Jill Janus says mental illness can be overcome if sufferers are not ashamed to seek help.
The Huntress vocalist has faced her own struggles with depression in the past, recently having to call time on a US tour before announcing the end of the band – a statement which was later retracted.
Now, in an exclusive interview with Metal Hammer magazine, the singer explains that the “desire to live” has helped her take on her bipolar disorder.
She says: “There’s an omnipresent taboo surrounding mental illness. I’m not afraid to confront what’s really going on.
“For those struggling with the loneliness mental illness brings, try to desire to live. Everything else falls into place because then you want to feel better.
“I didn’t give up because I desire to live. Help is out there, more than ever before. Don’t be ashamed to seek treatment for mental illness.”
Meanwhile, Janus has revealed that she’s free of the cancer that saw her undergo an operation earlier this year.
She tells Maximum Metal: “It’s a celebration. I am cancer-free after a hysterectomy to remove a small tumour from my uterus. It’s strange, I feel healthier than ever and the voice is strong. I’m full beast mode again.”
Janus’ column for Metal Hammer can be read in issue 278, out now in print, digital and via TeamRock+.
