THE STRESS-FILLED LIFE OF A MUSICIAN

Behind the breathtaking melodies that comes with each song a musician releases, there are hours of practice. A good number of times, musicians go hard on themselves so that they can have an almost-perfect song that will serve as a great listen for their fans.

Having put all these in place, a good number of their fans might not love the produced craft.

Musicians face a lot when it comes to producing music and this is why they need the love and appreciation they can get from their fans.

Musicians undergo a lot of stress and this is why they are prone to being addicted or having mental health problems. Sometimes, when they are depressed, one way they can help themselves is to undergo a particular addictive act or abuse a particular substance.

Also, musicians do not have time to rest and this has an adverse effect on their bodies. If they are not careful, they could come down with any health problem that could keep them out of the studio for a long time.

There is a desire for fame and wealth and that is why most musicians would see to it that, they amass the two of them. So, some of them would stop at nothing to achieve this.

Musicians need to consider the fact that, it is necessary for them to take breaks and deal with stress the right way. It is advisable to go on vacation trips, away from anything related to music, so that the body can rejuvenate and refresh itself.

Dealing with stress can also be achieved with the right diet. Sticking to a good nutritional plan affords your body of receiving quintessential nutrients that would keep you in shape and good health.

So, even if you undergo lots of stress as a musician, your body would react to it normally, and your immune system would function proficiently.

Exercising regularly is also essential for musicians, it is a needed health practice that needs to be imbibed to deal with stress.

ADDICTION AMONG MUSICIANS

It is not a new thing to hear a musician who is addicted to either of the two major addictions: drugs and alcohol. Musicians are a distinct group of people when it comes to the addiction concept. A good look at the psychology of a musician, you would realize that there is a conflict between their emotions and their intellect. This intellect grants them control and great skill when it comes to playing music and reading, while their emotions grants them the needed inspiration and the importance of having music in their lives.

The use of substances such as drugs or alcohol, is a practice which is very debatable and demands great watchfulness, as it is a very controversial issue. Some individuals are of the opinion that using these substances have a pivotal role in enhancing the creative skill of writing music lyrics among musicians, while others argue that taking drugs and alcohol play a destructive role in the life of the musician.

However, it has been proved that the extreme use of drug and alcohol, have a detrimental impact on the life of any musician. Due to the fact that musicians are seeking ways in order to ensure that they handle emotions well, taking these substances seems like a measure to make it happen. Eventually, it becomes an obstacle to their creative-thought process.

The strongest reason which faces substance abuse, is the issue of mental disorder and addiction. There is a thin line between substance use and substance abuse. In the life of a musician, substance abuse is an immediate satisfaction for the brain, and it cannot be self-regulated. As a result of this, addiction and mental disorder sets in.

The creation of music requires a brain which is highly-functioning, and looking at the best music in history, you would discover that it came from musicians who perfected their art. This is why musicians have resorted to using substances to enhance their creativity.

Musicians who are hooked to any substance, are advised to check out treatment programmes which are customized for them. A good number of these programmes have erstwhile music addicts who have years of experience in helping out addicts on the road to recovery. Hence, music addicts should not hesitate to seek for prompt help.

Music, the Music Industry and Addiction

addiction in music industryTo a musical artist, music is everything. All of life is approached from an audial perspective. Every song heard on the radio is analyzed and broken down. Musicians are guided through life by their ears; their inlet for creative talent. Musicians who succeed in the music industry are very passionate and driven, and give everything they are to their original music. But oddly, the pursuit of music can be a blessing and a curse. The soulful calling of musicianship often leads into a certain kind of lifestyle – one that is very prominent in the music industry. Addiction and substance abuse have tragically claimed the lives and careers of some of the best musicians who ever lived. The very thing that inspires a musician’s life work is also the thing that will introduce them to a dangerous lifestyle.

When a musician is first starting out, they are incredibly driven and optimistic. Their focus is as sharp as it will ever be, which is what a life of pursuing music can do for a person. Music has been called the activity that uses more of the human brain than any other activity. It can be a career, a passion, or both. Most young musicians claim that they are driven to strive for excellence in music for the sake of the music itself, not for the rock star lifestyle. However, once they are accepted into the music industry, their priorities often change.

The music industry can be a very harsh world, and many who discover it do not remain unscathed. Any entertainment celebrity, including musicians, must face pressures, criticisms and temptations in their chosen profession. Society thinks of performers as commodities and pressures them to be above the trials of everyday life in order to keep them entertained. Critics can be brutally harsh and destructive on a sensitive musician’s psyche. In light of these hardships, musicians look for a means of escape and frequently choose addiction or substance abuse. Every kind of pleasureful vice available is offered to musicians in excess, and sometimes they are sucked deep into a lifestyle that they cannot escape from. Some recover and turn back to their music – the thing that originally inspired them. But some are not so lucky and lose their careers and even their lives to addiction and substance abuse.

