Mental health experts believe Jewel’s agoraphobia and panic attacks have likely enhanced her lyrical content and enabled her to examine themes of resilience and vulnerability in her music.
“Jewel’s battles with trauma and anxiety gave rise to her songwriting,” biopsychologist Mary Poffenroth told The Epoch Times. “Writing allowed her to focus and relax, which is consistent with studies showing creative pursuits can improve emotional control and lessen depressive and anxious symptoms.”
Poffenroth is the author of “Brave New You.”
“You can definitely write strong poetry or lyrics, maybe channel pain into something creatively and win a Grammy or that Oscar-winning film score, but you need to be in a good state of mind, or it won’t happen to the best of your abilities,” film score composer Nicole Russin-McFarland told The Epoch Times.
Russin-McFarland is the founder of Lucky Pineapple Films.
Jewel learned the importance of mental health as a teen.
“When I moved out at 15, I knew I had to learn about happiness and I pursued it and when I was homeless, the same thing,” she told Us Weekly. “I was having panic attacks, [I was] agoraphobic.”
Agoraphobia is the fear of crowded places or the fear of being entrapped.
Juel Kilcher, Jewel’s birth name, rose to fame in 1995 with her debut album “Pieces of You.” Since then, she founded a nonprofit called Not Alone Challenge.
“When I was discovered, my No. 1 goal wasn’t to be a musician,” Jewel said. “It was to make sure that I could learn how to be, I called it a happy, whole human instead of a human full of holes.”
Jewel’s Not Alone Challenge was launched in 2022 in partnership with iHeartRadio. The nonprofit provides mental health tools to the public for free.
“One in four kids will have thoughts of suicidal ideation. And so it’s really more important than ever,” she said. “And that’s why with the Not Alone Challenge, which has really been, it’s been kind of a runaway success.”
Suicidal ideation is the practice of thinking about or planning suicide.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 49,300 suicide deaths were reported in 2023 nationwide.
Jewel’s dedication to mental health enables her to continue creating songs that are accessible to her audience while remaining authentic to herself, according to licensed clinical psychologist Ruth Camp.
“She is a shining example of how musicians can make it in the stressful entertainment world while maintaining their wellness and authenticity,” Camp told The Epoch Times.
Camp is also a mental health counselor at AddictionResource.net.
Jewel has reported feeling overwhelmed by her past successes.
In 1998, Jewel’s second album, “Spirit,” sold 368,000 copies in the first week of its release and 3.7 million nationwide.
She subsequently quit for two years even though her single “Hands” was among the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998.
“I just couldn’t handle it,” Jewel said about the fame she had attained. “I never wanted my mental health to be the price I paid for my career. And as we’re seeing with so many celebrities and artists … we’re losing too many people.”
Mental health challenges come part and parcel with the artist’s way, according to Tse.
“Artists often experience heightened emotional states, making them more susceptible to mental health challenges,” Tse added. “This sensitivity fuels their creativity but can also lead to struggles with mental health.”
Singles from the collection include “Goddess Of Love” and “The Three Spheres.”
“This job is a difficult job, but so many jobs are,” Jewel said. “We have a lot of pressure that we’re dealing with in the world.”
Jewel did not respond to requests for comment.
