I've been thinking a lot about my inquiry topic since the great comments from my previous blog. There's SO much within the topic of mental health in our industry that it was hard to find a focus on one thing. I went back and looked at my module 1 essay where I wrote:
''Risk of suicide is elevated in the performing arts: 69% higher for women than the average and 20% higher for men’ (Berger, 2020). We work in an industry unlike any other, where it’s seen as normal not to work for months or face a great deal of rejection, where without a strong sense of self-worth we would all just break. It’s important that we start recognising this more and learn to see the warning signs in not only the people around us but also in ourselves. '
This is what I want to focus on, the normality of not working and rejection in an industry where we focus so much on the people in the shows, the people who have 'made it', when the reality is, unless you're in the top 2% of people who go from job to job, you'll have times in your career where you have to get by doing something other than your passion. I want to find out how this impacts our mental health. As I mentioned in my previous blog, we do this because we love it, because there is nothing else we could possibly imagine doing with our lives, therefore on this train of thought, the fact that we spend most of the time NOT doing it must have an impact and/or a toll on our mental health?
This brings me to Covid times, where everyone in our industry has been forced to be in this same position, I wonder whether the impact for those already struggling has been greater or less than those who were in work before lockdown hit?
I'm still a bit unsure of how specific or vague our inquiry needs to be, but I know this is the area I want to head towards with a title perhaps like The Impact on a performer's mental health during unavoidable gaps in Musical Theatre work. I'd love to know your thoughts on it!
A short but sweet blog today :)
Happy Valentine's Day <3
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I read this! I had no idea the risk of suicide was so elevated in the performing arts, however given the many difficulties we face it is unfortunately not surprising. It's also so refreshing to see someone discussing the fact that the majority of us do not go from job to job directly, I personally have had employment gaps and always felt ashamed to discuss them for fear of being branded a 'failure'. I look forward to your future blogs, you've given me a lot to think about!
Alys
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great space to go through your ideas for your research inquiry. I think what you are talking about is very important and very relevant to the time we are living in. I look forward to hear more about your ideas. Alys x
hi laura, great blog post! This is such an important topic to explore, especially because there is an increase in campeigns about mental health and sucicide. The pressures of being out of work and constantly seeing others on social media being productive can take its toll on mental health. I can imagine it can be hard to learn to switch from being in 'contract mode' to between jobs mindset, from being busy and productive to having to self motivate yourself. Im looking forward to seeing where your research takes you!
ReplyDeleteHi Laura really great topic and I can't believe those figures about suicide in our industry! They are shocking!!! .... I personally realised when I graduated that I hated the unknown about our industry and its something that I have mentally struggled with. I remember auditioning for shows and getting so close, but feeling no better than if I had just been cut in the first round because I was still jobless... I fortunately for me personally got onto the books for 2 cruise companies, which I have swapped between during my career; for me this kind of work seemed more stable than auditioning in London and it helped me gain control of my mental health again, having a higher chance of re-employment, than having to go back to London and start from scratch again. Also this past year with all the covid issues I noticed the unknown affect my mental health again and working a job to get by that I was so unpassionate about! I think it's so incredibly hard for performers to have these times of not working in our industry and the set backs can be heartbreaking and for me personally it's made me realise that I don't want to be self employed in the future! Sorry to babble on but I hope you can take something from this?
ReplyDeleteThanks yeah loads to think about and I really think it’s an important part of the industry to focus on that people seem to just forget about when you’re working!
DeleteHey Laura! I think this is a great idea for your inquiry, it reminded me of constantly overthinking what's a 'good' and 'bad' job. Surely if you're performing and are happy that's good? And that's all you need?
ReplyDeleteI think goals and ambition are important, but I know I previously had been worried to announce I had a job and what company it was with because I knew it wasn't the 'best' one. Just a thought that you could look into.. the stereotypes of different types of work maybe. Look forward to hearing more Rhi x
Ooo very interesting! And something I’ve also felt so I can’t believe I didn’t even think of it haha!
DeleteI loved hearing your thoughts and ideas surrounding this on the Module 2 focus zoom. I'm thinking of looking into career transition/retirement for dancers as my field of inquiry and one of the themes that comes up a lot in the literature I've been looking at is Mental Health. Looking forward to seeing your ideas develop and maybe our research will cross paths!! xx
ReplyDeleteHi Laura,
ReplyDeleteit's great to see someone who seems to be in a similar position to me in terms of where you are in your process. I have been going back and forth as well and suffering with a lot of doubt about my proposed enquiry idea. It all seems like a huge mountain to climb and with time starting to run down to a crucial point. Sorry that sounded a bit scary and depressing! But it's just the way I have been feeling recently.
I think your idea is great and there's loads of potential strands of research to go down, to enrich this topic -. I don't think I yet have a better way of wording or forming your specific question but here are just a couple of ideas, for further questions that may be relevant.
I think the idea of the theory of the 'unknown' sounds key to this.
The extent to which the Government supports the arts. (especially in relation to covid times).
How did your training help you to be prepared for this.
Sorry not so much to go on but maybe it's helpful.
Best of luck to you with your work, Lauren x