music to alter your emotions to not feel your true ones?

Morgain

Morgain

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music, for some people it is an expression of there emotions for others, I think, it is a way of not feeling there own.

My best friend (ENFP) loves chearfull music. She can't stand anything that is remotely sad or insightful. She expect from me to go with the music and become chearfull as well. And I hate it. It is like my own feelings are not allowed to be, like I have to be chearful all the time and therefore have to listen to music. That is why I don't listen to music often because most songs change my emotions so that I don't feel like me anymore.

anyway. This made me wonder. Could it be that people use music to not feel there own emotions. Instead of digging into them and finding out where they are coming from, they rather hide them under a layer of upbeat music and with that they step farther and farther away from there true selfs
 
I tend to listen to music which substitutes, meaning it feels better than the truth/reality. Not good, because then when i'm listening to particular songs, i feel as if i'm in a state of perpetual euphoria or dysphoria and then start to think differently about how i feel about a person or situation because of it. It can be fun but then it can be too much. Music can hijack your emotions so that it makes you think you feel or experience something which you really aren't. Music has an unually strong impact on my emotions.
 
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Hmm, this is interesting. I remember reading that INTPs listen to music that fits their mood, because they view emotions as somewhat unchangeable. I suppose that's supposed to be a distinguishing feature from some other types of people, but I don't know.

I mostly agree with this, which is probably why I can't really listen to the radio often. If I'm not feeling strongly any way, however, I'm okay with most anything.
 
Res said:
Music can hijack your emotions so that it makes you think you feel or experience something which you really aren't.
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that is what I thought! And when the music stops, what you are will strike you back twice as hard

I can't stand listening to the radio, it is all just noice, randomly chosen songs only interrupted by stupid comercials and stupid talking. But a lot of people I know would never drive a car without the radio on, because they have to be constantely entertained? Or they can't deal with the silence since in silence ower true emotions come up and ask for attention?


I love listening to music that strikes an inner chord so to speak. Something that is in harmony with what I'm feeling or who I am, but at the same time lift up my inner song to something brigher, more beautiful, if that makes sense.
But most of the music I hear every day is so completely different, dissonant, like taking drugs. It is fun sometimes to listen to it, but it leaves me empty in the end
 
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I listen to music that I like. I will listen to things that reflect my mood slightly, but its more or less the tone and tempo that changes with it.
 
music amplifies my emotions rather then alter them. Also I'm lirical driven so the words have just as much power as the tempo and rhythm.
 
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I also hate sad music. I understand the need for good cry and sometimes emotional catharsis can do a body good from time to time, but I don't understand why anyone would elect to listen sad music every single time they're already feeling down on themselves (assuming that music helps amplify those feelings). Sometimes, when I'm sad, I'll deliberately put on happy music so I can get what I feel is a better, more productive perspective on the situation.

Personally, I don't like the idea of prolonging my negative emotions any longer than they naturally occur because they only confine me to the bench instead of encouraging me to actively solve the problem that brought them on in the first place. This is why the whole 'emo scene' never made sense to me. It seems to me that this particular repertoire of music would only encourage people to be down on themselves and focus on the negatives in their lives as a fashion statement rather than a healthy expression of their emotions. I understand the need for this type of music from time to time; I just have trouble wrapping my head around the idea of someone being able to listen to this genre on a loop. It would drive me crazy.

Mind, I will listen to more aggressive rock when I'm running. It does put me in the mood to work hard and really give my physical all. But that's using music to manipulate my emotions towards a purpose. I know I'll feel good and happy after a good, hard run even though my emotional state might be a little more turbulent while in the act.

Anyway, yeah, music can play a part in either amplifying or changing your mood, but I don't think it's necessarily "taking a step away from your true self" when you choose to do so. Sometimes I think that zeroing on one emotion and trying to stretch it by doing things that keep you in that state is in fact an exercise in separating from who you truly are. You own your emotions; they're a part of you. Not the other way around. Especially since emotions, when given free reign, can have a nasty habit of overriding everything else going on in your life. Mind you, I'm not saying that they should be completely controlled; just kept in perspective. Music can be a wonderful tool (or a curse) in that respect.
 
