Metallers more exposed to mental illness

dead1 · **Joined:** Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:22 am **Posts:** 2250

Interesting:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=164924

Quote:

A new study claims to have found that young people at risk of depression are more likely to listen habitually and repetitively to heavy metal music.

Dr. Katrina McFerran, a researcher at University Of Melbourne — which consistently ranks among the best universities in Australia and the world, especially in the biological and health sciences — is immersed in a new study that aims to find out why some young people use heavy metal music in a negative way.

By conducting in-depth interviews with 50 young people aged between 13 and 18, along with a national survey of 1000 young people, McFerran is looking to develop an early intervention model that can be integrated into schools to impact positively before behavioral problems occur.

"The mp3 revolution means that young people are accessing music more than ever before and it's not uncommon for some to listen to music for seven or eight hours a day," she said.

"Most young people listen to a range of music in positive ways; to block out crowds, to lift their mood or to give them energy when exercising, but young people at risk of depression are more likely to be listening to music, particularly heavy metal music, in a negative way.

"Examples of this are when someone listens to the same song or album of heavy metal music over and over again and doesn't listen to anything else. They do this to isolate themselves or escape from reality.

"If this behavior continues over a period of time then it might indicate that this young person is suffering from depression or anxiety, and at worst, might suggest suicidal tendencies."

McFerran said parents should be aware of their children's music listening habits, pick up on early warning signs and take early action.

"If parents are worried, they should ask their children questions like — how does that music make you feel? If children say the music reflects or mirrors the way they feel then ask more about what the music is saying," she said.

"If listening doesn't make them feel good about themselves, this should ring alarm bells. Alternatively, if parents notice a downturn in their child's mood after listening to music this is also a cause for showing interest and getting involved."

Read more at the University Of Melbourne web site

Though why would you listen to something if it doesn't make you feel good. Metal gets me energized.

AlexandeR · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:49 am

Interesting indeed. Remembering high school, most of my metal friends came from broken homes and have some sort of depression or rage against life. I was one of the few 'normal' people of the group. And music is indeed a nice way to isolate oneself from the world.

dead1 · **Joined:** Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:22 am **Posts:** 2250

I think most teenagers get depressed and have mental issues - after all their brains are experiencing massive level of physical change and restructure.

Growing up in the early 1990s meant Metal was the music of choice (though most people never went much far Guns N Roses or Metallica).

But the people that stuck with metal and got into the heavier stuff were usually lower middle class and often from families with both parents living at home.

As metal records, CDs and tapes were rare and very expensive, you needed well off parents to be able to get any of it.

Interestingly enough most of these guys ended up becoming dead beats with poor educations, substance abuse problems and social security dependent.

They never exhibited any mental illness symptoms though except maybe depression.

Goat · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:23 am

This 'report' seems part common sense and part bollocks. Teenagers that listen to depressing music over and over again may be depressed? WELL I NEVER! Reading between the lines, it looks like she's doing the study with the explicit aim of finding links between depression and metal, and yes, remarkably there may be some teenage metalheads who consider themselves to be depressed, which will allow her to state that heavy metal causes depression in x out of y cases. Incredible research, there, her Nobel prize is on its way.

dead1 · **Joined:** Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:22 am **Posts:** 2250

Goat wrote:

This 'report' seems part common sense and part bollocks. Teenagers that listen to depressing music over and over again may be depressed? WELL I NEVER! Reading between the lines, it looks like she's doing the study with the explicit aim of finding links between depression and metal, and yes, remarkably there may be some teenage metalheads who consider themselves to be depressed, which will allow her to state that heavy metal causes depression in x out of y cases. Incredible research, there, her Nobel prize is on its way.

This is modern science after all - it's all about the assumptions!

Goat · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:32 am

And the state allowing funding for such nonsense...

dead1 · **Joined:** Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:22 am **Posts:** 2250

Goat wrote:

And the state allowing funding for such nonsense...

In Australia they fund any ridiculous thing.

noodles · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:38 am

i listened to neurosis over and over again as a teenager

Goat · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:38 am

dead1 wrote:

Goat wrote:

And the state allowing funding for such nonsense...

In Australia they fund any ridiculous thing.

Clearly! Not that the UK is any better, of course...

MetalStorm · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 4:12 am

dead1 wrote:

Interesting:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=164924

Quote:

A new study claims to have found that young people at risk of depression are more likely to listen habitually and repetitively to heavy metal music.

Dr. Katrina McFerran, a researcher at University Of Melbourne — which consistently ranks among the best universities in Australia and the world, especially in the biological and health sciences — is immersed in a new study that aims to find out why some young people use heavy metal music in a negative way.

