Echoes of Anxiety and its Antidote
by Maximilian Morici
We have come to live in a world that is saturated by sound. Silence is rare. Notifications are never ending. People have few places to turn for peace.
Anxiety on a global scale is on the rise. Especially in the younger generations, where music is more accessible and integrated than ever.
Music has always been a mirror of society: a reflection of the struggles and emotions of the times, a tool for expression and connection in a world that often feels as though it is moving far too fast.
In the 60s and 70s, anxiety disorders were considered to be rare. The general consensus among doctors was that stress, nerves and tension festered from anxiety. The more these factors popped up in daily life, the more likely it was to see the development of anxiety.
Today, a myriad of factors contribute to stress levels. Pressures from social media to present an idealistic version of oneself. Political instability and division, separating family and friends. A non-stop bombardment by a stream of information that never sleeps, and constant noise.
Rising music genres reflect societal tensions. From the fast pace of hyper-pop, to the slow, nostalgic feeling of bedroom pop. The overstimulation and repetitiveness of electronic dance music or EDM.
Popular lyrical themes reflect fears of the future. Loneliness in a world that is more connected than ever. The doubt that one will find a way to be successful in these hard times. As well as the burnout from working hard every day at work, school and in one’s community. Striving to build a future that was possessed by previous generations, but are unable to attain themselves.
The algorithms of the major music platforms sell moods. They curate playlists and reel young people into a drip feed subscription service. These algorithms know our own anxieties before we even know them ourselves. Targeted ads try to sell products and services, even if one wants to lie down and decompress from society. Peace must be purchased.
While there are some drawbacks in accessing music in modern times, research done by Sabino Recovery (a nationally recognized mental health and addiction treatment group out of Tucson, Arizona) suggests that music can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by providing a distraction from negative thoughts and emotions. Music has also been shown to reduce stress through the release of dopamine and the lowering of cortisol levels.
Listening to music can be beneficial in a number of ways. Many students find it helpful to listen to ambient music as they study. Therapists will often have classical music playing to reduce stress and invoke deep emotional responses. Yoga and meditation classes often play calming sounds or white noise to help bring you to a state of mindfulness.
However, music can be a double-edged sword. Constant access to music can also amplify anxiety. It can expose you to sensory overload, when hearing too many sounds, the brain becomes overwhelmed. This can cause physical tension and even panic attacks.
Social comparison can be another downside. In the past, artists’ day-to-day lives were not well known to the public. Their music was shaped by the culture, and they had a level of anonymity.
This contrasts with many popular artists of today’s time, like Drake or Sabrina Carpenter, who were famous long before they ever started their careers in music. We have access to every single aspect of their lives on a daily basis. This can cause many people to compare themselves and their lifestyles to those of artists.
Music artists are now the ones shaping culture with hit songs, trending sounds, endorsement deals and personal brands. Contributing to the consumer society we all now live in. Music consumption has become both an escape and a performance.
People now use music to curate moods, building private worlds in public spaces. Self-medicating every emotion to try and feel how they want when they want. Forcing crafted feelings into uncomfortable spaces as a coping method for everyday struggles.
At the same time, music is being sold as an aesthetic. Who one listens to and who one supports becomes indicative of one’s personal character. Music is not just listened to, it is shared. With that, one paints a portrait of oneself.
Music in many facets is being abused. Artists who make a song to generate a trending sound. Music listeners who support an artist because it is fashionable. Concert goers who attend a concert to take videos to post to their social media accounts for social clout.
At the ground level, music has so many wonderful things to offer. Deep listening to really connect with the artist. Unplugged concerts where society can have a communal space and have a real shared experience without the constant distraction of technology. Musical therapy to help those who need it most.
Music can be a doldrum of calm in the noisy and stormy sea of today’s society. A space to come together to lighten the load of an anxious world. A home for those who feel there is nowhere in the world for them.
As with many things in life, how one chooses to interact with music shapes our experience with it. The noise of today’s society is not getting any quieter, and the factors that contribute to our anxieties are ever-increasing.
Modern anxiety has reshaped how culture creates, shares and uses music. Turning sounds into both an echo of anxiety and its antidote.