The touching music video features fans of the band sharing their personal experiences with mental health issues and addiction.
Heavy metal group Disturbed recently released a music video for their single “A Reason To Fight” which addresses mental health and the stigma surrounding it.
According to Blabbermouth, guitarist Dan Donegan told Columbus, Ohio station 99.7 The Blitz that the tragic suicide of Robin Williams was one of the inspirations for the song.
“I think the first time it really hit me was when Robin Williams died, I used to always get angry and think that [suicide] is very selfish, and I’d get angry and think, ‘How could somebody do this?’ Then you look at somebody like Williams, and you’re, like, ‘This guys makes everybody in the world laugh. Everybody loves him. He has family, money, success.’ Then it dawned on me that this is a disease.”
Donegan talked to Disturbed’s lead singer David Draiman about what kinds of subjects they wanted to cover in their Evolution album. “I suggested to David, ‘I’d really like to try and find a song that can touch on depression and addiction because we’ve all had either family, friends, or people close to us that have had their struggles, or continue to struggle.”
Stigma was another major issue that Donegan wanted to tackle with the song.
“I thought it was important for us to try to address the issue to let people know that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s nothing to be embarrassed by. It’s a disease, and you’re not alone,” he said. “We’re not trying to claim that we’re saving the world—we’re just trying to shed light on a dark subject, and trying to encourage people that when you see the signs, jump in and do what you can to try to offer a hand.”
In the video for “A Reason to Fight,” a number of people speak out about their struggles with depression, and Draiman tells a sold-out arena, “We keep losing soldiers in this war, and I’m tired of losing so many people that are so talented, so many people that I care so deeply about to the demons of addiction and depression.”
The arena lights go up, and Draiman tells the audience, “To prove to you that this is not an affliction that is exclusive to the world of entertainment, by a show of hands, how many of you have dealt with the demons of depression yourselves, or know someone who has?” As countless people raise their hands, along with the members of Disturbed, Draiman says, “You are not alone. We’re in this together my brothers, my sisters, my blood.”
