Drugs And Depression: The Dark Side Of The Touring DJ

The thrills of touring have their tribulations as well.

The endless clamor of musicians wanting to get themselves a piece of that successful-touring-DJ-pie would make you think the life of the professional DJ was all pool parties and roses. But, as an article over at THUMP reveals, the endless parties, drugs and drinking, revolving door of single-serving faces and airplanes can have its toll on the human psyche, and some of the biggest DJs in the world are beginning to open up about this neglected aspect of their line of work. Despite financial and/or cultural success, DJs such as Avicii, Erick Morillo, Benga and Crookers have all reportedly suffered from various mental health problems stemming from hectic touring schedules that encourage you to take on both the form and content of the “party lifestyle” of DJs’ on-stage moments. It all asks a larger question of whether there is some essential link between musicianship and susceptibility to mental health, or whether the industry can be considered accountable to some degree for celebrating certain lifestyles, paraded as “reflective” of such a  music. As the article shows, its probably a bit of both.

Read on about how we can try and avoid drug-related deaths at raves here.