Few artists in the electronic dance music (EDM) scene have reached the stardom Tim Bergling—known to the world as DJ Avicii—did during his brief but explosive career. During the early to mid-2010s, he achieved global fame with chart-topping hits like “Levels,” “Hey Brother,” and “Wake Me Up” and collaborations with Coldplay and Madonna.
Behind a thriving career full of worldwide performances and Grammy nominations, Avicii struggled with anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, and opioid addiction throughout his life. In this blog post, we’ll explore Avicii’s early life and career and shed light on how the EDM star’s family honored their son’s legacy after he tragically took his own life in 2018.
Avicii’s Rise to Fame
Tim Bergling was born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1989. From an early age, he showed an interest in music. He began mixing tracks in his bedroom with pirated music production software on his computer. At 16, he started posting his tracks on MySpace and other online forums.
In 2011, Bergling found international recognition online with his breakout hit, “Levels.” His stage name was inspired by the lowest level of hell in Buddhism, avici, but he added the second “i” when the name was already taken on MySpace. His distinct genre-blending sounds and earworm-like melodies quickly caught the attention of music industry professionals, and by 18, Avicii signed his first record deal.
His global acclaim grew with 2013 hits “Wake Me Up” and “Hey Brother.” By this point, the Swede had dropped his debut album, True, and was one of the most sought-after DJs in the EDM world, playing at clubs from Ibiza to New York City.
Avicii’s popularity grew over the next few years, as did the demand for him to perform and continue making music. The Swedish DJ constantly toured, playing up to 250 shows a year.
Onset of Health Issues
The nonstop work and touring schedules Avicii faced at the height of his career began to take a toll on his physical and mental health. The songwriter and producer soon turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with the increasing stress of performing and anxiety he’d struggled with since childhood.
A shy and introverted child, Tim Bergling struggled with severe anxiety, often fearing he had cancer or fretting over his appearance, as he developed severe acne as a teen. As his EDM career took off when he was still a teen, Avicii experienced performance anxiety and often relied on alcohol to calm his nerves.
In 2012, Avicii was hospitalized for acute pancreatitis caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Doctors recommended Avicii quit drinking and eating junk food for at least six months.
“Of course, I didn’t listen to the majority of the doctors, I listened to the couple who said it was ok if I was careful. I was ignorant and naive and touring the world, still on the never-ending tour,” he wrote in his journal.
The following year, Avicii was hospitalized a second time for pancreatitis. Doctors advised his gallbladder be removed, but Avicii declined the surgery so he could continue touring and making music, opting for prescription opioids for abdominal pain and anti-anxiety medications for his nerves. In 2014, the Swedish DJ was hospitalized again, this time needing both appendix and gallbladder surgery.
Avicii’s Struggle with Drug Addiction
After his appendix and gallbladder surgeries, Avicii soon developed a dependence on opioid painkillers—OxyContin and Vicodin—and his friends and family started noticing changes in his mood and behavior.
In 2014, his family attempted to wean him off the painkillers, but the EDM superstar left Sweden for Los Angeles, where he could get his prescriptions on demand, denying he had a drug problem. At one point later that year, Avicii required a stomach pump after mixing alcohol with “an array of pills” ranging from muscle relaxers to panic disorder medication.
In the summer of 2015, Avicii’s close friends, family, and management team staged a seven-hour intervention and convinced him to seek treatment at a rehab facility in Ibiza. He left rehab a month later with a newfound sense of clarity and made additional efforts to improve his mental health through traveling, meditating, and exploring his spirituality.
While he was in rehab, Avicii kept a journal where he reflected on his longtime struggles with anxiety and depression. He wrote that he believed his alcohol and drug abuse were coping mechanisms to escape his mental health struggles.
“It needed to be explained to me very logically and caveman-esque for me to truly understand [addiction] and how it was harming me,” he wrote. “Ouch, pain. Why me pain now? Uncomfortable feeling. Future Tim deal with pain.”
A Cry for Help: Avicii’s Public Struggles
In the 2017 documentary Avicii: True Stories, the late DJ openly discussed his anxiety and the mental toll of performing and touring, which drove him to alcohol abuse.
“In the beginning I was too afraid to drink, because I didn’t want to screw up,” he said, “but then I realized how stiff I was when I wasn’t drinking. So then I found the magical cure of just having a couple of drinks before going on.”
