Paramore’s Hayley Williams Talks Mental Health Struggles, Boosts Resources for World Mental Health Day

Paramore’s Hayley Williams opened up about the difficult process of parsing her own mental health struggles, and the need for greater resources and support systems for those grappling with similar issues, in a new note for World Mental Health Day. 

Williams began by noting how “ignorant” she was of mental illness and how “all-consuming it can be” before she was diagnosed in 2018 with depression and a “specific kind of PTSD” (the note was shared on the Instagram page of the hair dye company Williams co-founded). At the time, Williams said, her doctor had told her she had chronic fatigue, but she was unaware that mental illness could “affect your physical wellbeing, too.”

She continued: “I didn’t appreciate how interconnected my mind and body really were. This kind of fatigue is becoming more and more common, by the way. It can seem pretty impossible to thrive, holistically, in the modern world.” 

Williams went on to say that she was able to learn all of this because of her access to mental health professionals and doctors. “I hate thinking about how many people are stuck without answers or any tangible help,” she wrote. “Obviously there are little things we can do in the day to day to cheer ourselves up or give ourselves space to really express how we feel and who we are. Small wins do help. I’ve always turned to music, dying/changing my hair, some form of community… but sometimes you just need more support than these things can give.”

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Williams ended her note by highlighting a few organizations “doing incredible work to make a path to mental wellness more equitable and efficient,” encouraging any who might be “drawn to any of them” to reach out. The groups included Inclusive Therapists, Therapy for Black Girls, and the Trevor Project. 

Paramore spent much of this summer on tour, including a big stint opening for Taylor Swift on the European leg of the Eras Tour. The band released their most recent album, This Is Why, back in Feb. 2023.