The connection between depression and music, like art in principle, is obvious, but so far rather mysterious. Sometimes in difficult periods of life it seems that the native voice alone in the headphones can understand and express what we are going through. Many iconic and adored songs and albums were born out of intense mental pain. Now that mental health is more widely discussed than ever before, more and more musicians are talking about their struggles with depression. Consequently, the age-old assumption that either it really doesn’t bypass anyone in the industry, or that artists rarely become artists without it in the first place, is growing stronger. After all, for a long time now society has been dominated by the myth of the “mad genius”: that everything must be very bad in a creator’s life and mind for him to be able to create real art.
So, where is the truth and where are the prejudices, from which it is time to get rid, and conjectures that have not yet been tested? Where is the connection between music and depression really strong, and where is it illusory? And does art really help people fight depression? Let’s try to get to the bottom of the main questions of this subject.
Does Listening to Music Help You Cope with Depression?
The native iPod with its library studied up and down or the streaming service with thousands of playlists with rain-spattered windows, gloomy silhouettes, and other clichéd images of sadness on the covers… What person has not resorted to this elementary therapy at least once in sad moments?
Songs and Depression
Many people find that the right songs do help. Hearing literally a few exact lines makes a person feel acceptance of their feelings and support. For some, it’s easier to understand themselves and consider their problems from the outside. It’s reassuring sometimes to even have some strangers put together a few sounds in such a way that they fit exactly into your frame of mind and allow you to sink in. But these uncomplicated ways are more relevant in the fight against the usual bad mood. But can listening to music help those whose problem is a serious illness that requires treatment?
At this point, there is no unequivocal answer to this question. Some researchers emphasize the positive role of music in the treatment of depression if it is used in combination with other, standard methods. Others believe that listening to music not only does not weaken but even provokes and aggravates the disease.
Music therapy is not a new idea. It is used with a wide variety of patients, such as children who have developmental disorders or mental illness, and the elderly who are developing Alzheimer’s disease. This method can involve both listening to and making music, discussing it and even dancing. Not every song you put on will be therapeutic. Music therapy is done by specially trained people who know a lot of not only musical but also psychological and biological intricacies. Some suggest that music therapy is also effective in helping those with depression. Researchers at the Cochrane Library found and analyzed five studies on the subject. Four of them showed positive results. People who received music therapy recovered faster than those who were not involved.
Unfortunately, the samples of these studies were small and the quality was inconclusive, so the question remained open. However, it was clear that the effect of listening to music on the treatment of depression was possible and worthy of further study.
Does Composing and Playing Music Help with Depression?
Making music is another recognized form of music therapy. It is, unlike simply listening to music, a more active method, involving the creation of something new. This concept is much easier to understand and allow to exist, even for those who have never composed a song or played a musical instrument themselves. Who of us does not know how nice it is to make something with our own hands and how many positive emotions give any creativity?
This question is, of course, closely related to the previous one. But there is reason to believe that the positive answer here may be closer and more definite.
Songwriting is often like keeping a diary. The author expresses in them his experiences, returns to strong memories, pulls out from the wilds of the soul all the most important and disturbing. Even if the writer is not inclined to very personal creativity, the result of his labors will still bear the imprint of his person and relate to the issues that somehow affect him. Even if he sings on behalf of a fictional lyrical hero, and there is not a bit of reality in the story, it is almost impossible to completely discard the personal moment. And in the majority of cases, the compositions are autobiographical in one way or another, which is similar to diary entries. Much has been said about the usefulness of keeping a diary for people suffering from depression.
Yes, and composing instrumental music is clearly not a waste. After all, what is the attraction of music therapy? Partly by the fact that a person moves their problems into another space in which it may be easier to admit them to themselves and analyze them sensibly. Moreover, from composing any music a person will also receive aesthetic pleasure and rejoice in their small achievements, which during depression can be quite difficult. Simply put, composing music is definitely not a magic pill for depression, but it can help with some of the symptoms as part of traditional treatment.
Art as A Cure for Depression
When we hear the first notes of a favorite piece of music, we immediately feel a tingling sensation in our spine. Music also often makes us cry. Only the right kind of tears, the kind that purifies the soul. Just seven notes form the melody that evokes such violent emotions. Those seven notes, in the right combination, make us relive former memories, break our hearts over and over again, and make us cry. And it is an art that helps us out of our depression!
