Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes: Managing Anxiety + What Helps Us
End of Suffering is the latest album from Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes. The record confronts the mental health battle head-on with the call-to-arms track "Anxiety" and the constraint-breaking "Crowbar." Frank Carter and guitarist Dean Richardson joined Loudwire in the studio to discuss how they manage anxiety and what helps them get through the tougher moments.
As for the triggers for anxiety, Carter confesses it could be anything and it'll surface even during the least expected moments. "It's bizarre, the kind of things that set me off are bizarre. I'm just like in it and all of sudden I'm like, 'Wow, I'm watching The Lion King and now I'm super panicked — didn't see that coming.'"
The first step to tackling these emotions is to gain an understanding of anxiety, says the singer. It then becomes easier to identity things like panic attacks or anxiety attacks. "I could just say to myself, 'You're in it now. It's going to be bad for about 20 minutes and if you can make it through that it gets easier.' That's actually the length of a panic attack — 20 minutes,” he explains.
As roommates, Carter and Richardson have a balanced understanding of each other and how to recognize when the other may need to vent their feelings: "It's sometimes quite frustrating because sometimes all you want to do is sort of recluse and not deal with what's going on but it's really useful if you've got someone that is kind of respectful of space and not forcing you to take it on if it's not the right time."
Both musicians express that exercise is a positive outlet for combating mental health and even something as simple as an extended hug can make all the difference. "Just give them a cuddle but don't let them go, that's the important bit. Hold onto them a bit longer than is comfortable for them then after a while you feel their whole body relax and you're like, 'There you go, gotcha.'"
Watch the complete interview in the video above and if you struggle with mental health, here's proof that you're not alone.
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