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Music provides therapy for my depression

Music provides therapy for my depression. Every day, it's there, like a friend who'll never leave my side. As long as it's not country, I'm good.

Music provides therapy for my depression every, single, solitary day. Music. It’s been something I’ve loved since I was a little girl. I grew up listening to oldies stations, as well as whatever was current each year. It was “church” to me. Elvis Presley. Cher. Bette Midler. Sinatra. Whatever my parents loved, we listened to non-stop.

Growing up with music set me up for life

I don’t recall growing up without music playing every day. My father even put speakers outside, before that was a thing. We knew, if we were heading outdoors, we had to turn the radio on and switch a special little switch, and “church” was in session outside. While mom weeded the garden, mowed the lawn, and vacuumed the pool – we played and listened to our tunes.

There’s nothing like swinging on your swing set, with bare feet, listening to disco music from the Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack. Summers were simpler back then, for sure. However, as the days, weeks, and years began to increase in difficulty, music always gave me strength.

Music is my therapy on many days, and in our home, my children have grown up with a home filled with music. Thanks to a huge age different between Mr. Sunflower, and I, the kids have a very eclectic soundtrack for their childhood! He introduced them to country music, because I can only handle one song by Dolly Parton.

Music can change a movie for the better, or the worse

Just like music in a movie enhances a movie, this is the case with music in my life. Have you ever watched a not so great movie, but loved it anyway, because the soundtrack was killer? I always attribute my obsession with Fifty Shades of Grey with the soundtrack, because the movie itself, is not exactly winning any critical acclaim. Plus, let’s face it, the sex scenes weren’t as hot as the book, am I right?

It’s the soundtrack to the movie that MOVES me, and makes that movie better. It has to be the most well done soundtracks for a movie I’ve heard in a long ass time. It’s perfectly matched to the story.

Music provides therapy for my depression

Every day music heals me in different ways. My soul doesn’t know how to survive without a musical beat pumping through my home, car, and life.  Sometimes, I ache to hear specific lyrics that represent much of what I’m dealing with on that day. At times, I need upbeat, mindless music, that lets me work with a smile on my face. Then there are times I need instrumental music, that just makes me weep and clean my mind, and soul, of everything weighing it down.

Every day – without fail – music helps me get through everything I’m expected to handle. It lets my brain stop overthinking, and just rest. When it rests, I write with more ease. I parent with a little more patience.

No matter what my mood is, music changes it. Yes, friends. Music changes me. I have to always feel like I’m in a soundtrack, just like a movie. Music can create tension, or dissolve it. It can make your heart feel like it could soar through the air, but it also has the ability to cut your heart out, like nothing else can.

Without music, I lash out in a very negative way. Pop on that favorite Spotify playlist, and boom: the beast is tamed. Well, for a little while, anyway.

No, music can’t replace a therapist

One fact is clear, it doesn’t matter what I’m going through, music is there to help me through. Sometimes I need it to bring me further down, so I can cry even harder. Mostly, it’s there for me when I need a friend to lift me up, and bring me peace. Music provides therapy for my depression in a way a therapist can’t. However, I would not give up my therapist, at least not right now! I’m just saying, music understands me in a way no human can.

By | 2017-02-22T08:14:45-05:00 February 20, 2017|Lifestyle|2 Comments

About the Author:

Staci loves to write, and loves to share her "take" on everything thrown her way. Movies, entertainment, food, fashion, shopping, money, travel and family. There's nothing off limits at NovemberSunflower.com, and Staci's always telling it like it is: good, bad, and all that lies in between!

2 Comments

  1. Jeffery Williams February 22, 2017 at 11:53 am

    “I can only handle one song by Dolly Parton.”

    Hah, I hear ya there. Country definitely isn’t my thing. I used to be into stuff that was a lot heavier but I’ve mellowed out over the past few years. I find myself mostly listening to music in the background as a way to calm down and to help me focus. I don’t listen for pleasure as much as I used to, which is a bit sad.

    I completely agree with you though. Even when I’ve just got something simple in the background it really helps me to calm down. I’ll listen to music as I meditate and that helps a ton too. Youtube has dozens (if not hundreds) of nice, relaxing meditation playlists that are wonderfully calming.

    Who was the first artist you fell in love with? Mine was Meatloaf, strangely enough. My dad would listen to him all the time and I grew to like a lot of his songs. They were pretty unique, which is why I think I was so drawn to him.

    • Staci Gerardi February 22, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      YouTube is a great spot to find music. I have lots of subscriptions on there to head, if I need to!
      My go to is Spotify, though. Easy to use, and it’s on all my devices. LOL. Phone, desktop and tablet.

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