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music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

RachSANECEOSenior Contributor09 July 2025, 1:24 pm AEST

music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Hi SANE Forums

I'm keen to know if many of you listen to music, play music or use music as a tool for coping, processing stuff, making sense of recovery or for other things like managing stress - particularly whether for any of you who are parents - does music play a role in your wellbeing or recovery either just as a person living life or in your role as a parent?

Keen to hear from anyone with an interest in this topic!

@tyme could you boost this to those who might have a perspective to share?

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In response to: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

creative_writerSenior Contributor09 July 2025, 7:07 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

@tyme music can go both ways. I find loud and fast paced music can actually increase anxiety, totally get why noise can be stressful. I'm not sure if I could ever handle a concert, too much sensory stimulation. I find softer and slower paced music better for managing anxiety

In response to: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Shaz51Senior Contributor09 July 2025, 7:08 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

I don't use music as a tool to manage my stress

But my family members do

One has a guitar, one has drums

@RachSANECEO , @tyme , @Snowie , @NightFury , @Former-Member

In response to: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Sam3Senior Contributor09 July 2025, 7:08 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

@tyme @Snowie

My son uses music a lot to support his mental health. I sometimes do but we share a Spotify account so I have to listen offline. I have playlists for different moods but I’m often so preoccupied I forget to use them!

In response to: Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Sam3Senior Contributor09 July 2025, 7:23 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

How are you @Shaz51 ?

thanks to @tyme @for the question which has resulted in me listening to music & dancing on the kitchen now! This is despite feeling hopeless about this treatment-resistant depression. Do most people just not think about the future when nothing seems to shift mood or confidence?

In response to: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Till23Senior Contributor09 July 2025, 7:39 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Also @RachSANECEO it does not appear that you have specifically asked this question in Yarning Space, because in some cultures music is very important and in Australian Indigenous cultures this is true, although it varies with the different peoples.

But in general due to the oral tradition of knowledge keeping music is important, because it's easier to remember songs.

Content/trigger warning

Mentions Aboriginal deaths and suicide

Unfortuantely my people were decimated early in white people's arrival, due to murder but also smallpox and other diseases, so I donot know any traditional songs. However, music is in nature, for example, one of my favourite sounds is the song of magpies, this is an important "music" for me when I am feeling particularly down but also anxious. In fact I seek out magpie song when I am not feeling mentally well. I also have a tribal totem that is a very interesting song "composer". I believe that I was actually stopped in a strongly suicidal state by birdsong.

Mentions Aboriginal deaths and suicideUnfortuantely my people were decimated early in white people's arrival, due to murder but also smallpox and other diseases, so I donot know any traditional songs. However, music is in nature, for example, one of my favourite sounds is the song of magpies, this is an important "music" for me when I am feeling particularly down but also anxious. In fact I seek out magpie song when I am not feeling mentally well. I also have a tribal totem that is a very interesting song "composer". I believe that I was actually stopped in a strongly suicidal state by birdsong.

In response to: Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Shaz51Senior Contributor09 July 2025, 7:44 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

@RachSANECEO

I love being in the garden and nature listening to all birds sounds 🐦 🐦‍⬛

@Sam3 , @Till23 , @creative_writer , @Snowie , @tyme

In response to: Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Sam3Senior Contributor09 July 2025, 7:49 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

@RachSANECEO

Yes @Shaz51 I forgot about music via the 🐦 birds - I love that too!

In response to: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Captain24Senior Contributor09 July 2025, 8:09 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

When I was in deep distress last week. @rav3n suggested solfeggio music to distract me from my thoughts and it was a godsend. It’s now my playlist in my car for driving to and from work to keep me focused. @RachSANECEO

In response to: Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

tymeModerator09 July 2025, 8:47 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Awwww @Sam3 , I'm so sorry to hear about 'treatment resistant depression'. I wonder if it's moreso about that you haven't found what works for you yet?

If listening and dancing works, go for it! Creative therapy???

In response to: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

AuntGlowModerator09 July 2025, 9:49 pm AEST

Re: music & wellbeing - do you use it as a tool for managing stress and mental health?

Hello @RachSANECEO! 💛

I love this topic, because music is HUGE for me and my emotional processing.

When I was studying acting, there was a therapeutic element to it, and a big facet of exploring character and different parts of the self was via embodiment practices. We would put on various styles of music to help us embody different archetypes, and the characters that came out were incredible. I still use these techniques to help myself when I feel like I am holding emotions that need to be expressed. Music and movement are so healing. 🥹💕

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