why does listening to music (with lyrics) make me terribly depressed?

[lightthecandle]

does this statement apply to anyone else? even if its good, uplifting music... if it has words in it I get really depressed and start obsessing over my bad past, and insecurities, looks, etc. I have an ipod, and although I have both classical music and other songs (with lyrics) . but when I listen to music with words, I get really depressed to the point where I just want to die (well, sometimes). the sad part of this is that I KNOW music with lyrics depresses me and yet I still find myself listening to it!!


I tell myself I need to be strong, and handle the music with lyrics, but honestly 99% of the time it just makes me feel worst.

anyone else with this problem or how to conquer it?

[Angela]

Patient: Doctor! Doctor! Every time I drink coffee I get this stabbing pain in my eye!! What can I do?

Doctor: Take the spoon out.

Lightthecandle: you are feeding your pain. I know how that goes! Maybe you need to feed your pain right now, really gorge on it and make yourself sick of it. Listen to the schmoopiest of lyrics, cry in the shower, really get all messy and flabby with your emotions, until you've had enough.

And then add Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, by Ralph Vaughan Williams, to your iPod, listen to it and be uplifted.

You don't need to be strong. You're fine.

[missing]

hmm, strangely I have the opposite issue where listening to music with lyrics makes me feel better. Usually only if they are real depressing though, go figure! Don't worry though most everything else in the world makes me feel worse. ;p All I can say is to ditch the i-plod, and tune into the sounds of the world when you are out and about. If you must listen to music with lyrics (as it seems you compulsively do), have a few designated areas, preferably private like your bedroom, where you can indulge yourself. And like Angela says, don't try and fight the emotions, just go with the flow.

[Jonathan Mead]

Maybe what's depressing you is the monotony of music with beats. (music with lyrics commonly have beats)

Music without lyrics, which is in your case classical music has no beat really. It may have rhythm but there is no constant beat.

I'm just going out there.. I really don't know if this has anything to do with it. But it might be something to look into.

I agree with Angela.. maybe you just need to get yourself sick of it in order for you to get over it..

[Rockchick26]

maybe you just need to listen to more positive songs! You cant possibly feel depressed with uplifting lyrics on.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Rockchick26

maybe you just need to listen to more positive songs! You cant possibly feel depressed with uplifting lyrics on.

I don't know about that.... sometimes the uplifting ones are the most depressing of all.

[Trezker]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Mead

Maybe what's depressing you is the monotony of music with beats. (music with lyrics commonly have beats)

Music without lyrics, which is in your case classical music has no beat really. It may have rhythm but there is no constant beat.

I'm just going out there.. I really don't know if this has anything to do with it. But it might be something to look into.

I agree with Angela.. maybe you just need to get yourself sick of it in order for you to get over it..

I think there's a good point in the beats idea. It affects the chest area quite powerfully and may be a negative experience for some. A very subjective experience though.
Anyone know of "lyriced" music that does not have beats? If any comes up, try it and see if it makes a difference.
Do you feel bad only during the singing or even when the singer is silent?

[Heimdall]

Originally Posted by Trezker

I think there's a good point in the beats idea. It affects the chest area quite powerfully and may be a negative experience for some. A very subjective experience though.
Anyone know of "lyriced" music that does not have beats? If any comes up, try it and see if it makes a difference.
Do you feel bad only during the singing or even when the singer is silent?

Sunn O))) has almost no beats in it. Most music is without lyrics though. Some songs with lyrics are: My Wall and The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)

I find that the emotions I get when I hear a song is highly influenced by the emotional state I was in when I first heard the song. Music for me is a reminder of past events.

[lightthecandle]

Originally Posted by Trezker

I think there's a good point in the beats idea. It affects the chest area quite powerfully and may be a negative experience for some. A very subjective experience though.
Anyone know of "lyriced" music that does not have beats? If any comes up, try it and see if it makes a difference.
Do you feel bad only during the singing or even when the singer is silent?

I feel bad from the moment the song comes on, even before the lyrics. i'm trying so hard to stop myself from listening to music but its so hard!

[lightthecandle]

Originally Posted by Heimdall

Sunn O))) has almost no beats in it. Most music is without lyrics though. Some songs with lyrics are: My Wall and The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)

I find that the emotions I get when I hear a song is highly influenced by the emotional state I was in when I first heard the song. Music for me is a reminder of past events.

