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Depression & Music

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PeaceSells775

Sep 17, 2007
39
1
#1
Does anyone else here suffer from it? Does it affect the way you relate to music? Do you ever release your frustrations out in your music, or are you soothed more by playing something opposite of what you are feeling?

I was diagnosed about three years ago and honestly music has helped me so much. I guess that is where I found my passion for it, when nobody was there for me I always had music. Once I got my bass, my life has changed. Not only can I listen to music to help ease my feelings, but I can create my own to express exactly how I feel!:bassist:
 
#3
PeaceSells775 said:
Does anyone else here suffer from it? Does it affect the way you relate to music? Do you ever release your frustrations out in your music, or are you soothed more by playing something opposite of what you are feeling?

I was diagnosed about three years ago and honestly music has helped me so much. I guess that is where I found my passion for it, when nobody was there for me I always had music. Once I got my bass, my life has changed. Not only can I listen to music to help ease my feelings, but I can create my own to express exactly how I feel!:bassist:
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IMO/IME depression and anger are a tandum pair. You can't have one without the other so listening to all the various forms of music out there have a bigger effect on my emotions than actually playing it.

EX: I heard a song in the car on the way to my brothers wedding and it got me to thinking of my ex fiance. Was the first time I ever shed any tears over her. I've not had this happen while composing or practicing material for gigs even if she was on my mind.

Sometimes the music I create will be angry, sometimes very meloncholly, sometimes (though depressed) it is even happy. Sometimes a piece will have all 3. I could be feeling one way, like depressed and what I create might come out as very angry music. I could be angry and create something very sad. It's like a bipolor mood swing.
 
#4
Depression is something I've certainly struggled with, and sometimes music is a release and other times it's exactly the opposite. Generally playing always helps me, but when I'm in a bad place listening to certain music makes it worse. It doesn't help that I'm pretty masochistic so when the music I'm listening to makes it worse I keep listening to it.

Though I completely agree with the fact that music is always there for me. I came to terms with the fact as I grew that people will let you down but music is always there for you. And although that has been good for me in many cases it has hurt relationships as well, because I never let myself trust a person as much as I should.
 
#6
TrooperFarva said:
I disagree. I've had serious bouts of depression, but it's never brought anger with it.
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There is a relationship between depression and anger, but I don't know if I would say every single depressed person is angry, or that every single angry person is depressed. They're both linked by serotonin. Low levels of serotonin can cause angry, aggressive behavior as well as depression. But it's definitely a complicated issue, because there are many other transmitters involved. For example, LSD binds to serotonin receptors - and oftentimes when someone takes LSD, they get giddy, and space out - very 'go with the flow,' little interest in arguing or fighting. However, there are others who take LSD and do totally psychotic stuff. So I think classically there is a link between depression and anger, but I would hesitate to say 'always.'
 
#7
Depression and anger are results of chemical reactions. Lots of people go way up and way down, others just up or down.

I spent most of my late teens and 20's dealing with depression issues, but I've figured out how to be happy now. How screwed up does that sound? Still though, if I listen to any of the really dark, slit-your-wrists stuff I listened to then, I start getting dark and it takes some work to put it away.

Luckily, like you, creating helps me immensely. Playing bass helps me more than guitar for some reason, but I get the most out of writing fiction. If I write something positive, I'm uplifted by it; if I write something dark and violent, it's like I'm exorcising that from myself.
 
#8
I rarely ever get depressed (and it's usually a sociological thing like not seeing snow when it's cold out), but I found out that whenever I am down listening to almost any music put's me in a good mood. Sometimes it's an old favorite that I haven't pulled out in a long time. Sometimes it's more mellow music. A lot of times it's whatever comes on the shuffle.

But another thing I found out was that when I'm really good and pissed off, or really upset about something, a walk and the sound of silence really seem to help to chnage my mood the most.
 
#9
After my wife left, I was pretty depressed, and I couldn't listen to country radio for about a year.

I know some will say that's a good thing...

Well, not if you're in a country band! Strangely, I didn't have any trouble playing sad country songs...
 
