Teenage depression and heavy metal music
By Liz Lockhart
Music is a welcome addition to our lives. Music can lift our mood, make us feel like dancing and holds 
memories of the past. Teenagers who are at risk of depression are more likely to listen habitually and repetitively to heavy metal music, according to new Australian research, and this can have negative implications.
Dr. Katrina McFerran, a senior lecturer in music therapy at the University of Melbourne, conducted the study. She carried out in-depth interviews with 50 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18. The information from the interviews was then combined with a national survey of 1,000 young people.
Dr. McFerran’s aim is to create an early intervention model that can be brought into schools which will positively impact on teenagers before behavioural problems arise.
‘The mp3 revolution means that young people are accessing music more than ever before and it’s not uncommon for some to listen to music for seven or eight hours a day,’ says McFerran.
‘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,’ she adds.
‘If this behaviour 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.’
If parents are aware of their children’s choices in music they can detect early warning signs and take action, Dr. McFerran believes.
‘If parents are worried, they should ask their children questions like ‘How does that music make you feel?’ If children say the music reflects or mirrors the way they feel then ask more about what the music is saying,’ she adds.
McFerran concluded ‘If listening doesn’t make them feel good about themselves, this should ring alarm bells. Alternatively, if parents notice a downturn in their child’s mood after listening to music this is also a cause for showing interest and getting involved.’
Source: University of Melbourne
