Musicians are 3 times more likely to go into depression because of the music industry

Reekado Banks is depressed, and that’s another level of danger that the fans fail to acknowledge. The Mavin singer who appears to have it all figured out with hits, tits and whips, is currently undergoing a mental issue that has plagued many musicians before him, and will plague many after him.

The music star took to Twitter to talk about his battle with depression. "Depressed !!! Nothing is as it seems. everything is probably fucked!" he tweeted.

It’s pretty easy for fans and everyone who sees that tweet to scream back at him in dismissive humour: “You have the entire world at your feet, be grateful.” Because clearly, he does have a lot of good things going on for him.

He is a young star, who has achieved a lot of success and wealth with his music, has adoring fans and women milling all around him to just have a part of his life. Thousands of young Nigerians fantasize about his lifestyle and blessings, and would rather exchange their lives for his. Simply put, he has it good in life.

But all of those things don’t matter when depression hits you.

Just like malaria, typhoid and Ebola, depression is an illness, which Nigerians have failed to understand. Depression could be described as a mental disorder resulting from long-lasting low mood affecting one’s ability to do things, to have pleasure or have an interest in activities one used to enjoy. In common society, people are unable to wrap their heads around the fact that a mental illness can afflict successful people. It’s a killer that slowly envelops the sufferer, and could lead to trauma and death.

Depression is key part of the music industry. A 2016 study conducted by Help Musicians UK in conjunction with University of Westminster has found musicians may be three times more susceptible to depression and anxiety than the general public. 71.1% of people involved said they have suffered from anxiety and/or panic attacks while 68.5% said they have suffered from depression.

Musicians offered up a few main reasons behind the high levels of ill mental health, mentioning poor working conditions (difficulty of sustaining a living, anti-social work hours), lack of recognition for music and pressures of being a woman in the industry.

According to website MetalSucks, "Depression isn’t a symptom of the music industry—it’s one of the music industry’s foundations."

Artists such as Kid Cudi and Kanye West have at some point in their career battled depression. The former had to check himself into rehab due to his suicidal thoughts. Linkin Park frontman, Chester Bennington, who committed suicide in July, battled depression. Many sources link it as the primary cause of his death.

So yes, depression is a serious condition that demands for support and professional help.

The Chief Consultant and Head of Behavioural Medicine, Karu General Hospital, Dr Daramola Tayo, says an estimated nine million Nigerians may be suffering from depression.

Tayo disclosed this in Abuja at a health talk on depression organised by the Public Health Department, Health and Human Services Secretariat, FCTA, in June 2017.

“The prevalence has been put between five and 10 percent with an estimated figure of 180 million populations, we actually have nine million people suffering from the burden of depression,’’ he said.

Reekado Bank’s depression comes from disappointments. But he doesn’t have to dwell on them. The best way to come out of it is to let go of the issue disturbing your peace, and not dwell on it.

Reekado needs to learn valuable lessons from disappointments, rejections, failures and betrayals, but also not make too much of them. Dwelling on these things can cause his depression to linger.

Something else that might help will be for him to find reasons to continue the hustle and breathe life into his mind. Because in the end, humanity is flawed, but we can rise above our problems by controlling our mind.