Recently one of my favorite bands, Real Friends, announced that they would not be able to do their UK/European tour in December. The decision was released to the public through an online post made by the band’s lead singer, Dan Lambton, via Tumblr on November 11th. Lambton assured fans that the decision to postpone the tour was not due to a band break-up or anyone being mad at each other. It was a mutual and tough decision to make, but it had to be done for a very important reason: mental health.

Real Friends has always been a band to preach about suicide prevention and seeking help when you feel alone or lost. While on Warped Tour this past summer, the band brought along an organization called Hope For The Day to help reach out to thousands across the country. Hope For The Day is dedicated to saving lives that could be lost to suicide every day. The organization’s slogan is, “It’s ok not to be ok. Have hope.” In my eyes, this is true. I assure you that the days get better, and the pain eases throughout your life. I know because I’ve been there. I’ve been on the verge of death and almost lost myself to suicide three times, but music saved me. Bands like Real Friends made me realize that I wasn’t alone in the world, and that my pain was real, but fixable.

In the band’s Tumblr post, Lambton opened up about his own mental health struggles that he has been facing for a long time. “For a few years, I have been struggling with a . . . flow of anxiety, extreme self doubt, and unnecessary paranoia,” Lambton explained. He continued on about how grateful he is for everyone in his life. The opportunities given to him and his band are more than he could ever dream of. However, his anxiety disorder made him feel “inadequate, unfit, unworthy…” which had led him to self-medicate. Lambton goes on to say how he didn’t want to risk disappointing people by stepping away to get help, so he thought he could fix the problem on his own. He knew the power of his music and was afraid to let fans down. That is noble beyond belief, but I’m glad he came to understand that what fans want more than anything is for him to do whatever makes him happy. Lambton talked about going sober and the effect it had him. It made him realize that while alcohol and drugs negatively impacted him, it was his mental health that needed to be taken care of.

During the break from tour, Lambton plans to seek professional help which is something that I and many other fans can agree is the right choice to make. Mental health problems can have extreme effects on individuals and need to be addressed before the individual reaches a point of no return. Real Friends has made me strong. Their lyrics gave me worth. Their music pulled me out of a dark place that swallowed me whole for years. To know they have done this and so much more for others is absolutely incredible. Now it’s our turn to give back and be strong for Dan and the rest of the band while they take time to deal with the personal problems that affect them all. Everyone, cherish the friends around you, and remind them that they are loved. Remind them to have hope and seek help before it’s too late to change anything.