Workers in the Australian entertainment industry may be satisfied with doing work they love and testing their creative, entrepreneurial and community skills. But they were five to seven times more likely than the general population to consider suicide in the last 12 months – and road crew members nine times more.
Actual suicide attempts were double that of mainstream society, while rates of alcohol intake, drug use, anxiety and depression were also higher.
Entertainment workers were more prone to alcoholism, drug abuse and insomnia, not helped by the long, stressful and strange hours of their jobs or their battle with poverty.
These figures were revealed this morning by Entertainment Assist, as part of its study to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day and Australia’s own R U OK? Day. The full report is at entertainmentassist.org.au.
The research was done by Victoria University, and surveyed 2,904 musicians, singers-songwriters, dancers, actors, comedians, magicians, directors, producers and choreographers, through to roadies, sound and lighting technicians, camera operators, film and video editors. Most had worked in the biz for at least six to ten years.
Then findings included:
- 43.1% of respondents worked in the evening, 41.9% on the weekends and 30.2% irregular and often unpredictable hours. As a result, 63% experienced trouble maintaining a social life, and 45% with keeping contact with their friends in the industry
- 44% suffer sleep disorder and 16% from insomnia. Up to 44% reported they were always tired and 23.3% complained they have disrupted sleep
- Adding to their mental state was their low income, with 35.3% earning less than $20,000 a year while 10.1% earned between $20,000 and $29,000 and 9.1% between $4,000 to $49,000. In total, 72.5% earned less than $60,000
- Between 37.5% and 40.8% suffered mental health issues, and 36.5% were diagnosed with more than one mental illness. Only 59.5% had gone to seek professional help
- 83.3% consumed alcohol in the past 12 months (compared to 78% of the Australian population), with 7.7% drinking daily and 55.6% weekly. And drinking habits of 32% of these were in the high risk category
- 40% of those in the biz smoke marijuana (four times more than the national average), 25.5% took cocaine (12 times above), 18.9% were partial to ecstasy (seven times greater), 17.5% for meth and amphetamines (eight times more) with 17.6% for tranquilisers and 24.1% for painkillers for non-medical reasons
Entertainment Assist’s general manager Susan Cooper said the data showed the urgency of early intervention programs tailored to the peculiar nature of those in showbiz.
“Our mission is to champion generational change which would see our industry actively engage in mental health support and suicide prevention,” she said.
Image: Kool Cats Photography / Flickr
If you or someone you know needs assistance with mental health, talk to Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue at beyondblue.com.au.
