Life&Style writer Gabby Miller discusses the mental health of young celebrities, remarking upon how more should be done to tackle this

Written by Gabby Miller
Published
Images by Graydon Driver

A deep dive into how Liam Payne’s untimely passing shines a light on mental health issues in young celebrities.

mental health issues… are often swept under the rug in the name of professionalism

The tragic death of Liam Payne shines a light on mental health issues in young celebrities; while not uncommon, they are often swept under the rug in the name of professionalism.  The legacy left by Liam Payne is a large one, being the childhood heartthrob of many young people who watched him quickly rise to fame. As part of One Direction, he created a family fan base who watched him grow up from a scared hopeful, to a huge popstar. This only made his death that much more impactful. Liam Payne touched the lives of all of those around him, leaving behind his son Bear and ex-Cheryl Cole, and, despite recent clashes, the other members of One Direction with a massive gap in their lives.

One of the more heartbreaking facts surrounding his death was Payne’s willingness to recover from drugs and alcohol with him, only last year, announcing he was sober after a 100-day treatment programme where he focused on his mental battles. The demonstration of his determination emphasises how volatile mental health can be, and how deeply growing up in the limelight can damage young people. His openness around these topics leading up to his death leaves a serious question on how young stars’ mental health should be protected and taken seriously.

Its not a surprise that artists, especially young artists, can’t cope with the highs and lows of fame

Liam Payne is not the only young star who has struggled with growing up in the spotlight, yet it took his death to restart the conversation. Stars such as Britney Spears and Justin Bieber have both spoken out about their struggles and the cultural cycle of drug abuse and depression that comes with being a musician. Andy Franks, a founder of the organisation Music Support highlighted the reasons why music artists are so vulnerable to depression and mental health issues, describing the experience of touring like ‘stepping off a moving train’. Its not a surprise that artists, especially young artists, can’t cope with the highs and lows of fame. While many people would sacrifice anything to be famous, many people don’t realise the gruelling nature of the career at times. Music Support is the type of organisation that is needed now more than ever. With mental health becoming less taboo in ordinary life, why shouldn’t this translate to the music industry?

Liam Payne’s death comes at a period of change in young celebrities’ attitudes to mental health, with many artists being more likely to prioritise mental health over performance. Chappel Roan, a rising music phenomenon, highlighted her own struggles when she cancelled her performance at the All Things Go music festival, as a sharp 180 from past attitudes to mental health issues. A key issue in recent young artists is the rapidness of their rise to fame. With the increasing use of social media and TV, artists experience a ‘boom’ of popularity, as seen with Liam Payne winning X-factor which is much harder to manage than a slower rise to fame. Young artists going from being unknown to selling out stadiums in a small period makes young stars more vulnerable to mental health issues, and more susceptible to going down an unhealthy path.

While there may be a lingering stigma in the industry, artists such as Lewis Capaldi experienced heaps of support after cancelling many concerts for health issues experienced at Glastonbury. This positive reaction he received will hopefully encourage more artists to put their personal health first, avoiding more tragic incidents like Liam Payne’s death.

the industry is developing and changing for the better, to protect young performers from emotional trauma

Clearly the industry is developing and changing for the better, to protect young performers from emotional trauma and burnouts. While Liam Payne’s death was deeply tragic, it opens an important discussion once again into the importance of preserving mental health.


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