TW:

Music has always been shown to be centered around mental health and stability. Nobody mentions the importance of music for mental health, as some songs have subliminal messaging that is hidden and is sent to your brain without you noticing. The importance of the brain, in correlation to the waves of music sent, is consequential to mental health. 

Slow songs and fast rap can send very different waves to the brain that can release the feel-good hormone dopamine. There’s a certain kind of silence that feels heavy, and music can relieve that. Moments every person can relate to when the world feels heavy and the day has only added onto that stress, with the silence of your room feeling unbearable, but when the click of the music starts from Taylor Swift or Two Feet, it’s a bridge that reminds you that you’re not crazy for feeling so deeply in your feelings. Suddenly, the tears and the sadness don’t feel so shameful; it’s a release. 

Music has always been a way of art, especially for girls and women. It’s an inevitable thread tying inner worlds, whether it’s the playlist you build for working out, inspiration, or to cry to. 

Artists themselves have a long tethered connection to music for help or inspiration. Billie Eilish has openly spoken about writing her songs as a way to cope with depression. Logic (An American Rapper and Singer) even has a song listed as 1-800-273-8255, which is the suicide prevention line, as a remembrance for anyone who is struggling with negative thoughts, self-harm, or mental health. It provides a safe space for those who need to listen even in their darkest moments. 

Even the most popular singers are human and often speak out on mental health in their music, which can create a safe haven for us (as the audience) to embrace, even in our darkest moments.  can evoke the concept that we don’t have to suffer in our thoughts; they can be shared, and our pain can be understood. Of course, music can’t be a cure-all. 

Sometimes the music or songs we hold dearest can make things worse. Spending days overthinking and going through heartbreak while listening to mellow music or music with depressing themes can reinforce a negative standpoint or cycle. An audience listening to Billie Eilish and her vulnerability within her music can make you feel weighted down because you’re trying to heal darkness with darkness, which is never a solution. The same applies to emo tracks or heavy metal that can darken your mood and deepen those inner feelings of isolation.

Certain apps are specifically curated to regulate moods or even help with PTSD or Insomnia; they can modify how the listener feels and can offer help to regulate panic attacks or sadness. The key is to balance out the darkness with light, and the blind leading the blind will never be a solution to happiness. Music isn’t only for entertainment; it’s a way to shape us and validate us, and the fact of the matter is, you’re never alone in your pain; there’s always a safe place to reach out in solidarity and comfort.