After leaving rehab, Avicii returned to the stage in March 2016 and continued to struggle with anxiety—but this time, he was sober.
“It was naive. I’ve heard a thousand times that the fight starts when you’re sober,” Avicii’s father, Klas Bergling, said about his son’s struggles after performing again post-treatment.
Since playing in front of large crowds exacerbated the DJ’s anxiety and drove him to drink and abuse drugs, trying to perform sober only worsened his mental state.
A few days after his March 2016 performance at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, Avicii announced his retirement.
“I know I am blessed to be able to travel all around the world and perform, but I have too little left for the life of a real person behind the artist,” he said in a letter to fans online.
Many fans and peers applauded his decision to prioritize his health, but others worried about the depth of his struggles and the adequacy of the support he was receiving.
Avicii’s Tragic Suicide
Avicii’s father, Klas, said that even after his son retired from touring, he knew his son still drank at times and suspected Avicii used drugs on occasion. He kept making music, but his continued struggles with depression and anxiety clouded his interest in music, canceling meetings with producers and passing on potential-hit demos.
In April 2018, some friends convinced Avicii to go on holiday with them to Oman. Before leaving, Avicii messaged a friend about his excitement about the trip and an opportunity to clear his mind. A few days later, the DJ’s father received a call from someone he’d met on the trip, who said they were concerned for Avicii’s mental state after he’d spent the entire day meditating, often crying and refusing to speak, eat, or seek shelter from the elements.
Klas booked a flight to Oman, but the next day, Avicii’s parents received another call, learning their son had taken his life. He was 28 years old. On April 26, 2018, his family published an open letter to the public:
Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be able to be happy and to do what he loved most – music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could now not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed.
Legacy and Lessons Learned
Just a year after both the music industry lost Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington to suicide, Avicii’s tragic death reignited a range of conversations about mental health and addiction in the music industry. In the wake of his passing, many in the industry called for better support systems for artists.
The demanding nature of touring, the pressure to constantly produce new music, and the easy access to substances in the entertainment world were all identified as factors contributing to the mental health crisis among musicians.
While Klas didn’t necessarily blame Avicii’s management or members of his team for his son’s death, the DJ’s father does believe that people in the music industry should focus more on structure and pay closer attention to the mental health of up-and-coming artists.
In 2019, Avicii’s parents founded the Tim Bergling Foundation in his memory to support organizations that advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. While the initiative has helped Avicii’s parents cope with the grief of losing their son, the foundation pays lasting tribute to the DJ’s legacy.
In the wake of Avicii’s death, Klas asked his son’s close friends and collaborators to finish the final album Avicii was working on before his death. All profits from Avicii’s posthumous third album, Tim, were donated to the Tim Bergling Foundation.
In 2021, Måns Mosesson published Tim – The Official Biography of Avicii, an intimate biography full of interviews with Avicii’s parents and close friends and a look into the Swedish DJ’s personal voice memos, notes, and correspondence with collaborators throughout his career. All profits from the biography were donated to the Tim Bergling Foundation.
Resources for Mental Health and Substance Abuse
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues or substance abuse, there are numerous organizations and resources available that offer support and guidance:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) offers 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is a free, confidential, 24/7 hotline that provides information and treatment referrals for individuals and families facing mental health and substance use disorders.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides education and support programs for people living with mental health conditions and their loved ones.
- The Tim Bergling Foundation aims to raise awareness about mental health issues and prevent suicide—especially among young people—and supports research and educational initiatives focused on suicide prevention.
For those who aren’t personally struggling but want to make a difference, educate yourself about the signs of mental health crisis and addiction, as well as the early signs of suicide. Be there for your friends and loved ones, and encourage open conversations about mental health. In Avicii’s memory, we can work towards creating a world where fewer people feel the need to suffer in silence.
Ask for Help Today
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol abuse, opioid addiction, or suicidal thoughts, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. No one should have to face these struggles alone, and people and resources are available to support you on your path to recovery.
Our treatment centers at The Summit Wellness Group offer comprehensive support and personalized care for individuals facing these challenges. You can reach us anytime by phone at (770) 299-1677 or by email at ContactUs@TheSummitWellnessGroup.com.