Music for anxiety/depression

[Emilym80]

Hi all,

I've noticed that, for me, one of the most effective ways of reducing my anxiety or low mood if they're particularly bad is by listening to some music. As I really love music, this is helpful for me and I think could be for a lot of other people too!

If I'm feeling a bit down, any pop music that I like usually does the trick- anything at all, provided that I like it and am in the mood for it.

With anxiety, it's a lot tougher. I can't just listen to anything slow or relaxed to calm me down. As I often feel irritable when anxious I can only really listen to things I particularly like.

So, what kind of music do you listen to when you need some help relaxing, if you do?

[Oosh]

I am addicted to trance. I can almost always improve my mood by listening to it.
People around me have always hated it though but I don't care.
I like deep, emotive music so anything that is emotive will tend to do it for me be it classical, dance, rock, anything.

A couple of recent things I found that I like are

http://youtu.be/Uffjii1hXzU

http://youtu.be/CdDDY5nVA3A

[Lilly13]

This is my favourite album and my absolute favourite band- STARS
I don't know how you would describe their music, perhaps just beautiful and original with wonderful thoughtful lyrics.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q39Ce3zDScI

[23tana]

I put a music CD on every night when I go to bed. It stops me thinking about the things of the day and I rarely get to hear the end of one before I fall asleep.

[anthrokid]

Deep Forest have some beautiful songs that really help me relax when I'm stressed. Sweet Lullaby is a really nice song. I find their mix of different music really soothing.

[Carnation]

Playing an instrument has the same effect too as well as diverting the Mind away from Anxiety.

[MyNameIsTerry]

In Tesco they have a permanent £1 aisle now. Sometimes they have books, DVD's & CD's. Some of the CD's are relaxation types e.g. celtic moods, piano spas, flute spas, etc.

I've wondered how relaxing they are at night when you are winding down and they are very cheap.

[hanshan]

I love classical music. If I can give a plug for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (public broadcaster - like the BBC) classical music station, it's ABC Classic FM playing mostly classical music all day, available online at http://www.abc.net.au/classic/

Click the Listen Live button to hear what's playing now, and Music Listings to scroll down through the lists of works being broadcast. Alternatively, you can download earlier broadcasts, or listen to Classic 2, which has no voice announcements - just works or movements of a few minutes in length.

The announcers on Classic FM are all fantastic - warm, friendly, and very anxiety-reducing. Unfortunately, I think announcers have been cut from the midnight to dawn shift due to budget restrictions, which is likely what will be heard in daytime UK. Still, the music is great, and it's always possible to download a program.

[geetsharma1]

Yeap this is my favorite......

[mihaitarcuta]

Cupsurfer - finishing the boat ( this guy has only one song released but it definitely centres me) and Bonobo's music