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I love all music, unless the "vocalist" starts screaming at me.
What music I listen to at one time relies heavily on what I"m thinking about. Not necessarily my mood, mind, but the theme of my thought processes or people I'm thinking about.

And yes, I do tend to assign people "theme songs" in my own mind.
 
TheDaringHatTrick said:
It seems to me that this particular repertoire of music would only encourage people to be down on themselves and focus on the negatives in their lives as a fashion statement rather than a healthy expression of their emotions.
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Agree. There are negative effects to listening to sad music repeatedly. Of course, it can be cathartic and calming to listen to music reflects our emotions. But on the other hand, it can worsen feelings of sadness and depression. I'm guilty of this as notice that i have a tendency to allow sad or melancholic music to condition my emotional responses to situations. Not healthy.
 
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I confess to doing this frequently. when I'm low and I want to not think about it, or try to liven up even though I might not be happy, I listen to a lot of pop music. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry -- songs with no deep meaning, only partying or looking good, and songs with a catchy beat. if I'm listening to something that makes me want to dance, I don't think as much, and therefore feel better.

but of course, they only mask my emotion. if I'm not trying to do that, my mood usually correlates to what I'm listening to, and the music amplifies my feelings similar to what @kavalan said. though this is especially negative when I'm feeling sad, because if I listen to sad music when I'm sad (which I of course do), it then amplifies the depression and makes for a messy situation.
 
TheDaringHatTrick said:
I also hate sad music. I understand the need for good cry and sometimes emotional catharsis can do a body good from time to time, but I don't understand why anyone would elect to listen sad music every single time they're already feeling down on themselves (assuming that music helps amplify those feelings). Sometimes, when I'm sad, I'll deliberately put on happy music so I can get what I feel is a better, more productive perspective on the situation.

Personally, I don't like the idea of prolonging my negative emotions any longer than they naturally occur because they only confine me to the bench instead of encouraging me to actively solve the problem that brought them on in the first place. This is why the whole 'emo scene' never made sense to me. It seems to me that this particular repertoire of music would only encourage people to be down on themselves and focus on the negatives in their lives as a fashion statement rather than a healthy expression of their emotions. I understand the need for this type of music from time to time; I just have trouble wrapping my head around the idea of someone being able to listen to this genre on a loop. It would drive me crazy.

Mind, I will listen to more aggressive rock when I'm running. It does put me in the mood to work hard and really give my physical all. But that's using music to manipulate my emotions towards a purpose. I know I'll feel good and happy after a good, hard run even though my emotional state might be a little more turbulent while in the act.

Anyway, yeah, music can play a part in either amplifying or changing your mood, but I don't think it's necessarily "taking a step away from your true self" when you choose to do so. Sometimes I think that zeroing on one emotion and trying to stretch it by doing things that keep you in that state is in fact an exercise in separating from who you truly are. You own your emotions; they're a part of you. Not the other way around. Especially since emotions, when given free reign, can have a nasty habit of overriding everything else going on in your life. Mind you, I'm not saying that they should be completely controlled; just kept in perspective. Music can be a wonderful tool (or a curse) in that respect.
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I agreed with all of this. Music is either a catalyst for emotional catharsis, or an attempt to feel different. Masking my emotions....usually failed due to whiplash. Sadly.

I keep lots of playlist depending on emotions or settings as part of it. So I put lots and lots of different kind of music, sometimes lyric-based, sometimes melody-based.
 
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I don't listen to music all that often. I can typically enjoy that to which someone around me is listening, but if I'm alone in my car or something I typically prefer silence.

I can't think of a time when music really changed my mood. Music that matches the mood I was already in is far more meaningful, and overt attempts by others to change my mood through music (or really anything) can be quite annoying. I don't see how distracting oneself can be as good a way to get over something than embracing it and coming to understand it better. Happy music when I'm sad seems like such a lie that it emphasizes my depression even more. In such a circumstance bittersweet is best, as it allows a gradual refocusing or reevaluation of what was bothering me rather than forcing a stark juxtaposition.
 
