Korn frontman Jonathan Davis has recalled his first panic attack – and admitted he thought he was going to die during the “horrible” moment.
And he says music has helped him with his depression, which continues after he fought off drink and drug addiction issues.
Davis tells the You Rock Foundation: “When I got my panic attack I thought I was going to die. I didn’t know what was going on. That was one of the reasons why it’s so hard to deal with anxiety and depression. You don’t know what’s going on; you think you’re going crazy.
“I started thinking meds were bad for me. I turned schizophrenic for a while. It was a really, really tough time.”
He adds of his depression: “It’s like walking around with a giant lead blanket on you. Nothing excites you. The concept of happiness you can’t get into.
“Thank god I had my music to get me through. Music is one of the most powerful things in the world – it has the power to heal people.”
But he accepts the battle will never be over: “I’ll always have to deal with it,” he says.
Last year Davis told how his son’s reaction to seeing him drunk had helped him come off alcohol, saying: “He looked at me like I was the biggest piece of shit. I think it was two weeks later that I quit.”
Korn return to the UK on July 16 for a one-off show at London’s Brixton Academy. The band are featured in the current edition of Metal Hammer which is on sale now. It also includes Metallica, Falling In Reverse, Nightwish, Periphery, Papa Roach and more.
