Steve Garrigan The Kodaline star talks to Stephen Meyler about issues of anxiety
The lead singer with Kodaline, Steve Garrigan, is taking to the airwaves this week to help out Walk in My Shoes’ annual awareness campaign. Stephen Meyler spoke to him
When I was hit with a panic attack, I thought my world was ending, I thought I was dying
As lead singer of one of the most successful Irish bands of recent years, Steve Garrigan is well used to stepping on stage in front of thousands of fans all around the world. While the prospect of performing in front of so many people is the stuff of nightmares for many, Steve says that the nerves he feels before a show are “the good kind of nerves, of looking forward to performing.”
It’s a surprise then to learn that Steve experienced panic attacks: “As a teenager, I went through a phase of anxiety to the point that it stopped me from doing a lot of things that I wanted to do. I kept that a secret because I was kind of ashamed of it – I thought people would look down on me if they knew what was going on.”
At the time, Steve – who is now 31 – didn’t find anywhere to turn to explain what was going on. “Having something like Walk in My Shoes back then would have helped me absolutely because I didn’t really know what was going on with me. Maybe it’s an Irish thing, especially for men, to have an attitude when someone is having problems of ‘Ah sure, it will be grand’ or ‘Suck it up and get on with it’ or ‘Have a pint’ or whatever – there’s very much a stigma with talking about your emotions.
“I didn’t want to talk about anxiety then but when I did – after about five years –everything improved. Having been through these things myself, I know the effect that not talking can have, so the last thing I would want for people out there feeling alone is that they can’t talk about it – I’m sure there’s thousands of them.”
As a singer and songwriter, Steve uses performance as a way to talk about things: “As a songwriter, a lot of the things I’ve written are about my struggles with anxiety or depression – for example, the song High Hopes was one of the first I wrote, when I had just had a panic attack, so that song for me was a way of dealing with what I was going through at the time. What’s great is that fans tell us online that our songs have helped them a lot when they are going through difficult times. Now, we’re not therapists or anything like that, but we can say to people to stay strong and point then in the direction of help.”
Help can take other forms too, which is where Steve’s work with Walk In My Shoes comes in. He is an ambassador for the campaign this year: “I’m passionate about the work Walk in My Shoes do. They have information and advice for young people having problems. That wasn’t around when I was a teenager and one of the main reasons I have got involved is so that if any of the fans are having difficulties or going through bad times, then they will be able to find help.”
Steve has worked out how to deal with anxiety, even if it’s not something he experiences before going on stage: “I have breathing techniques and little rituals that I use before a show, such as breathing in for a count of four and breathing out for a count of four and these exercises usually settle the system. But to be honest, I’ve gone on stage so much now that I don’t get so nervous any more. Whereas occasionally, but it doesn’t happen as much as it used to, I could just be in a room and all of a sudden I will be overcome by a racing heart. I would have anxiety in social situations, but I’ve learned through talking about it and with mindfulness and exercise, and eating as well as I can, that it doesn’t happen anymore. I would emphasise that if anyone is feeling anxious or depressed, the one thing they shouldn’t do is turn to alcohol – it doesn’t help – it’s like putting a Band-aid on a big wound.”
The radio show, which will run during World Mental Health Week at St Patrick’s Hospital in Dublin, has a simple format, says Steve: “We have a couple of guests planned already but to be honest, I just want to tell my own story and promote the message that Walk in My Shoes is already doing – and try to get people to talk. As simple as it sounds – and I know mental health is very topical now – but you can always do more. My girlfriend, Diana Bunici, will be presenting the show with me because I don’t consider myself much of a presenter, unless I have a guitar or piano, so I hope it’s going to be fun and I’m looking forward to it.”
Walk in My Shoes Radio goes live on October 7. It is run by St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services and is Ireland’s only pop-up station dedicated to the promotion of positive mental health and mental health awareness in schools, colleges and communities during World Mental Health Week. walkinmyshoes.ie