We’ve occasionally written about the correlation between metal music fandom and various mental changes (often positive). More recently, University of Saskatchewan student Anna Nouhl Kuhlmann recently performed a study that lends credence to anecdotal stories of metal music resolving anxiety issues. Kuhlmann notably decided to focus on female fans, claiming that “A lot of the research I’ve found focuses on men…”, and that she “…wanted to show that metal music can have positive results for female fans, even though it has such negative stereotypes about it.” I personally doubt the results would be substantially different if the study had a different gender focus, at least based on my own personal experience of finding the genre less stressful than, for instance, mainstream pop. I’d also like to see the actual publications associated with this study, as it presumably would provide more details on her approach and findings that would definitely be of interest to our readers.
Tags: canada, mental health, metal academia, news, saskatchewan, women in metal
As usual (we’re spoiled) insightful. Mainstream pop reflects the neurotic need for relevance and validity of the herd, where metal rises above it. To sodomize the weak…
For me, it depends on what kind of stress we are talking about.
If you are engaged in an intense table tennis duel, or playing a game of StarCraft, then you will be “stressed”. Adrenaline will run through your body, increasing your performance.
But that is a good kind of stress. A lot of metal has that in it. I’m painting wide strokes here, but generally, if there would be a society that is like metal sounds, then it would be full of such activities. People would be pushing themselves and each other to reach newer greater heights – beating each other during the competitions, and shaking hands and drinking beer after them. A kind of stress would certainly be involved.
If there was a society that is like pop music sounds (there almost is, to be honest), then that society would certainly induce stress in many of us. But that “stress” to me would be closer to depression and despair.
Any (good) form of escapism is a way to relieve anxiety (really it just makes you forget the source of the anxiety for that time). The mundane will always be around the corner. The only real cure is apathy, lobodomy, or death.
You forgot the best cure: changing the environment around you, or moving to a different environment.
Not everyone is fit for innawoods living and running away seems like the easy way out.