Australian music charity Support Act has officially launched its ‘Wellbeing Helpline’, a service directly catered to assist local musicians and those who work within the industry with their mental health.
The helpline, which is being funded by Alberts’ The Tony Foundation and Levi Strauss Australia, was announced back in October 2017, but has only been opened today. It is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Staffed by professional counsellors, the free and confidential helpline will offer help and expertise in regards to many areas of mental health, like depression, anxiety, addiction and suicidal ideation to name a few. It will also offer help in issues that can be mental health related that often afflict those in the industry, like loneliness, workplace conflict and financial worries.
It’s a service that the industry desperately needs. A 2015 study conducted by Victoria University found that suicide attempts in the entertainment industry were happening twice as frequently as the rest of the population. On top of that, those in the industry are 10 times more likely to suffer anxiety than the rest of the population.
