Aerosmith star JOEY KRAMER is convinced he would have died if he hadn't received treatment for his depression.
The drummer, who battled addiction in the 1980s, admits the loss of his father in 1993 sent him into a downward spiral because he didn't allow himself time to grieve - heading back out on tour less than two weeks after the funeral.
Kramer admits the decision to carry on working at such a tragic time had serious repercussions on his health - and fears that if he hadn't received treatment for the condition he would have lost the will to live.
He says, "I didn't really spend the time with any of my siblings or my mom, and I didn't really go through the proper grieving process, because as soon as my dad died I went home, and we buried him, and 10 days later I was out on the road again. It took maybe two years for that to catch up with me.
"My depression and anxiety were so bad at the time that if I didn't start treatment, there's a good chance I wouldn't be standing in front of you today. It's about the desire you have inside to get over whatever it is that's going on."
Kramer is now a spokesman for a charity in Beverly, Massachusetts, called Health & Education Services, Inc, which helps children and adults battling problems such as depression and substance abuse.