Singer-Songwriter MILCK Reveals Music Helped Her Survive Depression

Welcome to Deep Dives, a new Health video series where inspiring people talk about a health topic that's meaningful to them and share relatable stories around health and wellness. Watch Connie Lim's Deep Dive above!

Singer-songwriter Connie Lim, 35—who goes by MILCK (pronounced "milk") on stage—doesn't just make music. Instead, this performer also relies on music to improve her mental health. "The relationship I have with music is a very intimate one because music helped heal me in a lot of ways in conjunction with professional help," Lim tells Health. "My art helped me get through moments and helped me get to a point where I was like, 'Maybe I need help.'"

She's glad she got that help, she says, rather than depending solely on her music to get her through a difficult time. "It's important to know the difference between how much art can help us and when professionals need to step in to help with depression and other things," Lim, who partners with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, says.

While she's in a much better place now emotionally, Lim says she still uses music to ground herself. "I meditate and I breathe to the rhythm of music all the time," she says. "I deal with a lot of anxiety, so I guide myself through a lot of breath work. For example, there's one that's like you breathe in for four, hold for two, breathe out for six, and that helps to slow down the heart rate."

Music not only helps dial back her anxiety, but her work as a singer has led her to find a community of people. When her song "Quiet" went viral in 2018, she felt connected to her audience, Lim explains, and it was a mindset adjustment she needed. "I started to quickly realize that I'm not alone, and that changed everything."

Watch the rest of Lim's deep dive in the video above.