The Dr. Is In: Depression
Making a career out of singing professionally is a difficult proposition, without a doubt. It comes with the highs of putting your heart and soul into the thing you love and being celebrated for the talents you possess. Conversely, the stress from both personal and public expectations of singers is significant. Let’s face it: you are expected to perform perfectly on stage or in competitions every time, you feel the urgency of finding steady income in a tough market, and then you are bombarded with constant online feedback (negative or positive). Living in such a stressful, cortisol-saturated environment where the status quo is an activated fight-or-flight response can lead to illness and, especially, depression.
James S Aston, D.O. & Athena Cannon, PHARM.D.
