It is no secret that many celebrities suffer from mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, addictions, and disorders of all sorts. In recent years, we've seen a shift in the way people view and talk about mental health, but still we see far too many deaths far too early for many individuals, whether the cause be an overdose, a suicide, or a combination of the two. Any fan of rock music knows a more famous case in what happened to Kurt Cobain on April 5, 1994, and rapper Mac Miller died from a drug overdose just a few weeks ago on September 7.

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According to a study by the nonprofit Help Musicians U.K., 71 percent said they had experienced anxiety or panic, and 68.5 percent depression out of 2,200 participants. This is alarming, considering a report by Mental Health America reporting that 18% of American adults have a mental illness. So, is there a set correlation between music and mental illness? What causes it?

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Sometimes, the illness can be an addiction which takes a stranglehold of the individual’s life. As Northpoint Recovery, a rehab center from Boise, ID, put it, “there is a belief that using substances of abuse may actually foster creativity… everyone knows the various stories of drug use among popular rock bands… [and] authors often use drugs to enhance their thinking and expand their minds while they write.” They cited the Beatles, who used LSD and cannabis to stimulate their thinking, and Edgar Allan Poe, whose drug of choice was opium. None of these individuals died from their habits, but this was unfortunately the case for the late Mac Miller, who died from an overdose on Sept. 7.

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Other disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and perfectionism, are also widespread. In an interview with The Guardian, Teeth & Tongue frontwoman Jess Cornelius said, “All artists put stuff out there to be judged, but the music industry is particularly challenging because you’re not just being evaluated on your music – it’s what scene you’re in, what you look like and what label you’re on. You then look critically at yourself, in the way that you think you’ll be viewed. It’s very destructive.” So, the industry damages your self-confidence because there is an immense amount of pressure on you. Chipping away at your self confidence can make room for these mental health issues to barge into your brain, and that can spell trouble for many people. In 2017, Chris Cornell, the frontman for Seattle grunge vanguards Soundgarden, died after what was believed by his wife to be suicidal side effects of a medication that he followed through with; this deeply affected one of his best friends in the music industry, Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, whose suicide followed just over two months after Cornell. So, for Cornelius and her musical collective, they titled their 2016 album “Give Up on Your Health,” not as an act of ignorance to it, but as a warning not to let themselves get mentally or physically ill.

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If you or someone you know is suffering from a mental illness, there are ways to recover. Whenever possible, seek support from friends and family members. If you feel you cannot discuss your situation with friends or other family members, finding a self-help or support group is key. These groups provide an opportunity for you to talk to other people who are experiencing the same type of problems. Advice from people who are suffering with you is invaluable, and knowing that you are not alone in the struggle can help immensely. Trust the mental health professionals, and believe in your ability to recover.