Brian May of Queen opens up about his seasonal depression

Queen guitarist Brian May has offered up some insight into the seasonal depression that he experiences over the holiday period, in an emotionally vulnerable new post.

Brian May, like some of us, gets a little blue around the Christmastime period. In a brand new social media post, he has shown off the “brave face” that he puts on whenever he is feeling low with bouts of seasonal depression. He has opened up about how this melancholy he feels turns his usual jovial expressions into a more “grim” countenance.

Easing into the topic by sharing a painting of Jimi Hendrix given to him by Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott, May discussed the type of hopelessness that takes ahold of him around the holiday season. You can read the Queen guitarist’s message and see the accompanying image toward the bottom of this post.

“Most of this Christmas period I haven’t wanted to show my face because my face was grim,” May says of the photo on Instagram. “There’s something about this time of the year that paralyses me. Depression, hopelessness, fear … I get engulfed. Is it logical? No. Should I be grateful for my life and therefore not depressed? Yes.”

He continues, “None of that makes any difference when you look up and the colours have gone out of the world. Tomorrow I am wrenching myself back into ‘normality’ — starting with some biking and stretching.”

Obviously, May has much to celebrate, even in the throes of a depression. The musician goes on to talk about his love for food and his attempts at maintaining a plant-based diet during the meat-free month dubbed Veganuary after the U.K. nonprofit organization that encourages people to go vegan.

You can look at May’s incredible Jimi Hendrix painting below in his Instagram post, and read the full message addressing seasonal depression and holiday melancholy.

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