It's not just music that we use to forget our feelings, we use other substitutes too like TV, work, exercise, relationships, internet etc etc. They all serve the purpose to forget for a time all the emptiness and misery that we all have to face some point in our lives.

I'm not being depressing here, but it's the truth.
 
I listen to music that reflects my interests/emotion/mind set. I have strange connections to the music my favorite artists write. I really do relate to what they are saying, and rather than the music changing or masking my mood it is a release for what I'm thinking or feeling. I don't doubt that music could alter emotions for people, but for me it doesn't. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I'm a song writer so music is a very "cleansing" activity for me.
 
When I'm sad I usually channel it into anger so as to be more productive. I can't allow myself to get into slumps. Therefore I end up listening to heavy rock with a lot of screaming and angry lyrics to get myself amped up. I usually do not feel my own emotions and can alter them or cover them up when necessary.
 
i usually listen to music that matches my mood..when i'm sad and tired, i'll listen to a slow song, when i'm upbeat, my music choices will reflect that. it feels really jarring to listen to something that doesn't match my mood.
 
TheDaringHatTrick said:
I also hate sad music. I understand the need for good cry and sometimes emotional catharsis can do a body good from time to time, but I don't understand why anyone would elect to listen sad music every single time they're already feeling down on themselves (assuming that music helps amplify those feelings). Sometimes, when I'm sad, I'll deliberately put on happy music so I can get what I feel is a better, more productive perspective on the situation.
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In my experience listening to sad music when I'm sad helps me to process and evaluate the emotion. It is like I allow myself to feel this through and gives it time to fade away. If I don't do this the emotion will stick with me much longer. Enforcing happy music on myself while I'm sad is like locking away the sad emotion and locked up emotions that aren't dealed with have the nasty habbit to strick back twice as hard as the first time.

also saying that it is ok to listen to sad music when I'm sad is a way of telling myself that I'm allowed to be the way I am and allowed to be sad when I'm sad. Trying to be happy when I'm not is like saying that being who I am (sad at that moment) is not acceptable. But you are right in saying that continuing listening to sad music can put you deeper into depression.


magister343 said:
Happy music when I'm sad seems like such a lie that it emphasizes my depression even more. In such a circumstance bittersweet is best, as it allows a gradual refocusing or reevaluation of what was bothering me rather than forcing a stark juxtaposition.
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yes I also think bittersweet is best since first you give yourself the time to feel the emotion and than the music helps you to reenforce happyness "there is more in life than this sadness"
 
^ what's a true emotion, though? if you listen to happy music when you're sad, or vice versa, and it makes you feel better eventually, maybe you weren't really that sad to begin with.
 
When I listen to music, it's usually to connect with the emotions and ideas of another person (the artist) and relate what is expressed through the songs to my own life.

What I find is that I let a song do the feeling and expressing for me, where I wouldn't have expressed it on my own. I find that my extroverted functions enjoy the musical experience substantially (Se and Fe). I like to feel what the artist feels, and get to know them and their ideas. I also like to enjoy the finer details of a song; the lyrics, beat, melody, harmony.... and the song is the big picture into which all of these elements combine.

While appreciating the music I listen to, I find that I have an interesting reciprocal relationship with each song. I control which songs are played at any given time to fit a general mood or vibe that more or less defines how I'm feeling. Eventually, one song leads to another, and with each new song, a more specific vibe which brings to me particular emotions is created. So I'd say that I work with the music I listen to in a kind of relationship to develop or understand an emotion, as opposed to using music to change or influence my emotions.
 
sandra_b said:
When I'm sad I usually channel it into anger so as to be more productive. I can't allow myself to get into slumps. Therefore I end up listening to heavy rock with a lot of screaming and angry lyrics to get myself amped up. I usually do not feel my own emotions and can alter them or cover them up when necessary.
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I do the same. Music can be a good outlet to channel an emotion. In some cases sadness or anger with heavy music. I find that I tend to match music to my mood, but they are ways for me to get feelings out of my system that I may be holding on to. When I was depressed a few years ago I depended on music to help cover up the negativity in my head. In that case it distracted me, but in a good way.
 
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