ANXIETY, depression and schizophrenia are some of the “numerous” mental illnesses that impact Kaleen’s Duncan n. Sargeant in his day-to-day life.

“I was diagnosed when I was 17, I’m 47 now,” he says.

“It doesn’t get any easier, or become manageable. In that first year I was admitted to hospital five times, I broke the record.

“I’ve now been hospitalised over 70 times, in four different institutions. I just got out from another stint in the hospital about two or three weeks ago.”

But, for more than 15 years, Duncan has organised and performed in concerts to celebrate good mental health, to educate people about mental illness and to break down stigma and misinformation.

“The guitar saved my life,” he says.

“Music, art, writing all saved me. I used to draw and paint as well, but I realised I didn’t have enough time, so I had to give up the visual arts.

“It was a hard decision to make but I couldn’t fully commit myself to all three different forms.”

Duncan says Eric Clapton was his first, major guitar inspiration.

“I think I was 16 or 17, and I first heard Clapton’s ‘Unplugged’ album,” he says.

“I was in love with the music about halfway through the first song, he just has influenced me in such a big way, especially in my lead-guitar playing.”

He says he has struggled to process his own mental illness at times, but writing songs has allowed him to explore it in a creative way.

“It gave me an emotional and spiritual release, at the same time as giving me something to strive for in terms of achieving,” he says.

“I haven’t got it mastered yet, I never will, there’s always new stuff to learn, but it’s a less steep learning curve now.

“I also do storytelling in my shows, it wasn’t a conscious decision, humorous stories but about my life. In the middle of a set at Belconnen Theatre I just started talking, and people started laughing.

“I tell stories about my experiences, recovery, and day-to-day life. That’s how I make it make sense, my illness. What is the point of going through all of this without trying to help somebody else, too?”

The best night of his life came at Tilley’s Devine Cafe.

“In hospital once, I met one of Australia’s finest cellist musicians, David Pereira, and I asked him if he wanted to do a show with me,” he says.

“He said yes, so I approached Tilley’s and they jumped at the opportunity, too. We played together, and it was such a great turn out, definitely the best night of my life.

“My next goal is to play at Llewellyn Hall, it’s a long shot though.”

Duncan admits his social anxiety makes performing hard work.

“Sometimes I really have to force myself, it is quite strange having social anxiety while being a performance artist, it is easier if someone just tells me where to be and what time, but if I have to organise everything it can be difficult,” he says.

“It’s good to have some friends and family around to support you.

“I have been mocked, too, at one of my shows I was talking about a time where I thought I was Jesus Christ, and these people came up at the end of the show and said ‘Hello Jesus’ and I just thought, eff you.”

On October 27, Duncan is doing a solo concert at Pulp Book Cafe in Gold Creek.

“On October 29 I’m doing a guitar recital with some friends at All Saints Anglican Church in Ainslie,” he says.

“While I have performed for more than 20 years, this is only the third year of my Eelworks Mental Health Guitar Festival.

“I like to write songs with a social conscience. I’ve written about my own experiences, but also about bushfires, gun violence in America, military policing in Colombia and South America.

“The message I want to share is you don’t have to struggle all on your own, there is always someone you can talk with. It doesn’t always get easier, but it’s good to have support systems in place.”

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