Trick Mist
Musician / Producer

It’s great that conversations around mental health are now commonplace. However, it’s such a broad issue with many different levels of severity. The bottom line is you have to keep an eye on it, look out for others –and if you need guidance and support to seek professional help.

The seeking professional help part is where this country needs to improve. Professional mental health services need to be more accessible to everyone in society. Being an artist and a musician is a difficult space to navigate. It comes with pressures that if not properly recognised and managed can result in mental health issues. It has done for me. Anxiety rears its head when the logistics of what I’m doing, coupled with self-imposed pressure, get a bit too much.

I’m beginning to view being a musician as a synonym for being an emotional athlete. There are so many demands that a musician has to fulfill, many are complete contradictions which I’ve had to learn to navigate. I’ll share some of them here in the hope that someone might benefit from my outlook/experience. I view these as sort of reminders of the dichotomies, which give me an opportunity to reassess things, realise the difficulties and find my own ‘fine lines’.

• I make music for myself, for my own enjoyment primarily but getting ahead in the industry and advancing a career is based on your success in gaining other people’s approval.

• I need to be ambitious but also emotionally flexible enough to deal with disappointment if expectations aren’t met.

• I make plans but I need to be okay with uncertainty. The music industry can be messy but plans still need to be made.

• All the nuts, bolts and logistics which demand attention in the run-up to a show demand forgetting the moment I step on stage.

• I dedicate myself to my artistry but my art is only one aspect of me.

Navigating these things can result in lots of energy and emotional swings. I find it easier to deal with these swings if I’m looking after myself and in good nick mentally. With all this emphasis on emotion I regulate myself by trying to do stuff that’s completely different to music. My go-to thing is swimming. It’s exercise, productive mindfulness, it gets you out of your head and lets the body do the driving. I’m lucky I can afford a pool membership! All this said, looking after your mental health sometimes isn’t straightforward and being mentally unhealthy is inevitable at times in life. Sadly, Ireland is a society where people’s well-being and mental health needs are all too often behind a paywall. Here’s hoping!

See more contributions to the Hot Press Mental Health Special here. Read our recent recent interview with Trick Mist here.