What Role Does Music Play In Your Recovery?

[StrongSurvivor]

Sometimes I find myself listening to cds that I had during the darkest periods of my life; those songs that saved me. Those songs that let me slip away into the worlds of others. Those songs that spoke to my struggles and made me feel a bit lighthearted, although dissociatively. I have few memories of these times but what I do remember is overlay-ed with the music.

I still to this day love these songs but I need more. How do you use music in your Therapy? Have you found any sound tracks whose lyrics help you keep that positive mindset? I like pretty much everything; although, I am not a huge fan of pop music (read Brittney Spears et al).

I love feminist punk rockers like the ladies of the Distillers, I love fugazi, I love Blink 182. Mostly I want to know how music defines us, aids us or hinders us.

 

[safenow]

Music plays a large roll for me. When I was young, I lived in an orphange for a short time. It was while there I had access to a piano. I found that I could talk by playing the piano. I could make it sound like nature and I liked that a lot. Over a period of months, I found that when I heard others play music, I could duplicate what I heard. I found that our head mistress and others of the staff enjoyed the music I played when I was creating my emotions.

I had one therapist who loaned me some tapes (CD's) with different types of music on them. He invited me to listen to each one and keep the ones that made me feel good. I found that classical music was my favorite type of music. I also found that I like folk music that speak the language of dance. There are some Celtic Women music that I truly enjoy. This particular one I enjoy watching and listening to. It helps me a lot:

When I am under a lot of stress, I go to my little section of music and put different things on dependent upon what I'm stressed or depressed about. Sometimes, just the loons in the mist works. It helps me feel as though I am away from the world, in the water watching those birds and listening to them talk to one another. Sometimes, just the sound of water running helps. No humans allowed. For me, that is restful.

Sometimes, I find that raga (not sure how to spell it) helps me. It gets my body moving. I mostly like instrumentals. I have a lot of them. Different instruments.

 

[LittleL]

The majority of what I listen to is classical music, specifically orchestral. For me, I feel the emotion of a piece very strongly which distracts me from emptiness or dispair when it hits. The fact that I can feel the music so strongly is probably because I've played for years, and I've always made it a point to feel the music I'm playing. I also listen to orchestral music because it takes a lot of energy to pick apart the lines (what are the violins/clarinets/horns/etc playing?).

The human voice ruins it for me, so I never listen to anything containing singing when I'm stressed. Even wordless singing does it. I guess it's a form of isolation for me; a way to remove myself from how stressful the world is.

Playing classical music (violin) is also one of the things that kept me going when I was younger. I would play to refocus myself and to improve my mood. The passion I had for it also helped me, I wanted to keep playing all the time. So, listening to it also reminds me of how positive it's affect was on me when I needed it most.

 

[Jlso111187]

My music has been a big help in my recovery. I listen to it pretty much all day everyday. It is a artist that has ptsd his self from being an army tanker. He does hip hop and alot of it is about the Military as well as PTSD. Since I have found this music it is all I listen to. I used to listen to country and pop but I get a calmming sense from this music more than I ever have before. So as long as it works I will be listen to it.

 

[John25]

It helps me a lot sometimes, and I had a lot of catharsic moments which just heal you for days... But the best music for me is relaxing, like Chopin, theme songs from films that just get you drifting like Forrest Gump, Braveheart, Lord of the Rings and the rest

 

[JustBe]

Listening to the music of my life, the songs and melodies that have kept me from the dark places and allowed me to feel again when I go numb has been a constant in my life.

 

[Pietro]

Just saw this thread, and I know it's dated, but I like the topic. :)

Music is very important to me, period. My first degree / career pursuit was in music. I still play guitar, violin, and some piano. I used to compose as well. However, I have a love/hate relationship with music, at this point.

My issues pretty much destroyed my ability to pursue a musical career. Like John25, I also love Chopin, for example. But listening to it now is too difficult for me. It triggers me badly, and I'm not sure why.

Same with some rock music -- "More than a Feeling" by Boston, anything Pink Floyd, and even a lot of stuff from the past 20 years, is difficult to listen to.

I think that, in many ways, it makes me feel that I failed in something fundamental to who I am. It makes me feel like a coward, because I've neglected to go after it. There are a lot of other things I feel about it as well. ;)

There is music that helps me too, though. Oddly enough, Renaissance music, including church choral pieces such as those by Gabrielli, change my entire perspective.

Maybe, one day, I will overcome all of my issues with music.

 

[Hashi]

My issues pretty much destroyed my ability to pursue a musical career. Like John25, I also love Chopin, for example. But listening to it now is too difficult for me.

I think that, in many ways, it makes me feel that I failed in something fundamental to who I am.

I feel something like this about art. Trauma stopped me from making a career in that field. I have a love/hate relationship with art now. It gives me a great deal, but that is fraught with other feelings and associations, including fearful ones. It's painful to see this aspect of who I might have been.

I've been doing the creative recovery workbook The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. (It's for any kind of creativity.) It has been helping me reconnect more safely with my creative self. There's still a lot to heal.

I'm glad there's music that helps you.

 

[Hashi]

I find some classical music pieces, especially by Mozart and Beethoven, and some modern classical (Philip Glass) to be more than soothing or calming, they actually feel healing.

I also find listening to drumming helps me to ground and feel stronger in myself, either traditional drumming like the Kodo drummers, or any music that incorporates a traditional drumming style.

And sometimes I just need some really loud dance music in my ears, to drown out everything else.

 

[Pietro]

I have a love/hate relationship with art now.

I empathize strongly with you regarding this. I'm so sorry you have this situation as well. There's no greater regret or pain than having some aversion to the thing you love most.

As you mention "creative self", that makes me think of something that I need to look at. I think part of my problem is that I don't trust my "creative self", because it's the less controlled, predictable, and FUN part of me -- things that have all been suppressed. Thanks for helping me think about this. ;)

I have very eclectic music tastes. Beethoven was the first classical composer I attached to. I am also very much into hard rock/metal, and some forms of R&B. Go figure. I also like drums and percussion -- I keep saying that I need to get myself a drum kit and really learn how to play. I think it would be very therapeutic! :D

 

[Blondie362]

Music is my life - it always has been, i love classical Beethoven, vivaldi ,Chopin. I am also a child from the 80's so listening to that kind of music does bring back some very good memories, certain music also brings back some awful ones.

I think music is quite defining especially if you like music from a certain era, as it basically reminds you of where you were, who you were with, and what you were doing, I know if I hear a certain song on the radio, it either makes me smile or fills me with sadness - its a very powerful medium.

 

[who am i kim]

I find the music I like uplifting and calming, choir music, classics and hymns. I also like Enya, Boccelli, and movie theme music like Chariots of Fire. So a mixture but not pop or modern music.