Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman has announced a leave of absence from the band in order to focus on his mental health.
“Without divulging all the details, I must disclose that my mental health has rapidly deteriorated over the past several years. So, to avoid fading away and never returning, I will be taking a break from work which regrettably includes stepping away from Fall Out Boy for a spell,” Trohman wrote in a statement posted to the band’s Instagram page on Wednesday.
Trohman’s announcement came hours after Fall Out Boy announced their newest album, So Much (For) Stardust. He acknowledged the awkward timing, writing, “It pains me to make this decision, especially when we are releasing a new album that fills me with great pride (the sin I’m most proud of).”
Trohman promised he would “return to the fold” and reiterated his “one-hundred percent” commitment to Fall Out Boy. But he added, “I must recover which means putting myself and my mental health first.”
In 2021, Trohman launched a podcast called I Hate Myself, where he spoke openly about his mental health struggles. He also addressed the topic in his 2022 memoir, None of This Rocks.