By conducting in-depth interviews with 50 young people aged between 13 and 18, along with a national survey of 1000 young people, McFerran is looking to develop an early intervention model that can be integrated into schools to impact positively before behavioral problems occur.

"The mp3 revolution means that young people are accessing music more than ever before and it's not uncommon for some to listen to music for seven or eight hours a day," she said.

"Most young people listen to a range of music in positive ways; to block out crowds, to lift their mood or to give them energy when exercising, but young people at risk of depression are more likely to be listening to music, particularly heavy metal music, in a negative way.

"Examples of this are when someone listens to the same song or album of heavy metal music over and over again and doesn't listen to anything else. They do this to isolate themselves or escape from reality.

"If this behavior continues over a period of time then it might indicate that this young person is suffering from depression or anxiety, and at worst, might suggest suicidal tendencies."

McFerran said parents should be aware of their children's music listening habits, pick up on early warning signs and take early action.

"If parents are worried, they should ask their children questions like — how does that music make you feel? If children say the music reflects or mirrors the way they feel then ask more about what the music is saying," she said.

"If listening doesn't make them feel good about themselves, this should ring alarm bells. Alternatively, if parents notice a downturn in their child's mood after listening to music this is also a cause for showing interest and getting involved."

Read more at the University Of Melbourne web site

Though why would you listen to something if it doesn't make you feel good. Metal gets me energized.

I got depressed reading that shit.

traptunderice · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:19 am

Hmmm maybe metal is just more open to depressed kids. Social sciences are stupid.

Bruce_Bitenfils · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:59 am

traptunderice wrote:

Hmmm maybe metal is just more open to depressed kids. Social sciences are stupid.

No they're not, unless when they're done by scholars who've forgotten their basic statistics classes. Especially lesson 101: CORRELATION DOES NOT IMPLY CAUSATION. i.e.: there's a correlation between metal and depressed young people (what? no shit!), but we absolutely don't know if metal is the cause of the depression, OR as trapt said, if depressed young people tend to find say Doom, Sludge, Black, Death more appealing than other kinds of music. To me, obviously the latter is a lot more true than the former.

We've had the same kind of ridiculous arguments with video games (First Person Shooters) and young mass murders. These games doesn't make murderers ffs, but young people with violent tendencies will just find that kind of games sexy. FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

I'm a statistician (applied in economics), and I can assure you statistics are a powerful weapon... if the work is properly done. Which often isn't the case.

(sorry for gramm. mistakes, I can't reread, I'm in a rush).

Thrashtildeth · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:41 am

dead1 wrote:

Interesting:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=164924

Quote:

A new study claims to have found that young people at risk of depression are more likely to listen habitually and repetitively to heavy metal music.

Dr. Katrina McFerran, a researcher at University Of Melbourne — which consistently ranks among the best universities in Australia and the world, especially in the biological and health sciences — is immersed in a new study that aims to find out why some young people use heavy metal music in a negative way.

By conducting in-depth interviews with 50 young people aged between 13 and 18, along with a national survey of 1000 young people, McFerran is looking to develop an early intervention model that can be integrated into schools to impact positively before behavioral problems occur.

"The mp3 revolution means that young people are accessing music more than ever before and it's not uncommon for some to listen to music for seven or eight hours a day," she said.

"Most young people listen to a range of music in positive ways; to block out crowds, to lift their mood or to give them energy when exercising, but young people at risk of depression are more likely to be listening to music, particularly heavy metal music, in a negative way.

"Examples of this are when someone listens to the same song or album of heavy metal music over and over again and doesn't listen to anything else. They do this to isolate themselves or escape from reality.

"If this behavior continues over a period of time then it might indicate that this young person is suffering from depression or anxiety, and at worst, might suggest suicidal tendencies."

McFerran said parents should be aware of their children's music listening habits, pick up on early warning signs and take early action.

"If parents are worried, they should ask their children questions like — how does that music make you feel? If children say the music reflects or mirrors the way they feel then ask more about what the music is saying," she said.

"If listening doesn't make them feel good about themselves, this should ring alarm bells. Alternatively, if parents notice a downturn in their child's mood after listening to music this is also a cause for showing interest and getting involved."

Read more at the University Of Melbourne web site

Though why would you listen to something if it doesn't make you feel good. Metal gets me energized.

What?? Does the part I've highlighted strike anyone else as a particularly dubious slice of bullshit? The exact same could be said for any genre of music. There isn't even any sort of an attempt to demonstrate or explain why heavy metal is any different.

