Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

Questions to think about:

Have you noticed this increase in sadness and anger in popular music? What do you think could be causing it?
I haven't been listening to music much lately. I typically only listen to music in my car. If I'm in my car alone, I'm usually listening to an audio book. If I'm in the car with my kids, we're listening to pop music. I haven't notice sadness or anger in the music. I think most of the music leans more toward sex as opposed to anger of sadness. However, there are a lot of songs, in my opinion, that lead toward sadness from a breakup or something like that. If I'm in the car with my husband we're listening to what I call classic rock music from the 60's, 70;s, and 80's.


Do you think it’s helpful or hurtful for someone struggling with a mental health issue to listen to music that contains anger and sadness?
I think it depends on what that mental issue is and how the music affects you. I know that sometimes, when I"m feeling angry, I enjoy listening to music because it helps get out some of my frustration. It's best when I can dance around to it and expel some energy. When I'm feeling sad, I tend to listen to music that will make me cry, again, to get it out of my system. But I don't listen to it for very long. I have to change things up and listen to more upbeat music. I can't say that it 'takes me out of my sadness', but it does help to get some of that sad energy built up out. It may not make sense to you, but it works for me.


What kind of music do you connect to with your mental health issues? Are there any songs in particular that speak to you? I'm kind of weird when it comes to music. I notice that when I listen to Irish or Scottish music it makes me sad because of their history. The songs seem to portray that sadness, in my opinion. But I love the instruments and the sounds they make. The music, although somewhat sad, I really like. It's almost like I enjoy the sad music. But I can't listen to it if I'm going through some serious sadness.

Interestingly, songs by Ed Sheeran speak to me. It makes me a little sad because I wish my husband would say things like that to me. But the words don't seem to affect him the same way they do me. As a matter of fact, he typically won't listen to the music at all. It kind of bothers me that he doesn't even listen to the words, and if he does they don't affect him in any way.

There is a story/song that I think is so dang funny. I don't necessarily belly laugh at it but I do smile and kind of laugh at it.




Here's the Ed Sheeran song that makes me feel sad but happy at the same time. I know, it's weird. I got married at nineteen. I wish my husband felt the same way about me that these characters seem to feel. I want him to say things like this to me. But I know there aren't many husbands out there who share these feelings or say things like this to their wives. At least that's what I make myself believe.





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