quiet life again.