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Balogun 1
Moye Balogun
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
12 Nov 2015
Music and mental health: The numerous effects of a song
Music. Music is fun. Music is entertainment. Music is passion. Some call music a
universal language. Some even compare it to a drug. All these various interpretations, but many
still do not acknowledge the other potential aspects of music. Whether music can be medicine.
Whether music can change the very chemical structure of your mind. Whether music can heal
you from within. Whether music can make you increasingly prone to violence and angry
outbursts. Whether music can even make you want to end your life. According to numerous
sources, music can do all these things; and in a society increasingly plagued with mental illness,
more and more are looking to blame or rather receive help from this possible cause.
Among todays music listeners, it is almost common knowledge that listening to good
music makes one feel good. The extent of how much music can affect us, however, is not a
publically known fact. According to professor of psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and
music, Daniel Levitin, there is current evidence that music actually has the ability to alter brain
chemistry to produce components usually present in healthy immune systems: these components
being cell elements such as cytokines and immunoglobulin. This inference alludes to just one of
the several medicinal properties music possesses.
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Music and Therapy?

Music in and of itself relates to human mood. Whether it is upbeat to get one energized
for a workout or whether it is soothing to relax one at the end of the day, music and emotions are
connected. The basic human understanding of this spans multiple cultures. According to
experienced pharmacist Catherine Ulbricht from Psychology Today, Chinese medical theory
states that human internal organs have correlative musical tones that can be used for healing. In
Musicophilia by British novelist and neurologist, Oliver Sacks, he recounts numerous tales of
music helping people with various neurological conditions cope with their less than perfect
circumstances. Despite these ideals being conceived by different cultures, the unified approach
of music therapy is quickly developing into an increasingly utilized means of remedial treatment.
The practice of music therapy, also abbreviated as MT, can be defined as the the
clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within
a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music
therapy program (American Music Therapy Association). In other words, therapists use music,
whether instrumental or vocal, to reach developmental milestones in patients. Many of these
patients are often individuals who might be dealing with or recovering from psychological issues
such as depressions, anxiety, autism, addiction, and much more (Mental Health Implications of
Music). However, these patients are not strictly poor mental health sufferers. Those who receive
music therapy can range from children plagued with cancer (CNN) to those who have lost their
willpower to fight diseases like diabetes (American Music Therapy Association).
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Furthermore, when music therapy is being practiced, the music seldom stands alone. In
some cases, music is accompanied with purposeful visuals that alter an individuals perception in
hopes of encouraging creativity or even revealing suppressed emotions (Music Therapy for
Health and Wellness). In the specific case of depression, much research has been conducted on
musics possible benefits. Depression is considered a mood disorder (Natural Standard) and
evidence suggests that when paired with antidepressant medications, music increases patients
responsiveness to the drugs (Music Therapy for Health and Wellness), thus bettering their
condition. It is also believed that in depressed adult women, music therapy may lead to
reductions in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and depressed mood (Music Therapy
for Health and Wellness). Music therapy affects and helps various types of depressed people.
The much-feared Metal music

When it comes to generally acceptable music, the consensus seems to be in favor and
agreement of its benefits. However, for extreme music, such as heavy metal, categorized by loud,
chaotic tones (Extreme Metal Music and Anger Processing), the general public is not as
welcoming.
For decades there has been a stigma against Metal music and its listeners. Claims of
encouraging violence and mania have been a staple in the ideals of the concerned, parental
generations for years. In todays society, there is an alarming number of poor mental health
sufferers, especially in teens. According to cultureandyouth.org, adolescent suicidality is at an
all-time high. Due to this, many have begun to scrutinize the popular genre of metal music,
whose lyrics seem to perpetuate several negative and unhealthy ideals. Well-known suicide pacts
among teen heavy metal fans are just another addition reinforcing the widespread concern
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(Culture and Youth Studies). The main debate within this genre of music is whether the music
causes aggression or whether predisposed aggression attracts individuals to the music. In Leah
Sherman and Genevieve A. Dingles book, Extreme Metal Music and Anger Processing, they
take a look at heavy metal and other similarly aggressive genres and their effect on how
individuals handle anger. Again, one theory states that these types of music can increase anger
levels in listeners. On the other hand, some believe that this music actually helps the listener deal
with the anger they already possess. To test these theories, Sherman and Dingle analyze a group
of 39 metal listeners aged 18-34. They then subjected their subjects to circumstances that
naturally induce anger. The participants then listened to either 10 minutes of extreme music from
their playlist or 10 minutes of silence. The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) was
used to measure levels of hostility, irritability, stress, and anger (Extreme Metal Music and Anger
Processing). It was shown that listening to the music following the anger induction maintained
the level of anger, while the silence decreased it. Since the music did not actually make the
participants angrier, it was deduced that the music simply matched the anger already present and
might have actually been a healthy way for them to process their emotions (Extreme Metal
Music and Anger Processing).
Additionally, another study published by the American Psychology Organization, claims
that anger levels in Metal listeners are no different than the average individual (Pacific Standard).
Rather, they have deduced that there are significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression
among listeners of heavy metal/hard rock music, as compared with non-listeners. This is an
interesting take on the topic, since many view this group of people as deviant rebels. This study
seems to almost put them in a sympathetic light.
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Furthermore, in a French study that evaluated Metal music listeners on the Hospital
Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), there was evidence that showed a group of listeners levels
of anxiety and depression are similar to and lower than levels in the general population. This is
an aberration in the whole metal music listener impression. The study implies that the listeners
are actually no different from the general population, something many seem to fail to take into
account.

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Balogun 1

Music and Therapy?

The much-feared Metal music

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