The Importance of Music on Mental Health (Sean)
One thing that I feel has always been an integral part of my day is music. Whether it be while driving home, trying to get through mindless chores, or simply enjoying some me time, I always find myself plugging in headphones and turning up my music. Whether it’s a slow melody or a fast-paced beat, the music I listen to sets the tone for my entire day – and it can also be instrumental when dealing with mental health!
How Listening Helps
The American Psychiatric Association, as well as multiple other researchers, support the notion that interacting with music can cause your brain to release dopamine and help suppress depressive thoughts. In the past, I’ve been told that the kind of music you listen to can be important to how you feel, but all kinds of music can be helpful for different aspects of a person’s mental health.
Kazuo Okanoya, a researcher from Teikyo University, suggests that listening to “sad” music doesn’t always spark negative emotions and can actually be helpful for the listener when finding emotions to relate to. Bethany Cook, a psychologist and music therapist interviewed by the JED Foundation, suggests that her clients listen to classical music with no lyrics to lower stress hormones and blood pressure. Personally, I’ve always found that listening to happy music is essential for putting myself in a better mood. My favorite feel-good song suggestions are “Happy” by Pharell Williams and “I” by Kendrick Lamar.
More Than Just Listening – Make the Music
Outside of just listening, there are tons of ways to interact with music to help with mental health. A few years ago, I had a friend who struggled with depression and anxiety during college and was able to combat those problems by learning to play the guitar. He would always talk about how learning to play an instrument gave him a goal to work towards and a passion to be proud of.
Music therapist Lorrie Kubicek says that active music-making engages your entire brain and offers a large opportunity for distraction, pain reduction, motor development, and expression. Another way to engage in music-making is through song writing. I’ve found that writing down thoughts or emotions can be an easy way to be expressive or get things off your chest. It also helps me slow down and think more clearly when I’m feeling anxious.
Make Music Work for You!
Ultimately, the most important thing to remember is that everyone interacts with music in different ways, and there’s not one specific way music can help with mental health. If listening to sad music makes you feel less alone, don’t force yourself to listen to something else! If learning to play an instrument is too frustrating, maybe just stick to singing and dancing instead!
If you are feeling down and need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Letters Against Depression if you haven’t already. We send letters of hope and support to those who need someone there for them. You can request to receive letters here. You can also listen to our various spotify playlists here.