Let’s talk.
There’s something that really hits me, when an entertainer—of any kind—needs mental health help it is reported on, sometimes even by respected news outlets, in a way that sounds like gossip.
Think about it. When a band goes on tour and sometimes falls apart halfway through or when it’s over, they’re not allowed to say it’s hard to be away from everything they know, not always speaking the language of the country they are in—wait, which country are they in? They’re living the dream, right? Yet these are people who get shuffled around the world for several weeks to a year and then they’re just supposed to assimilate to normal life when they get back?
When an actor spends 10 years working on a popular series, surrounded by friends who are as close as family, and then it’s just OVER. That’s difficult. Tours, movies, and tv shows are fantastic opportunities for artist/actor/entertainers but they aren’t easy by any means. I have friends who were models and their mental health is SHOT from being told they were too fat at 6’2 and 115 pounds, repeatedly, for years. None of those jobs are just easy. We, as the public, only think it’s no big deal.
Often times if an entertainer seeks help for addiction it’s reported about as though they are problematic. They aren’t problematic; they have a problem. They need help.
Humans, all of us, deserve respect, understanding, and support. Entertainers are human. Your favorite bands are people. We can all support each other’s Mental Health.
