can anyone tell me why?

[saxman]

Can anyone tell me why when i listen to music that has a little tint of depression to it, it takes me out of my drepression ? simple question . ok all you shrinks let me have it !

[RedjackRyan]

I call it the Jerry Springer effect.. whenever i feel like i've hit rock bottom, i watch a few minutes of Springer or a similar show and realize that my life aint so bad.

[Dee]

Ooo! Ooo! I know! I know!

It's because the music makes you feel understood and connected on some level. (Less alone with your feelings as it were.)

That in turn has a positive effect on your mood and emotional state of mind.

Sincerely yours,

Dr Dee
ARMCHAIR ANALYST #384

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

I call it the REDJACK RYAN effect.. whenever i feel like i've hit rock bottom, i think for a few minutes about REDJACK RYAN and realize that my life aint so bad.

Best to all

R. from Pa:o

[SongDragon]

I just tend to think that someone else has shared my troubles if I hear the sorrow in their music. Whether it's accurate or not it's good to know others have lived through it.

Besides that, though my life hasn't always been a walk in the park from my point of view, I always know there's something worse that someone else is going through, and I feel almost like I'm detracting from their pain, making it meaningless, if I draw attention to my minor sufferings.

Silly, huh? It works, though. I feel guilty for feeling down, listen to some sad music to get connected, and then go play frisby or chitter-chatter with friends about nothing for a while, and all of a sudden I'm up again.

~Song

[hoops]

saxman,
i also believe that listening is an active process, so when we listen to depressing music when we are depressed we are expressing our feelings, getting them out and out is much better than in, especially for depression.
also, some musicians just make you feel good, it can't be explained
peace
hoops

[Bat]

All of the above. I read somewhere long ago that musical therapists start out with music to match the mood of the patient, then slowly introduce other stuff that brings them to the place where they should be; i.e., draw someone up out of depression or calm them down from mania. Thought it was a pretty sensible and interesting approach to therapy.

[hoops]

very interesting bat...musical therapy is one i have never been introduced to. maybe i should have
peace
hoops

[Bat]

It can be a do-it-yourself thing, Hoops...just start out with something that suits your mood at the moment, maybe a couple tunes, then play something that takes you toward where you want to go, and end up with a feel-right song/instrumental that seems right. You know what you have in your library and you can always get another to set the right mood...anything from Mozart's Requiem to boogie woogie! It really does work, even for us so-called 'sane' folk.:p

[hoops]

bat,
i'll have to try it. i love learning new techniques to improve effectiveness.
peace
hoops

[saxman]

Now i must say everyones opinion is Very interesting and gives me somethging to think about Thanks for the input