MENTAL HEALTH PREPAREDNESS

Prevention:

  • the industry as a whole and the festival can be triggering for people with a disposition towards MH difficulties eg: Are you prone to anxiety? Are you someone that finds social situations difficult?  Do you sometimes have depressive episodes? Do you often compare yourself to others? How well do you deal with criticism? Any of these can make you more vulnerable to the fast paced, high-stress environment of the fringe.

  •  identifying BEFORE you arrive at the fringe what currently helps you with managing your wellbeing/ MH in order to recognise problems before they become unmanageable 

  • setting out achievable goals for professional and personal sphere

  • poor mental health can effect productivity/creativity  - it’s in your interest to pay attention to it.

Pitfalls of the arts/festival - paradox - whilst performing brings you tremendous joy, it can also put you under enormous pressure.

  • long hours - makes it difficult for routine to be maintained

  • financial instability - can make it difficult to take the best possible care of yourself eg afford things that might keep you emotionally balanced

  • feelings of inadequacy/comparing yourself to others can increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression

  • culture of self-medication poses a unique mental-health challenge to artists  

  • socialising and networking is often where business takes place  - alcohol a destressor but also a cause of anxiety

Emotional impact:

  • pressure to be perfect/ the best - impossible standard to set yourself that will only lead to failure.

  • be more compassionate with you self - the fringe can feel like a goldfish bowl but stop comparing yourself to others

  • taking control of what you can ie everything mentioned in the skills section budgeting, marketing, media etc, but accept there are some things you can't control ie reviews

  • boundaries - learn to say no if you need to 

  • recognising and addressing negative emotions in relation to the work be that pressure/stress or content of the work - explored this before the festival if possible, learn to recognise when you might be feeling overwhelmed. 

Stress management / existing emotional resources: 

  • What do you like to do to relax/ de-stress?

  • what are your healthy coping mechanisms? 

  • What are your unhealthy coping mechanisms?

Finding mental and emotional space - to take time for yourself in order to cope with the pressures 

  • create your own space

  • mindfulness - (link to apps)

  • talk to people /develop support network at the fringe and maintain contact with network outside of it - keep in touch with reality.

  • find a balance - work/personal can very easily become intertwined but separation is needed eg keep a journal write down a few thoughts at the end of the day to mark the separation between work/personal

  • Sleep hygiene -  eg get up at same time regardless of what time you went to bed, get outside after you wake up to set your circadian rhythm, no phone for half an hour before bed, make sure your room is cool enough, lower adrenaline in the body by doing breathing exercises

  • healthy eating - Focus on making healthy choices whenever you can but don't berate yourself if the healthy choice isn't available - introduce more self compassion!

  • exercise - make do with what you've got - things that keep you health aren't away available at the fringe eg gym but you can go for a walk for 20 minutes each day

  • routine - be realistic about what you can provide for yourself but try to maintain some semblance of a routine around your performance schedule

  • do an activity that mentally and physically takes you away from the performance space.