Blog Psychologist

After my posts on the effects of technology and drugs on people, you had to know music was coming. Now, I know people don't want to hear that music has anything to do with people killing themselves or others. I get that. People want to believe "we're all in control of our actions" and that "nothing makes us kill", right?

Well, what do you want to bet that these same people do believe in music as therapy and that music can enrich a child's mind? Without even thinking about the contradiction, people are willing to believe the positive of things they like (all things, not just music), but not the negative. As if not facing something makes it untrue.

Here's where I stand on the subject:

While I don't think music makes people do things in the truest sense of the word, I think it's ridiculous for people to deny that music heightens what a person is already feeling. Thus, if a person is depressed and they listen to depressing music, they become more depressed. Same goes for anger. You're mad so you crank up the most vile music you can to get your heart pumping even harder, and guess what? You get angrier. Strange how that happens.

Odds are that you've made some judgements about me for saying this and I assure you, you're wrong. I listen to and enjoy the most depressing, and the most vile music there is. I, like everyone, have times of great sadness and anger. This is why I know what I'm saying is true. I feel the effect music has on me.

I remember a time when I was particularly down as a teen. I was in my room, listening to depressing music, and my sister tried to get me to go out. I told her it wouldn't matter where I was, I would feel the same. As I got older, I realized that I would never know if the statement was true. I did know, however, that by staying there, listening to that music, I had no chance of coming out of the state I was in.

Again, I've also felt similar heightened states when I'm angry and I put on Static X or Godsmack, Anthrax, System of a Down etc, etc.

Of course, none of this made me hurt anyone, thank goodness; but I know there are people out there who are in more fragile places than even I've been and I can see how it might drive a person over that edge.

It's not that I think the music is to blame, but I strongly caution parents and even friends to pay attention to what your loved ones listen to. If you find a person listening to depressing music, shut off from the world, you drag their a** out of the house. You never know, maybe it will make the difference. Sometimes people want you to help without them having to ask, or even knowing that's what they want.