Music and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder and MusicOne strange quirk that has manifested when I’ve been in a manic state is a strong attraction to music; on more than one occasion, I’ve been easily hypnotized by music and have even  taken the lyrics of some songs too literally, almost as if they were specifically written for me. While listening to music so fervently scared the people around me, I think that in some way, music distracted me from the reality that all was not well with my mind and gave me a temporary focus to concentrate on when reading books and following conversations became too difficult for me because my mind was moving at mock-speed.

Even when I’m feeling ok, music plays an integral role in my life and not only helps my moods, the lyrics sometimes give me food for thought. Like almost everyone (whether they have a mood disorder or not), I believe that certain songs fit certain moods and certain songs strike a chord with me because they reflect experiences I’ve had. I like Gnarls Barkley’s, “Crazy”-both for the lyrics and the music. 

I remember when, I remember
I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place
Even your emotions have an echo in so much space

The lyrics in “Crazy” truthfully remind me of how I’ve felt in the past when  I’ve struggled with Bipolar Disorder-  escaping reality can be easy but dealing with the consequences of your actions in the aftermath of a manic high can be nearly impossible because of dealing with the full range of emotions.

Even when I’m not focusing on the lyrics, I find that listening to (or playing music) is one way to “heal the soul”- soothing music can help calm a manic frenzy or at least help you get to sleep and in my experience, music can also help get you through a depression. While I personally don’t recommend sappy songs when you’re sad, schmaltzy, sad songs have helped numerous people out, both at home and at karaoke bars around the globe.

So far, music therapy has not been demonstrated as an effective therapy for Bipolar Disorder and doesn’t look promising according to the research here. So, obviously, listening to your Ipod shouldn’t take the place of your medication, your diet recommendations, or a good exercise regime, but that doesn’t mean it won’t help a little.