METAL MAKES MY EYES RAIN
Guys, I don’t mean to bore you with my own personal shit about which you probably care little (if at all), but I have had some serious struggles with depression in my life. After hitting rock bottom last month, I finally decide to seek the treatment I need, and after many, many consultations with various members of the psychiatric field, it was determined that the source of my depression was that MetalSucks readers keep e-mailing us to sing the praises of terrible tech-death-core bands. The doctors prescribed a steady regiment of Xanax and new music by Cynic, and I’ve been feeling much better ever since.
Of course, my shrinks just might be quacks, because now a lady named Dr. Katrina McFerran at The University of Melbourne says that young people at risk for depression are more likely to listen to metal in the first place.
Dr. McFerran interviewed 50 kids between the ages of 13 and 18 and also did a national survey of 1,000 people. These were her conclusions:
“Most young people listen to a range of music in positive ways; to block out crowds, to lift their mood or to give them energy when exercising, but young people at risk of depression are more likely to be listening to music, particularly heavy metal music, in a negative way.
Examples of this are when someone listens to the same song or album of heavy metal music over and over again and doesn’t listen to anything else. They do this to isolate themselves or escape from reality.
If this behavior continues over a period of time then it might indicate that this young person is suffering from depression or anxiety, and at worst, might suggest suicidal tendencies.”
Dr. McFerran apparently did not take into account that each and every one of her subjects lives in a penal colony infested with giant hopping rats.
But in all seriousness…
First of all, yeah no shit a lot of metal fans are dealing with some very negative emotions. That’s part of the appeal of metal — it can be an outlet for those negative emotions. The best metal, in my opinion, generally offers some kind of catharsis. I’m obviously not between the ages of 13 and 18 anymore, but when I was, I certainly used metal for this purpose quite a bit. And, hey, guess what? I still do! If something stressful or downright shitty is going on in my life, I go right to metal. (You could even say that I use metal to — gasp! — “lift my mood.”) Is this really a negative use of the music? Would it better if I didn’t have that outlet? I tell ya what, Katrina — come live with me for a month, during which time I will listen to no metal whatsoever, and see how pleasant I am to be around. I’ve been told I’m not that pleasant when I’m actually in a GOOD mood, so I’m sure removing the music I live for from the equation should calm me right the fuck down.
And second of all, on what is the assertion that metal fans “listens to the same song or album of heavy metal music over and over again” is a means “yo isolate themselves or escape from reality” based? Isn’t it possible that they’re just listening to it over and over and over and over again because they, y’know, love it? Ins’t it possible that the only real thought going through their mind is “Wow, that is a great riff and it makes me feel really good to listen to it?”
(Also worth noting is the fact that, seriously, few types of music are better for “blocking out crowds” or working out than metal. It’s loud and high-energy. Do you know how helpful it is to have Jamey Jasta literally yelling “PERSEVERANCE!” in my ear when I’m on the treadmill? In fact, Invisible Oranges did a whole series of posts on the best metal to use for work outs.)
Maybe I’m taking this whole study way too personally (Which would be so unlike me, right?), but it strikes me as total bullshit, and yet another example of the mainstream attempting to categorize metal fans as somehow overly-damaged goods. OF COURSE some metal fans are depressed. So was the girl I dated who loved Interpol. Isn’t is just possible that a certain percentage of ALL people, no matter what kind of music they listen to, are emotional issues?
What do you folks think?
-AR
[via Metal Insider]
