When words are impossible, music is there. When heightened, saddened, or joyful emotions are present, music is there. Music’s role in grief allows one to acknowledge the experience through healthy coping mechanisms. The grief process varies for everyone, but musical connections can be made, even beyond the grave.
Read below for more on the melodies of healing.
Music’s Role in Grief
To begin, one must understand how music and the brain are compatible. The limbic system in one’s brain helps mediate emotions, learning, and memory. To break it down further within this interconnected system, neurotransmitters such as dopamine correlate with feel-good feelings. When loss happens, people may use negative coping habits such as alcohol, retail shopping, or eating sugar to obtain those feel-good neurotransmitters.
Music’s role in the brain can be a positive coping mechanism that doesn’t harm the body.
Singing Through the Tears
One way grief can process healthily is through music’s non-verbal expression of complex emotions. An individual needs to connect with their grief and find solace. Instrumental music can also induce catharsis-a release of pent-up emotions. Releasing emotions benefits the body because it reduces stress and gives the individual a sense of relief.
Music also connects with memory. Songs can hold cherished memories and keep a connection alive. Sometimes it can be the song’s words describing a character, and it resembles someone once known. Catharsis is likely to happen in this scenario.
Tunes of Transformation
Lyrics in a song can comfort a grieving individual by making them feel understood and less alone. For instance, a verse from Eric Clapton’s song-Tears In Heaven states, “Beyond the dark there’s peace, I’m sure.” This phrase can correlate to the thoughts one has about their passed lover being at peace and not in some terrifying realm. Songs that generate meanings of hope, such as Imagine by John Lennon, resilience, and healing, such as Fix You by Coldplay, encourage individuals to find strength and navigate their grief journey.
Music’s role in grief can also help distract the individual. Listening to music while cleaning the house or doing yard work helps divert attention from overwhelming thoughts and can even create a sense of mindfulness.
Conclusion
It is essential to acknowledge that each individual’s grieving process is unique. While music can bring comfort to some, it may not have the same effect on others. Music’s role in grief can release pent-up emotions, provide understanding and hold on to cherished memories. The goal isn’t to forget loved ones but to relieve overwhelming feelings and provide a healthy coping mechanism.
For more on music, visit Ferry Godmother.com.