I'm the same way, I always associate a particular song with a past event or time in my life and seeing as to how I've dealt with depression for the past 7 years, every song depresses me, except classical music which I've only recently gotten into

[Peleke4]

I suggest you listen to house and trance. Fast-paced beats and uplifting melodies will make you feel good. Also, most house and trance do not have lyrics; if a track does have lyrics, it's usually an uplifting short phrase repeated over and over like "Around the world around the world" or "It's a beautiful life, it's a beautiful life." Give it a chance! There's a lot of creativity and skill that goes into these tracks. Here's a couple of classic timeless electronica tracks that'll make you want to get up and get down:

*Robert Miles "Children"
*Energy 52 "Cafe Del Mar (Three N One Remix)"
*Paul Van Dyk "For an Angel"

[Trezker]

Well it's hard to deny that music induces feelings. When I'm in the mood for a certain feeling I choose to listen to music that encourages that feeling.

Right now I'm feeling chaotic evil so I'm listening to Slipknot and I think it feels awesome. Other times I might want to feel calm and relaxed and I'll put on some ambient tracks.

I only feel bad when listening to music that's completely incompatible with my mood. Rap and hiphop is never compatible with me...

[evelynlim]

lightthecandle, if you find that the music with lyrics is not helping you, do not give yourself the opportunity to listen to it.

I have stopped listening to music with lyrics that are not positive or uplifting. I used to listen to sentimental music when I was depressed. It just makes me feel worse!

Evelyn

[stellamathew]

Originally Posted by lightthecandle

does this statement apply to anyone else? even if its good, uplifting music... if it has words in it I get really depressed and start obsessing over my bad past, and insecurities, looks, etc. I have an ipod, and although I have both classical music and other songs (with lyrics) . but when I listen to music with words, I get really depressed to the point where I just want to die (well, sometimes). the sad part of this is that I KNOW music with lyrics depresses me and yet I still find myself listening to it!!


I tell myself I need to be strong, and handle the music with lyrics, but honestly 99% of the time it just makes me feel worst.

anyone else with this problem or how to conquer it?

Well personality difers, contrary to that i will personal say that i'm yet to identify why u feel depress listening to music of all kinds. pls work on your thinking, your imagination, direct your mind and try to be positivity oriented. As for me i'm in love with blues. When i feel so downcasted i get lifted by the lyrics of lovely and meaningful music. thank you.

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by Angela

I don't know about that.... sometimes the uplifting ones are the most depressing of all.

Give me an example! I instantly feel better even from hearing one line of any uplifting song. How can anyone feel depressed when listening to a line such as "i dare you to move,i dare you to lift yourself up off the floor,like today never happened." (can anyone name that artist?)

[ProjectX]

Originally Posted by lightthecandle

does this statement apply to anyone else? even if its good, uplifting music... if it has words in it I get really depressed and start obsessing over my bad past, and insecurities, looks, etc. I have an ipod, and although I have both classical music and other songs (with lyrics) . but when I listen to music with words, I get really depressed to the point where I just want to die (well, sometimes). the sad part of this is that I KNOW music with lyrics depresses me and yet I still find myself listening to it!!


I tell myself I need to be strong, and handle the music with lyrics, but honestly 99% of the time it just makes me feel worst.

anyone else with this problem or how to conquer it?

I thought I was the only one like this.
In my case I listen to classical like mozart and bach helps a whole bunch. I also find more simplistic songs like The Beatles as cheering up and coldplay. Trance helps.

But damn when I listen to wideawake and casting crowns which I guess are supposed to be cheerful infact makes me feel worse. I get this "my life is so awful, how I wish it was different" thoughts and feelings.
But lately this hasn't been happening after I've been taking anti-deppresants.

[Plato]

Because you WANT TO BE MISERABLE. Think about it.

[elisabeth]

The title is a line of a Francine Jarry/Abraham-Hicks song.

Songs affect me too (surprise!) emotionally, and yes, it has a lot to do with the history of the song.

I used to love blues (and still do) but for a long time after a relationship with a musician went south it depressed the heck out of me.

About happy songs not working: I have had that happen too. I think the explanation lies in Abraham-Hicks' concept of the emotional scale.

If a happy song is too far up the scale in relation to the mood of the listener, it can be really annoying. Been there... So it's better to pick a song closer to the current mood but a step or two or three up from there. And then, another step up etc.

I think I'm going to work up a play list that has the entire scale represented, in order (and then post it on my blog) so I can find a song that's where I am, and then move myself up, up, up...

