Work, Money Worries Leave Many Musicians Singing the Blues

AUSTIN, Texas - Researchers from Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin , in collaboration with the mental health-focused SIMS Foundation , have identified work and financial stress as risk factors that may increase clinical depression and anxiety among musicians, according to new study findings presented at the 36 ^th Annual Performing Arts Medicine Association International Symposium in Orange, California. A team led by Dell Med psychologist Lloyd Berg, Ph.D. , analyzed survey results of 317 musicians in Austin, the "Live Music Capital of the World." The musicians were from nonclassical genres including blues, rock, country, hip hop, folk and world beat and had received mental health services from SIMS during the previous two years. They answered questions about levels of job-related stress, financial worries, depression, anxiety and alcohol misuse. The study showed that compared with people who have lower levels of stress: - Musicians with higher levels of work-related stress were more than twice as likely to have significant levels of depression and anxiety, even when money concerns were accounted for. Musicians with higher levels of job insecurity were more than five times as likely to be depressed and six times as likely to suffer from anxiety. Musicians with higher levels of stress related to work relationships were more than 1.5 times as likely to report alcohol abuse.