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Headstock Partners with Mental Health Innovations to Launch 24/7 Mental Health Support Line
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By Dale Grogan
- 08 Feb 2024
- 4 min read
Headstock, a UK-based music and mental health social enterprise, has announced a brand-new partnership with mental health charity, Mental Health Innovations, dedicated to providing mental health text support to anyone working within the music industry.
Launched today (Thursday 8th February), anyone struggling to cope with their mental well-being and needing support will be able to text the word ‘MUSIC’ to 85258 to receive free, confidential support, 24/7.
In an industry-first, the de-escalation text messaging service has been funded by Amazon Music and is being delivered by Mental Health Innovation’s flagship Shout service. The welcomed initiative has garnered widespread industry support from trade organisations like the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and the Music Venues Trust (MVT), as well as from us here at Skiddle, who fully endorse the effort.
Shout’s team of highly trained volunteers will deliver in-the-moment support for people from all walks of the music industry, who are anxious, distressed, or suicidal, with Shout’s qualified clinical support team on hand to provide expert supervision of conversations at any time of day or night.
Backed by Courteeners’ frontman, Liam Fray and a host of other industry figureheads, MUSIC 85258 has been created by Headstock as a direct response to the spiralling mental health crisis facing the music industry – a crisis compounded by the global pandemic and subsequent cost-of-living crisis.
The text support service is also being backed by signposting partners, Music Minds Matter and Music Support.
Speaking of the pioneering text messaging service, Liam Fray said:
“Everyone goes through their ups and downs in life, and for musicians, I think these feelings are often magnified. It’s an absolute rollercoaster.
“Nothing can describe the high of being on stage in front of 50,000 people. It’s the best feeling in the world. But when the crowds go home, you crash. When we finish a tour it’s almost instant. I know loads of musicians who say the same thing – but it’s very rarely talked about because we’re supposed to be ‘rock n roll’.
“The advice we get given is ‘try to talk’ – but that in itself is really difficult. Opening up and baring your soul to another human being. That’s why I think the new MUSIC 85258 mental health text support service being launched by Headstock & Shout is such a great initiative.
“It’s important that people who work across all aspects of the music industry know they’re not on their own, the extreme highs and lows are recognised, and I’m sure the discreet nature of the service will encourage more people to reach out & seek the support they need.”
If you’re feeling low, anxious, distressed or suicidal, text the word ‘MUSIC’ to 85258 now to receive free and confidential support, and be sure to save and share the number above with others you might know working in the industry.
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