Alyson and Amanda Joy Michalka – the famous Aly & AJ sister duo of hits like ‘Rush’ and ‘Potential Breakup Song’ are so loved for their relatable and angstymusic-making.
We’re only now realizing that what makes them so brilliant is them knowing exactly how strongly one could feel the emotions they write about in songs like ‘Sticks and Stones’ and ‘Protect Me.’
Aly & AJ have finally revealed their mental health journey as sisters, making us love them more! Starting major acting careers on Disney’s ‘Phil of the Future,’ when they were just in their early teens, the extended hours of shooting and stress got to Aly early-on and manifested as depression symptoms.
Fortunately, their parents were aware of the risks as they’d experienced depression and anxiety in the family and got her the psychiatric help she needed almost immediately. Aly was prescribed Zoloft to find routine in her day and fight the overload of stress on set.
Aly notes how the antidepressants have helped her over the years, along with therapy. Contrary to popular misconceptions on this med category, she doesn’t recall the meds changing her personality.
Image courtesy Molly Cranna: Aly & AJ together
AJ fell into the same throes of depression, shortly after Aly began therapy. While AJ can’t pinpoint the triggers like Aly, she remembers that it was easy to explain what she was going through, since her sister was experiencing the same thing. While AJ got diagnosed with anxiety and OCD, she was also prescribed the same medication. After changes over the years, both of them are now using Cymbalta.
Both siblings are advocates for antidepressants and truly believe it can do more good than harm if taken responsibly and smartly under the guidance of mental health professional. They want to tell the world that medicines aren’t forbidden when there’s a real chemical imbalance in a body that needs fixing.
Their inner struggle has inadvertently brought them closer together, which even reflects in their music. Songwriting is healing for them, and they will delve towards topics like depression in their upcoming albums.
Aly and AJ also recognize how the inconsistent highs and lows of the entertainment industry can affect artists’ stability and mental health. Yet they are at their happiest on stage!
Being an inspirational duo with their activism, on their 2019 tour ‘Sanctuary,’ the sisters raised more than $60K for ‘The Trevor Project’ – a nonprofit committed to suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ youngsters.
They continue to raise money for causes and have gained more capacity for empathy through the rough journey they had to take from the time they were kids.
These two peas in a pod are walking hand in hand in both their lives and careers, and they’ve learned the skills to manage their conditions successfully. Recalling what they learned from their consulting psychiatrists, Aly & AJ urges everyone to be more mindful of choices, even little things, like regular exercise and cutting out caffeine, since they can be pivotal for better mental wellbeing. Here’s to getting more of the raw, heartfelt music and real talk from these gorgeous girls!
