Track after track, music always feels like it is there for us - but can it have a darker side? Here, we explore music addiction.
How much do you love music? If you are a lover of music, you are certainly not alone.
Throughout the globe, individuals from around the world appreciate the value of music, as it’s immersed in many of our daily lives.
Music has been used to motivate or to create memorable experiences. Whether music has been used to advertise, artistically express, motivate vigorous exercise, or drift to sleep after a tiring day, music is everywhere.
Additionally, music has been known to play a substantial role in cultural development and identity.
In terms of health, music has been a medicine for centuries.
From reducing stress and anxiety to helping relieve pain, music has the power to heal. In regards to mental health, music has shown great attributes to improve mood and centring emotions.
With all the great benefits of music, some may question whether music can express negative outcomes. Can individuals enjoy music too much? Can an individual be addicted to music?
Based on experience, it seems that listening to music too much does not show any signs of negative side effects.
Researchers and experts have been known not to recognise music addiction as a mental health diagnosis. However, music habits can still become problematic.
Music Can Be Bad For You!
According to Healthline.com, addiction can develop based on the interaction of dopamine. Substance use and certain behaviours can prompt the release of dopamine in the cranium’s reward system.
Eventually, if the substance is used regularly and efficiently, the brain begins to rely on the substance and later releases less dopamine.
This results in the brain becoming dependent on the dopamine triggers. Healthline further discusses a 2011 music study surrounding listening habits.
Ten participants were chosen based on their reaction to music, as many of them experienced chills when listening to various types of music.
The study concluded the suggestion that music in correlation to dopamine can trigger this reaction, as the chills were produced based on intensely positive emotional responses.
With this notion, it could mean that the brain can begin to rely on music-triggered dopamine production. However, there has not been much proof or evidence suggesting this can happen.
When dealing with addiction and/or music addiction, many health professionals seek and evaluate potential areas of concern.
From the controlling behaviour pattern, cause of problems regarding daily life, to the continuous pattern of dependency despite negative consequences, can listening to music truly affect an individual negatively?
Being that music is deeply emotional, music can convey a wide range of feelings. As music can be used as a coping strategy, music may not allow the listener to get to the root of what causes the stress, anxiety, and discomforts.
Additionally, music can also intensify the emotion positively and negatively, which can lead a listener to more serious issues. Mourning a loss can be intense.
Listening to sad music might aid a listener to work through their feelings, however might have the opposite effect and prolong the healing process.
Music has been used to help make unpleasant tasks, such as studying, more effective.
However, it may not be useful to depend on it for every stressful situation. For example, listening to music during lectures, business meetings, or while having a serious conversation may not be the best time for needing music. Music can also form a distracting nature and could create more challenges.
Music and Drugs
Music and substances have been paired together for centuries. Marijuana has been used to loosen up an individual’s mind to allow music in more dynamically.
Or, a couple of drinks could help an individual get the courage to dance at a live show.
According to a 2015 study, 43% of 143 people began receiving treatment for substance abuse in correlation to varying types of genres with a greater desire to use multiple substances.
Music has always been an obsession of mine. Never could I have imagined that music addiction could pose as an actual mental disorder.
With the negative effects of listening to music obsessively, music could play a part in problematic behaviour. So how does one cut back?
It is important to identify areas where one can go without music. If listening to music all day, every day occurs, finding times such as taking a walk without the sounds of Pink Floyd or Lady Gaga can help break the music dependency and lower the danger of music addiction.
It is important to understand the reason for obsessive usage of music for daily activities. Seeking further help from a licensed professional will serve positive outcomes for evaluating oneself.
Another helpful tool is to switch melodic efforts into conversational efforts. Listening to podcasts can be implemented, as audio discussions can show similar positive responses.
Music can also have a great impact on your memory, something we discussed here:
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