Music as a Remedy for Addiction

music helps addictsAddiction treatment, in the form of rehab or otherwise, is always recommended for cases of addiction, but interestingly, another effective way of recovering from addiction is to do what you are passionate about. For musicians, choosing to devote themselves back to their talent and their craft can mean the difference between recovery and addiction. In some cases, it can even mean the difference between life and death.

The reason that returning to the craft of musicianship can pull a musician out of addiction is because passion replaces the need for addiction. People remain addicted as long as they do because they enjoy the ride they are on initially. Their addiction gives them a secret escape to indulge in and forget about the hard realities of the world for a time. What is interesting is that being wrapped up in what you are passionate about actually gives you the same feeling. The literal source of the feeling is a brain chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is what is released in our brains that tells us we are having a pleasurable experience. The best way to describe the feeling of a dopamine release is a “rush.” Feelings of excitement, adrenaline, renewal and adventure come flooding. One can easily imagine how both a mind-altering substance and answering a life calling can generate these basic human feelings. The difference is, one is healthy and sustainable and one can pose threat to your entire existence.

A musician that learns how to channel all their energy, talent, angst, emotion and intelligence into their music is a wise one. When a musician, or any artist for that matter, recognizes their potential to fall into addiction or substance abuse because of their personality type, the best thing they can do for themselves is to guard their heart and their mind against addiction and hold even tighter to their life’s purpose.

Music Industry Opens Doors to Addiction

music industry and addictionMaking it in the music industry is the ultimate prize to any professional musician. The music industry is a ruthless one to break into, full of fierce competition, dishonesty and superficiality. But for those who make it to the realm of music celebrity within the industry, it is the highest rank that can be obtained by a professional musician.
It is ironic that the professional aptitude that musicians strive so hard for is the thing that so often damages their personal lives. Addiction and substance abuse are frequently not something a musician encounters until they make it in the music industry. Making a living as a musician comes with exposure to exotic illegal drugs, fine alcohols and foods, and an abundance of sexual encounters.
Access to all of these pleasurable things is often a brand new experience for musicians when they make it in the industry. If they have encountered them in the past, it is highly unlikely that they had been anywhere near as accessible. The culture of music celebrity usually comes with good looks, style and a taste for the wild side. Suddenly, musicians who may have come from small towns or traditional communities are surrounded by offers of sex and addictive substances. Some are prepared for this and control their urges, or at least indulge responsibly. Others are taken completely off guard by this lifestyle and are sucked up into it with great intensity.
Some people who are drawn into the addict’s lifestyle in the music industry escape unscathed. They may not act like themselves for a time, but once the novelty and newness wears off, they can perceive their behavior for the destruction that it causes and begin to eradicate it from their lives. Some people find letting go of their addiction more difficult, and either get addiction treatment through rehab or walk a more dangerous line in their prolonged addictive tendencies. Then there are the tragic cases who, for whatever reason, fall so deeply into their addiction that they cannot find their way out. This type of person is in the greatest danger of doing permanent damage to their body, or even jeopardizing their life.

Music is Everything

music is importantFor a true musician, music is life. Ideas for songs are constantly coming to you, you notice the music and sound environment everywhere you go, instruments and music technology are a major financial investment in your life and a majority of your friends are also musicians. A consummate musician will live, eat and sleep music until they get it out of their system, onto a recorded track and share it with the world.
Musicians and addiction frequently go together because the same angst, energy and intelligence that prompt a person to be a musician are frequently the same qualities that spawn an addiction. Musicians are often a delicate combination of emotion and intelligence. In fact, many musicians are emotionally volatile, and instead of expressing their heightened emotions through communication, they express their feelings through music. Music is a healthy and productive outlet for emotions.
There is no activity that humans perform that has been found to use more of the brain at once than music. The learning and performing of music utilizes many compartments of the brain simultaneously, requiring the linear thinking of music theory, the creative thinking of composing, the hand-eye coordination of learning how to manipulate the instrument and the muscle memory of playing the instrument well, as well as many other subtle brain ability tests.
Sadly, substance abuse and addiction can also give the initial feeling of emotional relief to a person who is seeking it. Drugs and alcohol especially give the user an altered perception that can temporarily remove them from their emotions. This is the primary reason that musicians and other artists abuse substances or grow addicted to them. They come to depend on the temporary relief they provide, but have to continuously use them heavier and heavier so they do not grow tolerant to them. This presents an interesting conundrum to musicians. Should they labor over the composition of music when there is potentially no livelihood in it just to have a healthy emotional outlet? Or should they turn to mind-altering substances for pleasure feelings and not have to do any work? The answer is obvious to a healthy person but confusing to an emotionally unstable person.