Heavy metal music has been linked with aggression, antisocial behavior, drug use, suicidal thoughts and depression in correlational studies that cannot draw causal inferences. There have also been studies which suggest it could help alleviate negative emotions.
metal has also developed strong communities for fans to connect to and form bonds within. This provides essential benefits for their mental wellbeing.
1. It’s a form of addiction
In the 1980s, heavy metal musicians and fans faced harsh criticism. They were accused of everything from crimes of violence and drug use to despondency and depression – yet there was little empirical evidence linking these issues with heavy metal music; rather, its themes of madness and horror simply reflected real world concerns.
Studies have proven that listening to metal music can actually help relieve anxiety and depression. In one such experiment, researchers incited anger in participants before asking them to listen to a metal song for 10 minutes followed by 10 minutes of silence – the results? Hostility, irritability, and stress all decreased dramatically for everyone involved.
Metal’s dark lyrics often address complex issues like social inequality, war, and oppression – making the genre both empowering and thought-provoking forms of expression for some listeners. Metal music may also serve as an emotional release and help one gain control of one’s life by channelling emotions outward and processing through them through sound.
One other key advantage of listening to metal music is its ability to bring people together. Metalheads enjoy attending concerts and meeting fellow fans – giving them a chance to bond over shared interests and build community ties that may have mental health benefits if you’re feeling isolated or alone.
Metal music can help keep you focused on the positive aspects of life, keeping negative thoughts at bay and getting through each day more easily. If you’re having difficulty at work, listening to metal can help you focus on tasks at hand and get through your day more successfully.
True enough, many people find that heavy metal music helps them maintain good mental health despite what critics may claim. Therefore, it is so essential to embrace your passions and do whatever makes you happy.
And if that’s rock ‘n’ roll, then we say let the metal gods guide your music!
2. It’s a form of escapism
Heavy metal music has long been accused of fomenting anger and hostility among listeners, and studies suggest a connection between listening to metal music and aggressive behaviour, antisocial behaviour, substance use, suicidal ideation, depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, these studies tend to rely on correlational data rather than drawing causal inferences; additionally, long-time fans don’t become desensitized to its violent lyrics, with studies finding they tend to be happier and better adjusted than non-fans.
Though many metal musicians flirted with occult themes during the ’80s, few artists actually advocate devil worship or murder; most fans simply enjoy metal as an escape or way to displease their parents; many metalheads take great pride in being metalheads and will display corna hand signs (with two fingers raised as in devil horns shape), wear band t-shirts or stand together in the mosh pit at concerts.
Studies relating music with violent themes to aggression do not take into account other contributing factors, such as poor family relationships or drug abuse. One experiment went even further by calling psychiatric institutions posing as parents worried about their son’s love of heavy metal music who needed treatment; 10 out of 12 facilities believed the story and admitted the boy.
Heavy metal music offers something special in terms of escape, community and sound – something not many other genres can. At a time when so much of our lives revolve around television and movies and many feel isolated from one another, heavy metal provides us with another avenue through which to connect with each other and find meaning in life.
Metalheads often gather together for a mosh pit or help create scenes through writing or photography – whatever their preference, having an engaging community of like-minded individuals is always welcome and beneficial.
3. It’s a form of self-harm
Some have speculated that metal music may be a form of self-harm because its lyrics often depict violent imagery that could provoke aggression. Unfortunately, there is little evidence supporting this claim and when any link has been identified between violence and aggression and metal music listening, other factors usually are present such as drug abuse and mental illness.
Noteworthy is the fact that most metal fans are peaceful people with no intent of hurting anyone else, nor listening to heavy metal music for any other purpose than entertainment. Metal music has long been associated with hard work, loyalty and community support – qualities most likely found among working class individuals themselves.
Music can be an incredible way to help regulate our emotions and can have significant positive effects on mood. Research has demonstrated its power in relieving depression and anxiety symptoms while at the same time increasing positive feelings such as happiness. Furthermore, music promotes creativity while improving attention spans and reaction times; not to mention helping with sleeping better!
Studies have demonstrated how music can impact our emotions, with certain genres having an effect. It has been determined that individuals feeling depressed often prefer slow and soothing tunes while those feeling more upbeat and energetic might prefer more lively or energetic sounds. Furthermore, listening to heavy metal music has even been found to provide relief from stress and tension.
Another study demonstrated that listening to heavy metal music helps people who are angry to calm down more rapidly than listening to other genres, as this music helps regulate negative emotions like anger. Furthermore, studies also reveal that metal fans do not tend to engage in suicide attempts or self-harm due to misrepresentation by mainstream culture as well as lack of appreciation of extreme metal’s benefits (C. Baker & Brown 2016).
Overall, there is little evidence of extreme metal music having any harmful effects on mental health and behaviour, as reported by policy makers and mental health professionals. More specifically, this music does not contribute to increases in aggression, antisocial behaviour, suicide or substance use among nonclinical populations. Furthermore, correlational links between it and these outcomes have often been overstated by them.
4. It’s a form of depression
Heavy metal music has earned itself an unfortunate reputation of encouraging devil worship, drugs and violence. Reports emerged during the ’80s and ’90s of teenagers listening to heavy metal turning to Satanism or even murder due to this genre’s influence; several bands in the US were even sued over subliminal references in their lyrics to these harmful practices.
Even with these negative media portrayals, metal music does not lead to violent acts; most violent incidents that result from listening are related to mental health issues which cannot be worsened by listening.
Studies show that metalheads tend to be happier and better-adjusted than non-metalheads, probably because metal helps regulate emotions and cope with daily stressors better. Furthermore, this genre of music encourages self-expression and open dialogue – two elements which may help those struggling to express themselves freely to do just that.
One study discovered that when students were asked to write freely about their worries, Metallica music helped them do so more freely than soft classical. Another research project showed how playing musical instruments like guitars or drums helps reduce depression and anxiety by stimulating brain activity; still another research paper demonstrated how Parkinson’s patients walk better when listening to Beatles’ music rather than simple piano pieces.
However, it should be borne in mind that these studies only demonstrate correlations. It remains unknown if heavy metal music actually leads to positive outcomes or simply contributes to them in some way; Aristotle believed that one’s character could be formed through what music one listened to – whether this holds true for metalheads is uncertain.
No matter these findings, most researchers agree that heavy metal is neither harmful nor causes depression. On the contrary, listening to metal music has actually been shown to help alleviate depression symptoms by decreasing cortisol levels and listening to metal can raise SlgA levels – antibodies which protect against food sensitivities and inflammation in both mouth and gut.