Loading

Does listening to music make you depressed? by: Nael Abuasi

Famous musician Beethoven once said "Music can change the world". Music plays an enormous part in many people's lives. Have you ever stopped and wondered what music does to your mental health? NPR (National Public Radio) has reported that teens are more likely to be more depressed if they spend their time listening to music. However, it doesn't mean that just because you listen to music, you're depressed.

The relationship between music and depression is still a blur to researchers. Brian Primack, a pediatrician at the University of Pittsburgh, led a study that suggests depressed teenagers turn to music for solace. Symptoms for depression differ between adults and teens. One of the symptoms of being depressed is not wanting too much of anything. Music is a very passive activity that doesn't require the brain to engage. Primack says "It may be that people who are depressed just can't gather enough energy to do that kind of thing" when comparing listening to music with reading a book or watching TV.

Music can also be therapeutic. Further expanding on the idea that music provides solace: music for some helps overcome traumatic experiences. Some studies suggest that listening to music can actually improve your mental health. Kafkas University in Turkey found that listening to classical music for a couple of hours a day over the course of two months can lower your anxiety. This is because classical music doesn't have lyrics, allowing you to "project your personal struggles and feelings into the music". Psychologist and music therapist in Chicago, Bethany Cook, recommends picking songs that have a story line different from the challenges you're currently facing. Cook recommends an activity she calls lyric analysis. As you listen to a song, write down what lyrics in particular stand out to you. Listen to the song again and pause at the lyrics you wrote down. Think to yourself why that lyric means something to you. The last step is to listen to the song with your new appreciation for the song and its meaning to you. Valley Oaks reports that listening to music can also help the quality of life for those facing mental illnesses. The area of research has contributed for those with Alzheimer's. Upon playing a personalized playlist for a patient with dementia or Alzheimer’s, they “come alive.”

Although the relationship between music and mental health is still unknown, more evidence shows that listening to music can actually benefit your mental health. Music serves as a peaceful, easy, and effective way to deal with any struggles you're currently facing. After all these years, Beethoven was right. Music has the ability to alter one's mood, change perceptions, and inspire change. The diversity of music allows us all to express ourselves through music, but it's that individual song or lyric that we appreciate that makes us different.