[veranadine]

Hi.

I know what you mean. It happened to me as well, during a very specific time in my life.

It is a time when I had just begun working on my spiritual development, but was still continuing to bottle so much up inside of me in my dealings with other people.

The music opens your creative, empathic and sensitive side. When you are alone this can bring bad memories that you haven't truly dealt with flooding back. The nature of music, even with depressing lyrics, is healing.

When you are alone and able to focus on the musical vibrations, it opens you up to dealing with your own true vibrations and the tears come pouring out of you.

Go with it and do not dwell too much on it. Allow yourself to return to a happy and confident state when the music stops, knowing that you are working on yourself.

Once you come to a place of balance inside of you, once you forgive and love yourself more, the reactivity to music and lyrics will fade. Right now you are exorcising your own inner demons.

The sun will shine brighter for you as you let things go. Now music just makes me smile and dance (even when doing the dishes) and the lyrics of the sad songs make me laugh out loud.

I am sending you warm hugs and true acceptance of who you are.

Brightest Blessings,

[Enrim]

I think I understand how you feel. Sometimes it happens to me when I feel especially vulnerable and sensitive. Usually, it helps to just be gentle with myself and not push myself too hard. If this music doesn't make me feel better I just turn it off. You don't need to be strong to listen to music. Save your energy for something that actually requires you to be strong. Music is there for you to feel better.

It sounds like there is a lot going on inside of you, and maybe you feel depressed even if you are not listening to the music sometimes? If that's the case then wiritng all of your emotions and thoughts down really helps sometimes (well, it helps me, I cannot tell for anybody else). Making a total mess of yourself in your privacy (as someone mentioned it already) could be a good thing too, confronting your emotions and feelings is not a bad thing. It is working through them. Feeling ALL of your emotions will let you let them go.

[RebeccaNV]

Originally Posted by Rockchick26

:"i dare you to move,i dare you to lift yourself up off the floor,like today never happened." (can anyone name that artist?)

Switchfoot.

I agree with Plato. Stop listening to music. Why bother to ruminate in depression? You have felt these emotions time and time again. What purpose do they serve you? Why are you putting yourself into a depressive state?

I grew up listeing to music and wanting to be in the business. When I was in 7th grade choir the music director stopped us in mid song and pointed at me. He said that he wanted for everone to sing with as much emotion upon their faces as I did. Yes...music is all about emotions. I once had a wish to write a song that would make every body cry. Why? Because what grabs us at our deepest emotional level is what we remember the most.

I no longer listen to the car radio. Once in a great while I will listen to my cd player and of course then my focus goes to events from my past. When I am not listening to music then my mind can focus on the present and the future. If you feel the need to listen to something, try talk radio.

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by RebeccaNV

Switchfoot.

I grew up listeing to music and wanting to be in the business. When I was in 7th grade choir the music director stopped us in mid song and pointed at me. He said that he wanted for everone to sing with as much emotion upon their faces as I did. Yes...music is all about emotions. I once had a wish to write a song that would make every body cry. Why? Because what grabs us at our deepest emotional level is what we remember the most.

Good job! and i LOVED this story! I totaly agree,music is all about emotions,and its a GOOD thing when it makes us cry. It's a good thing when a movie makes us cry too,its all about making us feel human. Thats why i love music so much,it gets inside of you and makes you FEEL. If it makes you feel something bad,then that should help you figure out what that is.

[RebeccaNV]

Originally Posted by lightthecandle

does this statement apply to anyone else? even if its good, uplifting music... if it has words in it I get really depressed and start obsessing over my bad past, and insecurities, looks, etc. I have an ipod, and although I have both classical music and other songs (with lyrics) . but when I listen to music with words, I get really depressed to the point where I just want to die (well, sometimes). the sad part of this is that I KNOW music with lyrics depresses me and yet I still find myself listening to it!!


I tell myself I need to be strong, and handle the music with lyrics, but honestly 99% of the time it just makes me feel worst.

anyone else with this problem or how to conquer it?

Using music to alter one's mood is one thing. Here the OP states that any music (with lyrics) takes them into a depressive state (that he/she would like to avoid) and yet he/she continues to use music! Then the OP says that they need to be strong and handle the music. I liken this to a recovoring alcholic walking into a bar and ordering a beer, saying that they can stop at "just one."

How do you conquer it? Abstain.