The Who member Pete Townshend is opening up about his struggle with mental health, revealing that he has "suicidal" thoughts every morning.
He sat down with The Sunday Times where he talked about his experience that he describes as "chemical depression" and says that it is ongoing.
"When I first wake up I'm suicidal, actually suicidal," he told the outlet.
Townshend spoke about choosing to wake up between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. each day to help with his mindset, explaining: "I'm still in the state that I was the day before."
He revealed that he goes on to have a "couple of cups of tea" and "two digestive biscuits", which he says is "apparently equal to 17 sugar lumps, and I feel happy".
In the past, Townshend had sought help from a professional when he was a younger man. However, he did not find it useful. Instead, he finds purpose in keeping journals.
"If I start my journals before I have my cup of tea, I'll paint a very bleak picture of my life. Despite the fact that I have everything that I want and everything that I need...And I have had a really extraordinary life," Townshend said.
He continued that while he did find therapy worked for him, he understands that it does work for others and is hesitant to espouse particular solutions as it depends on the individual.
"I think because of social media in particular, the way that we carelessly share not only our anxieties but also perhaps our solutions. We're a bit careless about that because what works for me won't necessarily work for you," Townshend added.
According to Mind, those who work in the music industry are "more prone to mental health problems than the general population", with "musicians being up to three times more likely to suffer from depression". They attribute this to financial pressures, isolation, lifestyle, hectic schedules and addiction.
The Who became one of the most prominent bands of the '60s and '70s, scoring hits like "My Generation" and "Pinball Wizard."
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