Music

For the past two years, I’ve suffered from, at times, debilitating anxiety and stress. The type that made me struggle to get out of bed, or be motivated, or socialise or do basic human things. I constantly worried that opening up about it or reaching out for help would make people think I was vulnerable or weak; or less of a person. I’ve struggled to relax or enjoy and embrace the positive things in life and overwhelming panic and thoughts about the future, my responsibilities or my ever-present to-do-list overshadowed any sort of fun I may have had Anxiety is completely irrational. Performing to hundreds of people would not stir any panicked feelings, but talking to friends or the audience after the gig often makes me clam up and my heart race, so much so that I wouldn’t be able to form words or interact fully. I won’t pretend that this issue was then, and I’m all fine and dandy now. I’ve accepted that this is something that I might just have to learn to live with and learn to handle. But being open about Mental Health, especially within the music industry, can certainly help people feel less alone about the whole thing. #WorldMentalHealthDay

Iona Fyfe

Music

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