A Music Exec on Addiction & Mental Health | George Hess

Music industry veteran George Hess gets real about sobriety, mental health, and addiction in electronic dance music, and why self-awareness is the thing that actually keeps a career alive.Hess has spent nearly 37 years in dance music, from running a record shop and a DJ pool in Connecticut to leadership roles at Arista and Strictly Rhythm, and today guiding artists like Armin van Buuren, Loud Luxury, James Hype, and Kygo through his company G5 Entertainment.In this conversation with performance psychologist Dr. Sunni, Hess talks openly about the side of the industry people rarely say out loud. He shares what the wild 90s party culture really cost him, how getting sober reshaped his life and doubled his career, and the three pillars he builds every day around: sobriety, family, and mental health.You will hear why so many DJs, producers, and the crews around them run into anxiety and burnout, what that post-show high and crash does to the mind and body, and why the skills that get you to the top are not the ones that keep you there. George also opens up about the morning routine he refuses to skip, the resources quietly changing the industry, and one unfiltered truth about sobriety that most people only understand once they live it.If you care about mental health, addiction recovery, leadership, and building something that lasts in electronic dance music, give this one your full attention.LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/Wl91Iww4C3bFOLLOW PSYCH DROP ON INSTAGRAM: @psych.dropCONNECT WITH GEORGE HESS: @iamhessRESOURCES MENTIONED: Backline, MusiCares, Sweet Relief, SIMS FoundationMental Health & Wellness Resources:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s8ojoTgSX5f73EOk0XNG0v7vrTW4UoHz--jib1utXeY/edit?usp=drive_link