Maria Gaian, Soul Healer & Music Lover

When I built a playlist on YouTube, things started to change for me.

I’d started the recovery process and I was writing about what happened to me and my feelings about it.

I like to work with music in the background, so I began building a playlist on YouTube.  

The playlist was filled with 70’s, 80’s and 90’s music that brought back some good memories.

I also added the current songs of the time that felt positive and empowering, such as Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ and Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Stronger’.

As I built the playlist, two things became apparent.

The first was that I was seeing past my current horrendous situation and reliving good memories that came back to me via the soundtrack of my life at the time.

It reminded me that my life wasn’t always like this, I’d had better days and it made me feel like those better days could return. 

Secondly, listening to positive, happy, music made me feel upbeat and it began to empower me.

Being the victim of the cruelty and vindictiveness of a group of people who did not even know me was hard, but it felt a lot less serious when I listened to ‘Mean’ by Taylor Swift.

Now I understood that their words didn’t have to make any difference to my life at all if I chose not to let them in.

I found my strength singing along to the words.

It might sound silly, but music is way more powerful than we realise.

Music isn’t just some fluffy, meaningless thing.

It makes a huge difference to us on so many levels.

There’s no doubt about it, music can make depression worse. 

My own findings are backed up by loads of research.

Listening to upbeat music: – 

♥  increases heart rate;

⇓ lowers stress levels;

⇑ and increases immunity to illness;

so it isn’t just good for the mind and Soul, but for the body as well.

Music therapy is currently being used to not only beat depression, but also to help with dementia, amnesia, schizophrenia, and other mood disorders.

It can help with communication issues as well.

Autistic folks are finding an outlet through playing percussion instruments under the guidance of a music therapist.

Scientists have proven that music doesn’t just alter our mood, but can even change our mindset and perception.

Now I know from my personal experience that when you’re going through a deep crisis period, it feels impossible to be in a good mood.

I’ve suffered with severe clinical depression and I know how hard it is to see the good in anything when you’re ill.

You can’t help feeling the ‘black dog’ even when you feel like you shouldn’t have any reason to feel down.

(My advice if you’re in this position currently, is to go and see your GP and find out your options.)

How can you possibly feel good when you’re suffering from depression?

Or if your life is undergoing drastic change and falling apart at the seams?  

Why would you be smiling and happy?

Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?

But remember, your thoughts and beliefs are not permanently fixed.

You can change them.

You’re more likely to: – 

♥ make better decisions;

♦ think rationally;

♥ spend less time dwelling on your problems;

if you can lift your mood. 

There are more reasons why you need to be careful what music you listen to!

M.Farouk Radwan, MSc on his website 2knowmyself.com has found that people who listen to sad songs after breakups recover 10 times slower than those who don’t.

Pretty shocking, right?

Even more alarming is the statement that:-

‘Some songs contain negative words and phrases that are much more destructive than negative self-talk.’

As someone who’s fascinated by psychology, I’ve discovered that the mind listens to what we tell it.

It also learns by repetition which is why positive affirmations and hypnotherapy recordings that repeat instructions work so well.

Every time we listen to, or sing along with a song, the lyrics are being soaked up by our minds.

Songs contain messages that program your mind and result in you creating new beliefs.

By consistently repeating a negative message over and over, the mind believes it.

‘A popular example would be any love song that contains a phrase like:-

“I can’t go on without you”.

The more you listen to this song, the more you’re programming your mind with this belief.

You’re more likely to end up feeling desperate when you break up with someone.’

I must confess that I love affirmations and I spend all day telling myself: –

“I can do this”

and reminding myself that

I’m worthy,

intelligent,

resourceful,

and loved.

Yet I never considered that when I’m singing along to sad and negative songs I’m reinforcing messages that might be undoing all my hard work.

It’s really made me mindful about what I’m listening to and what I’m singing along with.

If you want to read more from M Farouk Fadwan MSc, just click here: Music Therapy Changes Mood

Turn off the melancholy music whilst you are feeling low or struggling and play uplifting, empowering music instead.

Let it inspire you to find a way to get the hell up off the floor and start finding ways to get through your crisis.

There’s something good around the corner and it will come more quickly to you if you feel positive and are able to take action, rather than dwelling on your situation and feeling totally helpless.

I’m NOT saying that you have to chuck all your music out.

I’ll always listen to the beautiful songs of Amy Lee and Evanescence and Linkin Park, but I’m mindful of when I play them.

The last thing any of want to do is play music that can make depression worse!

So before you crank up your playlist, ask yourself: –

Do I feel a bit low?

Am I on the border of feeling sad and could that music make depression worse and send me over the edge?

Or am I doing something positive that just needs a soundtrack that I love, whether sad or not?

I played Evanescence whilst decorating my new office space.

The music didn’t lower my mood because the pleasure I was taking in creating a fantastic new space for myself balanced it out.

Let music inspire you!

I use music to lift me first thing in the morning if I’m struggling to get going at work.

And in the afternoon, when I tend to slump, a good disco track works better than caffeine to wake me back up!

I’m often doing the ‘office chair shuffle’ when I’m working.

In fact, I’m boogying to Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ as I write this.

I’m pretty sure it stops my shoulders getting tight.

Cos don’t forget, music isn’t just good for the soul, it’s good for your body, too! 

Remember what I said before about the evidence that listening to upbeat music increases heart rate, lower stress levels, and increases immunity to illness. 

Dancing to music is one of the easiest ways to get some exercise, especially if you’re confined to your home. 

Crank up the stereo, sunbeam!

It’s time to dance!

I hope that you enjoyed this post and that it’s given you some food for thought.

Does your music make depression worse? Or do you use music to make yourself feel better? What are your favourite tracks to listen to?

If you want to talk about this, come over to my Substack. Comments are open and we can chat. 

Until next time,

My Challenge to You:

Take a look at the music you listen to on a regular basis.

What lyrics are you repeating over and over to yourself?

Make sure that they’re words that you want to reflect and not words that are inadvertently affecting your mind.

Try listening to only positive and upbeat music for 21 days and let me know how you feel at the end!

Why not have a mess about on YouTube and create your own inspiring soundtracks with videos, or make playlists on your MP3 that contain only fun, upbeat, inspiring and motivational music?

If you want some inspiration, check out my playlist on YouTube.

Some tracks are current, some are a bit kitsch and some are classic anthems.

Why not come over and get your daily dose of dance therapy?