Music has a lot of influence on every individual, even if others don’t realize it. Music can act as a form of therapy that helps people emotionally and physically, as well as reducing stress. According to my.clevelandclinic.org, “Music therapy is the use of music and/or elements of music (like sound, rhythm and harmony) to accomplish goals, like reducing stress or improving quality of life.”
Most people incorporate music into their everyday lives; it helps them focus and/or calm down. This makes them feel a range of emotions. For example, some students often use music to focus on schoolwork, or on the way to work, they blast their music loudly, getting themselves prepared for their work. Others may go to concerts to feel the music much better. Music can also be a form of comfort; it can express how others feel when they cannot get/put them into words. It makes individuals feel more understood.
Different types of songs can evoke different types of nostalgia. This all connects and ties in to comfort. English teacher Valerie Maynard feels like music can bring her to all types of memories. She said, “It also connects me to memories and helps me create new ones. Anytime I’m overwhelmed, I listen to music. If I need to get through a tough task, music makes it so much faster.”
Maynard feels all the types of emotions when listening to music. “I love music because it can help me feel all the emotions. Like if I’m sad or happy or excited, I have a playlist for that,” stated Maynard.
She also said, “It can also help me change emotions if I don’t want to be in the mood that I’m in.” Whenever Maynard is overwhelmed, she listens to music that brings her comfort. “I usually listen to music I’m really familiar with. I don’t have to think much about it, and it brings me comfort. It might remind me of times I felt better or more calm, and I can channel those feelings.”
Junior Sierra Hurst loves to listen to different types of music genres depending on her mood. Hurst said, “Pop music generally makes me feel hype, in a good mood, and awake. Folk music puts me in a fall mood; it’s very calming and comforting. R&B makes me really excited, hype, and happy. Christian music really allows me to finally be at peace and ease, it makes me happy and relieved, even on those really difficult days.”
Hurst connects emotionally to music. She stated, “Music really helps me express all of my emotions, listening to it or dancing to it, no matter what it is. It helps me get out my emotions that are overwhelming or emotions that I feel.”
Music could also have a physical effect on certain people. Junior Natallie Snyder stated, “Physically, music is something I spend a lot of time on; I play over 9 instruments. Music caters to every possible emotion, every possible person, and every possible position.”
Listening to different music could have a huge impact on your mental health. Snyder stated, “To me, music is an outlet to the world; it’s raw, it’s culture, it’s art, it makes me feel all kinds of emotions.” she then goes into saying, “Emotionally music is one of the greatest things to happen to me, saved me even.”
