‘Singing reminds me of being a happier person’

Georgina Woolfrey, 34, lives in London and is a trainee teacher. She has been a member of the London Show Choir for 11 years.

I to tried wrench various my tactics soul from depression’s grasp, including sticking life-affirming messages all over my wall. A few months later, this had ripped paint off the wall, but it didn’t touch the depression. There was one activity with a voice loud enough to challenge depression’s onslaught of insults, though: singing at choir.

Singing reminded me of the happier person I’d once been, and it was the closest I felt to being her again. Choir gave me a foothold on recovery; feeling just ‘not awful’ was a miracle in itself, which offered a glimmer of hope that I was heading towards the dizzy heights of ‘okay’. Singing was the only thing that I could consistently enjoy. Depression turned me against myself. I’d find flaws in everything I did, compare myself to others and tell myself that I was rubbish at everything. And anxiety, depression’s best friend, robbed me of the focus I needed to do my job.

SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT

But at choir, I was forced to realise that I wasn’t useless at singing, I was actually quite good at it. And not only that, I was making progress every week by completing more of a song and becoming confident with the harmony. Progress leads to confidence because it’s the hard evidence of your ability that even depression can’t deny. My choir is one of the most cherished things in my life. If you’re even mildly curious, contact some local choirs and ask if you can go along for a trial session. It’s what I did… 10 years (and 10,000 giggles) ago.

Singing has given me a sense of achievement that nothing else could. I love the power of getting that tricky part right and nailing the verse and chorus in spine-tingling harmony. Pride is transformative and a rare gift when depression is doing its best to steal it. Choir can bring you the comfort that even in your most wretched projection of the future, you will always have singing, choir and friends to giggle with.

NHS Moodzone (nhs.uk/conditions/ stress-anxiety depression) has tools to help you recognise and manage depression, stress and anxiety.