While sometimes writing out one’s own feelings can feel therapeutic, it may feel equally as calming to hear someone sing about those same feelings. It is no surprise to me that there are literal fanbases online for various musicians. Being able to voice complex emotions and experiences that appear to be rare, but are more common than they seem releases the pressure that comes with certain issues and their stigmas. For instance, addiction is still a large-scale issue that comes with a lot of judgement from those that are not addicts. However, hearing songs, including but not limited to, “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse, empowers others to be more open to talking about, and eventually getting some aid, for their experiment. In my own experiences, I have found music to be a great way of releasing stress and feeling understood by another human being even if they were not right next to me. Knowing that someone has felt the same feelings as oneself also brings about validation that these feelings are a normal part of life and can be preserved through. A song that has made me feel heard as of recently was “Love on the Brain” by Rihanna. After dealing with toxic friendships and a recent break-up, I found it comforting to hear someone sing about the physical sensations that can accompany emotional distress. I have even made art pieces about my perception of the song’s lyrics and related imagery. Combining my various coping mechanisms have also proven to help me get through the stress of college. Music is, however compared to the other coping mechanisms I have written about, is more accessible and able to be individually enjoyed. Music can be made on one’s own, even by clapping and humming a tune whereas art materials may be harder to find. This also promotes grounding to one’s physical surroundings which relates to mindfulness techniques. Whether music is listened to or made, it allows for release and connection that is easy to access for a variety of students.
About the Author
My name is Emma Lorens and I am currently a sophomore at DePaul getting my major in psychology. I am aiming to be become a psychiatrist. The topic of this series, coping mechanisms, are important to be because they allow people to overcome difficulties that are inevitable in life.
Read more on the Honors Blog.
Leave a Reply