Written by: Pamela Stepansky
Everyone who’s ever danced their way into the broad-reaching jam band community has found a home within the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, and who’s to blame us? Warm summer road trips, taking over stadium parking lots (or entire small towns), caravanning through the wild, and dancing into the night with friends, old and new — there’s a lot to love, and we haven’t even touched on the music, yet.
After decades of concert-going and hundreds of shows, I, like many others, still feel a euphoric rush when the house lights drop and [insert-band-here] walks onto stage. The shared joy of embarking on a unique musical journey with hundreds or thousands of companions is a treasured experience. Plus, multiple studies show that live music itself can boost your mood, decrease anxiety, and reduce stress. More cowbell, anyone?
However, too much of a good thing can become detrimental. Long forays away from home, late nights, overindulgence, and letting self-care fall by the wayside can impact your state of mind. Luckily, there are copious options for caring for ourselves and each other. If you’re feeling down and music alone can’t lift you up, here are some options and resources to help get the spring back in your step!
Everything in Moderation, Including Moderation – Oscar Wilde
Living a healthy life at home or on tour requires balance. The first night of a run or tour, you’ll likely feel energetic, psyched, and unstoppable. After a week or two on the road, this feeling shifts. Getting inadequate sleep, drinking too much alcohol, and eating poorly is a recipe for irritability, lethargy, and a gnarly case of bad vibes. Like a wise man once sang, “maybe you did too much too fast.”
The first step to caring for your mental health is ensuring your body and mind have all they need to feel nourished and energized. Start with the basics:
- Stay hydrated.
- Volunteer to be designated driver for the night and sip on ice cold waters. Bring an electrolyte supplement if you can.
- Get enough rest.
- Yes, even if it means skipping an after-party. There will be others.
- Nourish your body.
- Lay off the lot-food and rest-stop munchies for a couple of days. Swap them for fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Nutrient-dense foods do wonders for the body and mind.
- Get in a workout.
- Does your hotel have a gym? How about a long walk or run while re-listening to last night’s show? Find a local yoga or barre studio and boost the local economy! Hey, if Bob Weir can workout before every show, surely you can too.
- Spend time reflecting.
- The magnificence of live music is a lot to process. Spend a few moments meditating, journaling, or practicing breathwork to get centered each day.
The excitement of being on tour makes it easy to forgo these self-care practices, but the better you care for yourself, the happier you’ll be while on your musical adventure!
The Grass is Green, But I Am Blue – Marc Brownstein, the Disco Biscuits
As a person in long-term addiction recovery, I’m no stranger to feeling low. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD are all diagnoses I’ve come up against in my life and once I asked for help, my life changed drastically. If you’re the type to silently suffer or smile through the tears, allow me to be the proof that proper support leads to freedom, and even more dancing in the streets.
There is so much help to be had when we are willing to take action.
If you can’t shake your post-tour blues or feel life’s heaviness following you from city to city, it could be time to enlist a qualified professional. Healthy lifestyle habits are a great start, but for more complex mental health issues, finding the right resources can be life-changing.
It’s easier than ever to get help from a psychologist or psychiatrist, even if you’re living that van-life. Talkiatry and Better Help are two digital services that help match you with the right virtual mental health care provider. If you’re looking for a therapist to meet with face-to-face, explore Psychology Today to find a practitioner in your area who meets your needs.
But No Matter, the Road is Life. – Jack Kerouac
Being on the road can be tough on even the most exuberant adventurers, and perhaps toughest on those whose livelihood depends on it. The magic-makers — musicians, crew hands, lighting directors, tour managers — are not exempt from having mental health issues. With the added stress of knowing “the show must go on,” it can feel pressuring to shelve personal difficulties for the good of the community.
Luckily, there are incredible non-profit organizations that exist specifically to assist music industry professionals.
Backline is a non-profit that helps you map out a mental health plan personalized to your needs, connects you with support groups filled with your peers experiencing similar difficulties, and offers free mental health and wellness resources.
MusicCares is a non-profit that provides support, referrals, and emergency financing for mental health and addiction issues. Beyond mental health, MusicCares also provides vocal and hearing services, access to low-cost health insurance, and assistance for basic costs of living.
To everyone who helps create the best nights of our lives, just know: “we want you to be happy; this is your song, too!”
This Has All Been Wonderful, but Now I’m on My Way – Phish
When it was time for me to put drugs and alcohol down for good, every bone in my body knew it. It’s been nearly a decade since that moment and I can wholeheartedly say that sobriety is and was the best decision I have ever made for my life. Drugs and alcohol can have a serious impact on mental wellness and this type of suffering is entirely optional.
If you’re usually the last one at the party, feel out of control, or simply want to find out what feeling the music and ONLY the music is like, visit a yellow balloon table. Below are numerous yellow balloon groups for finding sober friends within the music community. If you don’t see your favorite band listed, ask around in these groups. Even if there’s no official gathering, you might find a fellow fan happy to team up with you at an upcoming show.
- The Wharf Rats – Wharf Rats Official Facebook Group
- Phish – The Phellowship Facebook Group
- moe. – Happy Hour Heroes Facebook Group
- Widespread Panic – The Gateway (Clean & Sober Widespread Panic fans)
- The String Cheese Incident – Jellyfish Facebook Group
- the Disco Biscuits – The Digital Buddhas Facebook Group
- Umphrey’s McGee – Much Obliged Facebook Group
- Billy Strings – The Dusty Baggies Facebook Group
- Sober Festival-Goers – Camp Traction
[Single and Sober is a partner of JamBase.]
