Study Reveals Shocking Mental Health Figures In Entertainment Industry

A study has revealed a shocking reality surrounding the mental well-being of those working within the Australian entertainment industry.

A report released today by Entertainment Assist found the attempted suicide rate of those working within the industry was more than twice that of the general public, and levels of anxiety and depression were also elevated.

The research was an Australian first and conducted over 12 months in partnership with Victoria University who surveyed 2,904 people within the industry including those in the spotlight, like dancers, actors, musicians, comedians, and individuals behind the scenes such as roadies, techs, directors and producers.

Those whose job it is to entertain the general public considered the possibility of suicide up to seven times more than the general population and road crew members contemplated taking their own life almost nine times more than the general population.

When comparing results to that of the general population, it was found that anxiety levels were 10 times higher and depression was five times higher.

People who worked within the entertainment industry were also more likely to suffer from sleep disorders and insomnia.

To raise awareness for the mental health in the industry, special event Out From Under will see Aussie talent come together to discuss the issue at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne on Monday 21 September with Julia Zemiro hosting and artists and presenters iOTA, Daniel MacPherson, Dami Im, Debra Byrne, Silvie Paladino and Michael Cormick.

All funds raised from Out From Under go to training program Intermission, which Entertainment Assist set up in response to the recent findings to educate people about the issue.

We teamed up with mental health organisation Music Feedback in March to have a chat with Illy, The Bennies, Coin Banks and more about mental health, and here’s what they had to say:

If you need help dealing with depression or want to talk to someone, call BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636 or head to beyondblue.org.au.