The 'Limit to Your Love' singer says that 'chemical imbalance due to diet' and health deterioration were a huge factor in his depression and suicidal thoughts.
- July 4, 2018
AceShowbiz - British musician James Blake has opened up about his battle with depression and anxiety, revealing he experienced suicidal thoughts while on tour.
The "Limit to Your Love" singer, 29, took part in a panel discussion at the annual symposium of the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) at Chapman University in California on Sunday, July 1.
According to Billboard.com, he spoke about how touring after the success of his self-titled 2011 debut album affected his mental health, as he spent long periods on the road not eating properly.
"I would say that chemical imbalance due to diet and the deterioration of my health was a huge, huge factor in my depression and eventual suicidal thoughts," he explained. "I developed (dietary) intolerances that would lead to existential depression on a daily basis. I would eat a certain thing and then all day I would feel like there was just no point."
The star said the strangeness of travelling to different cities every day also affected his mental health, adding: "Your connection to other people becomes surface level. So if you were only in town for one day and someone asked you how you are, you go into the good stuff...which generally doesn't involve how anxious you feel (or) how depressed you feel."
James eventually got help in the form of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, during which patients relive traumatic memories while rapid eye movements are triggered. He also credits his girlfriend with helping him escape unhealthy habits.
The Beyonce collaborator advised musicians not to act as if anxiety or depression are part of the creative process - and said that modern artists should avoid the excessive rock and roll lifestyles of previous generations - referencing the recent suicides of several artists, such as Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell.
"We are the generation that's watched several other generations of musicians turn to drugs and turn to excess and coping mechanisms that have destroyed them," he added. "And there are so many high-profile people recently who've taken their own lives. So we, I think, have a responsibility to talk about it and to remove the stigma."
