According to recent studies, classical musicians experience higher levels of anxiety and depression than the general population due to various factors, including performance pressure and anxiety, self-doubt, fear of failure, PTSD, occupational stressors, job insecurity, social phobia, isolation, financial instability, and personal sacrifice. However, there's a lack of research exploring the psychological processes underlying this issue specifically within Classical musicians.

This study will analyze the character of Nina Sayers in Darren Aronofsky’s film ‘Black Swan’ to explain the experiences of Classical musicians. Nina represents individuals who undergo the intense pressure and expectations in the competitive society of art and shows a development of adulthood identity construction in a career pursuit in art that classical musicians may identify with. Using a Freudian approach of id (unconsciousness), ego (reality), and superego (consciousness), this study will examine Nina’s mental and physical health issues and apply this analysis to classical musicians to explore how their own pursuit of professionalism and pressure to succeed may impact their mental well-being.

This analysis suggests that classical musicians may benefit from a greater understanding of the unconscious mental process to identify patterns of thinking and behavior that may contribute to mental health issues, the recognition of ambivalence, for instance, in paradoxically experiencing music as a stressor and therapeutic simultaneously, the childhood origins of adult personality in long-term isolated practicing environment, and the role of mental representations in social behavior. This could help them develop a more constructive musical identity and career rooted in passion rather than external pressures.