Stories

Here, you will find a coalition of real stories from people’s lives.

Musician, Steve Warrington (Big Steve)

“I’ve been a musician for the last 10 years, and have been gigging around the local circuit and further afield for 8 of those. I’ve suffered with my mental health for all of this time, whether that be bouts of social anxiety or full on depression.

Music used to give me a release and when I started writing it helped me relieve some inner issues by helping to give me a voice. I used to play a lot of metal too so writing riffs and jamming with friends was a great way to take my mind off of the troubles I was dealing with.

As I got older and continued to develop my craft everything kind of continued in the same vein, but as I started playing more professionally and bigger gigs and as a session player, it really did help take my mind off of things and gave me something to look forward to.

I felt like without music I had no purpose, so I had to keep it going.

Artwork for Not Giving Up by Big Steve. Jam Straight Music Ltd.

Flash forward to 2018, my depression was now clinically diagnosed. I had spent months feeling numb, had self harmed and even music wasn’t helping any more. In contrast, my music career was as good as it had been.

I was gigging in 3 different bands, doing my own solo project, earning a living alongside university studies from playing pubs clubs and functions, but I was not getting the same release as I once did. I was on a high level of anti-depressants at the time.

In December of 2018, I played a first headline show with one of my bands and it was the best gig I’ve ever played. The venue was near sellout, the audience was full of friends, family & new faces who all told us they’d heard us on local radio, or friends had showed them etc, so everybody was on a huge high… apart from me, to me it was just another gig. I should’ve been buzzing, playing in a band with your best friends in a great venue with a great crowd and smashing it is what most musicians strive for.

The day after the gig I decided that I would come off of my anti depressants. The fact they curbed my low points but I also wasn’t able to experience the highs, meant that for me it didn’t seem worth it anymore.

Through music and the highs and lows of life, I was able to take a grasp and make my own decision to try and make changes to contribute to my mental health. I still suffer and get really low, obviously, and at the moment I’m still off my anti’s but I can now experience the highs which is what used to happen when I started. So I’ve kind of gone full circle. But generally that’s a rough idea.

Music helps, but for a while it didn’t. It still does now, but it doesn’t fix the issues If that makes sense?”

Check out Big Steve on Spotify:

Musician, Lewis Colley (Squangey Bobbins)

“From what I can recall music has been nothing but helpful with regards to my mental health. I know this may sound unrealistic and like a mad cliche, but I’m pretty sure that’s how it’s been for me.

I’m pretty sure there has been times that it hasn’t helped, and I’ve probably romanticised it in my head due to my pure love of music, but I have nothing but positives to say about the effect music has had on my mental health.

Whether it’s been chucking on a nice calm vinyl and having a cup of tea, blasting music whilst driving and forgetting the world, or getting lost in a live performance, it’s always been great for me.

Expressing myself in songwriting has also been helpful. It’s certainly not a miracle cure, but it has certainly been a helping hand.”

Check out the new Squangey Bobbins single, Hindsight, here: