Mental health is an important issue, and because it's so important, I focus on the month of September. As several of you may already know, the month of September is the national Suicide Awareness Month​. I wanted to comment on mental health and metal music during this month, because it is no secret that metal music is easily misrepresented in regards to mental health. I even remember my parents being concerned with me listening to the more extreme music back at the young age of 10. However, they have seen the great impacts it has had in my life, and have come to love it...even if it's from a distance. I've done my own research, and I have found many studies that have proven that heavier music can help with anxieties, depression, and other mental illnesses. Even though I have witnessed it first hand, it was nice to know other people had the means to scientifically prove it so.

 

During some of these studies, some of the test subjects (all varying in age), admitted to the fact that they will turn on sad or heavier music during hard times to help them. This rang true to my own life, as my go to song choices during hard times are Bring Me the Horizon's "Hospital for Souls," and Badflower's "Ghost." Both of these songs deal with suicidal ideation and mental illness, viewer discretion is definitely advised when listening to them. However, they help me out of the bad ruts I get into. Music has truly been some of the best medicine for me. 

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Having interviewed several different artists and talking with fans at shows, it's no secret that I'm not the only one. I recently talked with Bleach Boy, and he admitted to the fact that all he wanted was for someone to be able to relate so much to his music that it would help them in some way. When it comes to artists, they definitely have a lot of emotional power that they can build up in a song, and they use that to help others in the best way possible. Watching this happen in person is heartwarming and pure as well. Artists, not just metal-specific, work hard to be able to reach their fans through their music. Because one genre can be stereotyped to be more violent or "satanic," doesn't mean that we actually are. People are trying to help change the viewpoint on metal, but we need to continue to do so. 

 

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*If you are ever having an emergency, please contact the Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255*