Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody opens up about his struggle with depression
Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody recently opened up about his struggle with depression in light of their comeback album. After a two-year wait, it looks like the band is ready to release their new album.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Lightbody expressed how his struggle with depression really bogged him down. "Yeah, I thought about not existing," he admits. "I just felt really, really sluggish… my will to live had kinda ebbed away."
Turning to drugs and alcohol was his only respite following two unsuccessful albums. But comfort soon came in the form of a new deal extended by Universal which resulted in Snow Patrol's success.
The band's accomplishment was something that kept Lightbody's demons away. But by the end of their 'Fallen Empires' tour, Lightbody found himself facing the darkness again, and turned to drinking to quell the self-hatred that consumed him.
The singer hit a writer's block following the end of the tour. At the end of 2012, Lightbody moved to Santa Monica where he struggled to overcome his growing depressive bouts.
A health scare in 2016 is what got Lightbody to his senses. "I was in the gym, reached down, touched my toes, came back up again… and the whole place started wobbling." the singer admits. It turned out that his body was put through the ringer, and needed resetting. Which came in the form of acupuncture. "She gave me acupuncture, and I calmed my whole life down – stopped drinking, stopped taking drugs. Then I went back, got another x-ray, and it was completely clear."
Now, with a clear bill of health and a fresh outlook on life, Gary is set to dust off his vocal chords and propel his band to success. "So it’s music as therapy" he said.
In the light of Chester Bennington's suicide due to depression, many artists have begun coming forward with their own stories. Papa Roach lead singer Jacoby Shaddix also admitted to his depression, describing it as 'the same demons' Chester had to struggle with.
With more and more artists being candid about their struggle, it is truly comforting to know that the topic of mental health is finally being taken seriously.
