Injury & Mental Health

A Questionnaire I recently received for a Research Project on the Impact of the Performing Industry.

How long have you been in the performing arts career?

I have been professionally paid to perform for the last three years. 

Why and How did you get into this industry?

Why? Because I had a curiosity that I knew if I didn’t try I would regret. And How? Through training, auditions and volunteering for things to gain knowledge and relationships

Has being in this career ever affected your mental health in a negative or positive way? What happened?

Definitely a mixture of both. It has given me a strong sense of confidence and I have up-skilled immensely whilst feeding my insecurities about my physicality and self-worth.

What steps did you take to improve your mental state?

I did go see a psychologist. But I also have a strong faith so pushing into something higher than ourselves certainly helps a lot. 

Have you ever gotten an injury? If so, how has it affected your career?

Yes - I tore my right meniscus (which is a disc of cartilage that sits in the knee allowing the bones to glide seamlessly) four years ago. I ignored it for three years, just seeking physiotherapy and taking a lot of pain killers to get me through seasons and contracts. The reason I did this, is that if you are injured, you are unemployable. So, I hid it from my employees. When I decided to have surgery on it, I had to quit my singing job at Dreamworld and stop my dance teaching. I was unemployed for two months. But now I’m back stronger in professional work and teaching.

What do you think the mental impacts of a long term career are?

I think if you know who you are and have a strong moral and ethical code this industry can be the greatest teacher. The trick is not being sucked up into the luring negative aspects like body comparison, envy, finding self-worth within getting a job…ect.

What do you think are the physical impacts are of long term training?

You need a balance of many different types of training. For example; I do dance classes, yoga, pilates, swimming, running. To sustain this, I use a foam roller to roll out my muscles and maintain flexibility as well as physio & massages. Maintaining fitness is key.

How do the physical and mental impacts affect someones lifestyle?

Well, really it depends on if you are working or not. If you are working than it’s a constant strain and out pour of your creativity, you may be on tour which puts demands on your relationships and not to mention the use of your body and voice for 12hours. It can be very exhausting making it a tricky lifestyle to maintain.

On the other hand, if you’re not working it also puts strains on your relationships, has negative impacts on your self-worth and can make everyday purchases seem like a house deposit. It can also lead to a decrease in fitness and stamina. So, either way there are challenges on your lifestyle but what I find helpful to remember is why I'm doing it and to find your value and self-worth in something other than the audition result or the role you acquire.