#10
no diagnosis for depression here, but i am bipolar, so at times i can be all over the place. when im depressed, i almost never pick up the bass. when im "normal" or hyper/manic, i can play 12+ hrs a day, sometimes going three days with no sleep, feeling 110% energized and into it.

as far as listening to music goes, there are certain songs i associate with places, events, and chunks of time in my life when ive felt or behaved certain ways. i dont know a single song that could depress me, but i can name dozens that make me happy, or get me amped up.

i know plenty of musicians, authors, poets, and other creative greats, past and present, have done great work while depressed, either naturally, or via chemical intake, but i cant do it. i really dont know how they do/did it. id have to force myself, and im not at my best when its forced.
 
#11
The amount of thought and meaning of what I create definitely goes up as I get melancholic. However, I tend to use music as a pick-me-up, while others will listen to stuff that keeps them in dark thoughts. I can't do that, I just don't seem to get so down that I don't want to get better.
 
#13
ChrisBowsman said:
Depression and anger are results of chemical reactions. Lots of people go way up and way down, others just up or down.

I spent most of my late teens and 20's dealing with depression issues, but I've figured out how to be happy now. How screwed up does that sound? Still though, if I listen to any of the really dark, slit-your-wrists stuff I listened to then, I start getting dark and it takes some work to put it away.

Luckily, like you, creating helps me immensely. Playing bass helps me more than guitar for some reason, but I get the most out of writing fiction. If I write something positive, I'm uplifted by it; if I write something dark and violent, it's like I'm exorcising that from myself.
Click to expand...

What did you listed to then?
 
#14
OH GOD YES! I am the queen of the boo hoo music when broken hearted and love songs when in love...I got ton of CDs in van that are songs dedicated to my boyfriend and also if you dig deep into the CD case, you will find some CDs that was made when I was pining over a certain bass player that liked me but didn't want to mess with me cause I was still hitched. Don't blame him but he broke my heart...


funny thing:
well to me.
the man I was in love with played bass in a house band at a club I went to regularly. His bandmate (one of my friends) went to another club, so later I paid him a visit..I didn't know where the bass player went off to...it was for the best anyway. Well, I walked in the other club and the band was going on break...I said hi to my friend and then sat down. This man comes up to me and starts talking to me. I was instantly attracted to him. He is saying I was beautiful and stuff...then he disappeared. The band starts up. I look on stage and there he was..playing the bass! OMG. So I get over a bass player only to fall in love with another who played with the same guy!!! That bass player is now my boyfriend! :)



sorry not trying to steal this thread but the song thing got me reminiscing!
 
#15
Music definitely helps me when I gets depressed. I've been struggling with it for the past 5 years and 90% of the time music is the only thing that helps. When I get in that mood I have to listen to equally depressing music, it helps in the sense it feels like someone understands and knows what I'm going through. Once I start feeling better I'll start listening to something more up-beat.
 
#16
I've been dealing with depression most of my life. Sometimes listening to certain music will help, but when I pick up my bass and play it *always* makes me feel good. It never fails. Composing songs also makes me feel good but not as quickly as simply playing does. Over the years I've tried a number of ways to ease depression but nothing does the job like playing bass.
 
#17
I usually end up listening to music more often than playing music to get over depression. I'll listen to pretty much anything, as long as it makes me feel something I'll get over the depression. Usually I'll toss on some metal though, it'll get me pumped up or angry. It gives me strength and energy to get over the depression.

Unfortunately some times I'll listen to a really depressing song while I'm perfectly happy, and it makes me depressed.
 
#18
ive been dealing with my darkness badly for over 2 years now. after coming off prozac earlier this year i've found i just cannot get my creative side to work. when i play along with a band or the record player i can still rock out - but writing is so difficult, it actually makes me more depressed.

just on a side note, theres a book called "shoot the damn dog" by sally brampton. i think that book saved my life this year; even if youre not depressed, but know someone who is, read this book.
 
#19
Stanley Design said:
I was pretty depressed a couple years ago and was often in the mood for a lot more positive music than my friends at the time were listening to. All they listened to was grindcore, sludge and crust and although I love that music I needed some more uplifting music at that point.
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Back when I was really depressed I couldn't handle anything happy sounding-it made me MORE depressed because I wasn't happy, and the music was. So I ended up becoming a big death metal fan. I still am one too, although I'm much MUCH happier these days.
 
#20
since my life has been an ongoing shambles for 3 years now i figure i must be somewhat depressed, and certainly at specific times. although a co-worker once told me that i "sucked at being depressed" whatever that means. at the same time in the last 3 years music has meant a lot more to me than it ever did previously, although i couldn't tell you whether or not there is any coralation.
 

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