Similar to what I’ve said many times about exercise or other things that might make a small impact on our mental health, art and music won’t change everything, but they certainly aren’t going to hurt. They might only make us feel better, but isn’t that the point?
I have noticed that playing music around our house definitely raises my spirits in a similar way as exercise, so it’s nice to know that researchers are looking into some other options for helping our mental health above and beyond “get more exercise”.
What I like more though, is a research article that contains this common-sense reminder about how we are all different:
Speaking, again, for myself, when I get frustrated with world events, work, or whatever might be irritating me beyond belief at the moment, a good bit of loud music can help me express that and just get it out of my system so that I can then continue on with my life. I find myself getting more and more irritable if I haven’t found a way to express the frustration that I may be feeling at any particular time until it eventually shows up in maybe ways I would rather it doesn’t. So, when I find myself getting more and more frustrated, out come the headphones, and a little punk rock, until I feel better.
And, really, there is a lot to be frustrated about in the world right now, let alone our individual lives. If some loud music helps me deal with that, so be it. So, let’s at least fill our lives with some music. It certainly can’t hurt.
What impact does music have on your own emotional well-being? Have you thought about the role it could play in self-care?
You should go read the whole thing, because I think there’s a certain amount of self-awareness that is required to truly identify the early signs for depression or other struggles.
For example, I know that there are two signs for me that might mean I’m headed for some struggle with depression, and neither one of them look like sadness. First, I start to get incredibly irritated, and then, because other people irritate me, I start to withdraw and isolate.
If I look at the standard explanations and visual images we use when we talk about depression, I don’t see those signs. I’m not sitting around listening to sad music, crying, or over-eating. I’m too angry for that.
I suspect for many people their depression may not look like that either, it may look a lot more like some of the things in this article.
