David Draiman Shares His Frustration in Getting Help for Mental Health
Disturbed's David Draiman has opened up more about his mental health. This month, the rock singer shared his frustration in finding the right mental health services to help him amid going through a divorce and mourning the loss of a pet.
"We need to be way more proactive about mental health in this country — in this world, in this society that we live in," Draiman says in a new interview. "It should be so much easier, and it's not."
Watch a video near the bottom of this page.
READ MORE: David Draiman Responds to Fans After Opening Up About Mental Health
Draiman tells The Charismatic Voice (July 7), "When I was at my low point like about three months ago, and I had just said goodbye to my dog of 14 years, my best friend. … And I'm divorced, and I'm not feeling well. And everywhere I look, I see my dog — everything reminds me of him." (via Blabbermouth)
The Disturbed vocalist continues, "I reached out and I tried to get help, and it was un-fucking-believably frustrating. Everybody is unavailable. Nobody's taking new patients. They want you to do this evaluation, that evaluation. Do you have the money for it? Can you qualify for it? Is it within your insurance plan? Fuck you! Enough, I'm telling you."
Sympathizing with those in similar situations, Draiman adds, "You get to the point where you're vulnerable enough that you're desperate and you need help. Fucking help me. I ended up going to one therapist — one therapist — and she ended up telling me she didn't have enough time to cure me and pawns me off on three other therapists that didn't have enough time to cure me."
He concludes, "It shouldn't be that hard. … It shouldn't be as much of a business as it is."
Draiman's Mental Health Journey
In a message from May, Draiman assured us Disturbed fans he's "not going anywhere" when he received an outpouring of support after a tearful onstage confession about his mental health struggles made the rounds.
When Disturbed play their 2018 song "A Reason to Fight," he often discusses mental health with the audience. In his post, he thanked fans after clips from such speeches made headlines.
In a video taken from a Disturbed show in Milwaukee, Draiman tells the audience, "A reason to fight. We all need one. The demons that are known as addiction and depression are very, very real. They are diseases no different than cancer. You can't see depression. You can't see addiction. It festers inside. It metastasizes, takes over your body."
During another show, he explained, "I'm tired of losing everybody I love to depression and addiction. Every single band member on this stage has dealt with those feelings, with those demons. And I miss the friends that we've lost. I miss Chester [Bennington], I miss Scott [Weiland], I miss Chris [Cornell]. And if I can be completely honest with you, a couple months ago, I almost joined them."
Draiman's Physical Transformation
To go along with the Disturbed singer's mental health journey is his recent weight loss. The rocker revealed his leaned-down body in a photo he shared on July 4.
Using the hashtag #DownWithTheFitness to show off his bare torso, the 50-year-old Disturbed vocalist said he hadn't been at his current weight since the mid-2000s — around the time the band's classic "Down With the Sickness" (2000) came out.
In the caption beneath the weight loss photo, Draiman said he's now "180 lbs. Down 34 lbs since I started this whole thing in January. Haven't been this weight since the mid 2000's." He added, "In shape to kick everyone's asses this summer."
More Disturbed
Disturbed pick up their North American "Take Back Your Life Tour" this summer, covering the U.S. with Breaking Benjamin and Jinjer.
Disturbed's latest album, Divisive, emerged last fall. It features cuts such as "Hey You" and "Unstoppable" from the long-running rockers.
See Disturbed's upcoming tour dates under the video. Get Disturbed tickets here.
If you or someone you know struggles with mental health, find help from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. Call 1-800-622-HELP (1-800-622-4357) or text 1-800-487-4889.
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