What's even more ridiculous is that there is an inherent assumption there that listening to one heavy metal album continuously must, in fact, be done to escape from the world. Why the hell should that be? It's clearly coming from the point of view of a person who can't understand how something that sounds so abrasive could be used in a positive way. I've listened to countless metal albums exclusively for days at a time, and never once was it to escape the world. Some shit is just catchy.

What an unbelievable load of nonsense.

The Annoying Frenchman · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:45 am

On the contrary, listening over and over and over again to the same Beyoncé, Lady Gaga or Katy Perry must be an enlightening and emporewing experience or something... :rolleyes:

Obviously, this is a big conservative born-again-christian pack of bullshit (as usual).

SilkCrimsonMoon · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:57 pm

They must do a study on Opera and see how depressed people react to that! Opera can be much more depressing and dark-inspiring than any other genre of Metal can be if not equal to Metal; so can be a lot symphonies composed by huge names in Classical music. Classical music aside from Opera does not need words, it has a whole symphony of instruments to support the so-called negative emotions with-in a human being (so why not condemn that?). Metal embraces all aspects and themes in the world today from phenomenological, existential to metaphysical and so forth. What more is expected from a doctor that knows jack-shit of the Metal world and its extreme diversity of thought. What a waste of money and time interviewing a bunch of Korn and System of a Down listeners to gain what the researchers wanted and that is to condemn and put a no-no stamp on Metal, apparently. They should have and must do a study on the positive aspects of Metal music. This research is obviously one-sided.

huskerc7 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:58 am **Posts:** 17559

I suffered from depression as a teenager and took to metal heavily. I was diagnosed with bi-polar and schizoaffective disorder when I was 19. I was in a mental institution for 2 months and I hadn't listened to metal in probably a year prior to that because I got tired of metal when I was 18 and just thought it was a teenage phase for a while. In the mental institution I received a pair of headphones that I could tune in to a radio station on and hearing music once again was amazing. When was the last time you haven't heard music for 2 months?

After this experience I fell in love with metal again.

This research is probably partially true as metal is so great that even a very depressed person can find hope in it.

I listen to metal 7 hours a day at work and it really helps the day go by quicker for me and I feel good while working with my ipod in.

This is an interesting story considering my environment.

I think one of the root causes of my depression when I was younger was a massive growth spurt I went through, normal teenage depression, and then lack of exercise after I quit swim team when I was 14. However I do hear voices now and I have done some drugs, so I am also crazy.

This article makes sense to some, but to others it doesn't.

A lot of people are trying to find ways to escape the world, and if metal makes you feel better, then why not rock the fuck on?

I'm not a perfect person and I've had some issues in my life and sometimes I do need an escape whether it's playing my drums, playing basketball, lifting weights, or just listening to metal.

hellraiser_xes · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:50 am

AlexandeR wrote:

Interesting indeed. Remembering high school, most of my metal friends came from broken homes and have some sort of depression or rage against life. I was one of the few 'normal' people of the group. And music is indeed a nice way to isolate oneself from the world.

Typical Slayer fans.

Adveser · **Joined:** Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:26 am **Posts:** 2491

I have certainly noticed almost all the metal bands I listen to have an either extreme trust in their "gut" when writing lyrics and melodies or an extreme ability to access their sixth sense and their subconscious.

I have also noticed that such people would be considered delusional, prone to psychosis or some other unexplained behaviour scientists and psychology have loved to label some form of illness if one were to read their lyrics with the understanding they are not telling a story or creating some sort of fantasy. Some like Dio are smart enough to hide their feelings in arcaic symbolism that is only apparent to those initiated into their form of esoteric thoughts.

Some of these guys are dead serious and they are right on the money. Some of them are well aware of who they were and what they are here to do and state such explicitly. I wish more of the fans would get it, but it is written like Nostradamus, written for those that can see right through the coded language.

Arjen Luccassen joked about this even when "Mr. L" was in the insane asylum complaining no one would listen to his warnings or believe he journeyed through the stars in a previous existence, just for starters, speaking of starters, don't get me started on how many bands write about those pasky voices in their heads or how they get to know the truth in their dreams.

Metal heads are generally more aware of what is going on in the grander scheme of things and most are not, either flatly aware or something tugs on them to have a repoire with this music. The defnition of mental illness or whatever is generally behaviour that does not conform to social normality. Most don't want to know any of this shit by their own design (take that literally) and have knee jerk reaction. Others feel the pull of it and slowly start to remember what they wanted to find out to begin with.

Cú Chulainn · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 6:52 pm

Probably more of a correlation than a causation though.

noodles · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:28 am

http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/psyc ... z1eIV1kwNq

KO, jerks.

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