Ethical Considerations- Second Year Blues

Now that I'm five years removed from the situation, I am interested in discussing the 'Ethical Considerations' surrounding the 'norms' of drama school, specifically in second year. Various phrases I've heard in my own experience concerning training are along the lines of: 

' Second year, eh? You got the second year blues yet?' 

'They have to break you down and build you back up again to prepare you for the industry'

Confidently, I can say that these statements echo those heard by my peers from various training establishments and musical theatre courses. During training, the long hours and intense classes can definitely create a culture where you feel the need to impress with the emotional depth you have in class. The question is, if you give everything all the time, are you emotionally able to let it go or put any gas back in to your own tank?

Personally, I found second year mentally gruelling and vividly remember crying most days which was very unlike me in the years before or following. There was a real correlation between the training I was undertaking and the toll on my mental health.  

The question I have is, is this a healthy outlook for impressionable young actors? That they must be broken and effectively have to regain that strength again a year later as they enter the industry? Where is the support and aftercare for them if they struggle to regain their confidence and re-balance their mental health once they've left? ArtsMinds conducted a survey of mental health within the performing arts industries and found that one in five of the entertainment sector had actively sought help for mental health issue. With these statistics and the precarious nature of our industry with its' constant rejection and lack of stability, is this the preparation students need? Is it a necessity in the study and craft of acting to try to get students to the emotional place where they cry in every acting lesson? 

I'm not sure of the answer but I feel the question does need to be posited. From the perspective of tutors, I can see why they aim to push and challenge the students to seek more emotional depth so they can emote as the character. Is there a way to do this ethically- perhaps with aftercare, breaks or a programme which gives students the tools to acquire coping strategies to build the emotional state back to their normal levels after performing?

Let me know in the comments if you've had a similar experience or with any thoughts you may have on this (you can also find info for ArtsMinds on the link below)

http://www.artsminds.co.uk/about-us/