On Day 3 of this Mental Health Week Mini Series Alex and Helen discuss depression and three ways they find depression exhibits itself in their lives.

Lack of Motivation

Alex and Helen recognise that as two people that are often quite goal-focussed and driven, it can be scary to be in a period of depression when there is no desire to do anything. How can we handle this lack of motivation?

• Self-acceptance and self-recognition. Alex and Helen encourage you to recognise the place and space you’re in and to try to accept it.
• Tell someone. In sharing, you open yourself up to finding guidance and support. If you don’t feel able to tell someone, step one can often be to write it down with the aim of working towards speaking to someone you trust.
• Readjust your goals. Perhaps your goals for the day might be going for a walk, cooking yourself a good meal and getting a good night’s sleep. These things allow us to maintain some kind of basic self-care routine whilst dealing with these difficult emotions.

Unhelpful coping methods

Alex and Helen are both aware that they have used a number of unhelpful coping methods to ignore their depression, including staying busy to ignore their emotions, substance abuse in the form of alcohol, and self blame.

How can we handle depression differently?

• Recognising when your diary is unhealthily busy and combatting that by trying to carve out time for yourself in order to face the emotions you’re attempting to run away from. It may be uncomfortable at first, but if you sit with your emotions and acknowledge them you’re a step closer to handling them.
• Listening to your body. Whether it’s craving sleep, a certain meal, sunshine or a hug, in listening to your body you give yourself the chance to understand what you actually need.
• Talking to someone. Alex and Helen discussed this in yesterday’s episode with Quintin Beer but they couldn’t recommend therapy highly enough.

Unhealthy comparison

In a world now dominated by social media it is easier than ever to make unhealthy comparisons about ourselves. This can feel far worse during a period of depression. How can we approach unhealthy comparisons?

• Take time out from social media. Often some of the worst comparisons come from a two-minute scroll on Instagram. It can be helpful to take a break from these platforms during a blue period to allow yourself the time and energy to rebuild strength.
• Question these comparisons! Often we feel inadequate or jealous when we see something on social media, but if we question that thought many times we can find it to be baseless. Yes, this person might have a new job and you feel jealous, but - did you even apply for that job? Would it be possible for you to have that job? What great things have you done recently because you don’t have that job? Everyone’s journeys are different and we can’t all take the same career path in this industry.

If you feel like you are suffering from depression, please feel able to talk with us here on the podcast. We’d also recommend taking a look at Help Musicians resources on mental health in music, in particular their Music Minds Matter website, and as well as that there’s the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine which delivers health and wellbeing services for those in the performing arts.

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

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