Pollstar (04/03/23) Areliz, Oscar

Zachary Bergson of the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University in New York authored a study published in the Psychology of Music that found music touring professionals can shield themselves from depression and suicidal behavior through trait mindfulness. Designing mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) — known to effectively treat psychological problems like anxiety, stress and depression — in such a high-stress occupation "may be an effective way to improve mood and reduce suicidal behavior, and to help individuals 'ride the waves of stress,'" he suggests. Bergson lists therapies and regimens including meditation, yoga, body scanning and breathing exercises as nurturing "increased mindfulness in patients," which can help dampen the severity of stress. He acknowledges that the study sample is limited by a lack of representation from genres such as rap, country and Latin music, while participants were mostly white and male. Nevertheless, Bergson attests that the results demonstrate the value of further investigating the connection between MBIs, stress, depression and suicidality, especially among touring industry professionals.

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