Songs About Mental Illness

It’s no secret that one of the backbones of my life is music. It has the power to heal pieces of you that you might not have known it could. Three of the times I went to rehab it was a music-based program. I learned to use music to my advantage like listening to songs that match my feelings, so I know someone else is feeling the same way.

Music can serve as a distraction, relation, self-awareness, safety, comfort, and more. The artists who wrote these songs had a goal to elicit emotion from their listeners. Just like if we write our stories to share with others.

These songs have really hit home and bring out pieces of me I didn’t know were there.But certain songs can trigger certain emotions so beware when listening to them. If it hits, turn it.

Some of the songs can be triggering so please listen with care,

I’ll be adding to this list over time so check back often for more songs to get you through.

*These are all my interpretations of the songs on this list. Just like anyone who hears a song has their own interpretation. Share yours in the comments section.*

Emeli Sandé is singing about being able to be yourself through adversity in the world. She sings about getting through your insecurities an how you can use those to your advantage. A lot like me sharing my stories with everyone.

I wanna sing

I wanna shout

I wanna scream, til the words dry out

So put it in all of the papers, I’m not afraid

They can read all about it, read all about it

This song dives deep into having bipolar disorder. Coleman Hell sings about being depressed and how debilitating it can be. The lyrics hit deep and I find it to be a mirror in some ways because I’ve been through all of the symptoms he sings about.

When I feel crazy, I hide it, then fall apart in private

Where my mirror’s the only on who sees my tears

There’s a method to my sadness, it’s a chemical imbalance

And my head is damaged way beyond repair

Losing yourself in life is the main theme of Sia’s Breath Me. It is self-deprecating. Feeling this way is so typical or me when I get depressed that I find myself in the lyrics.

Ouch I have lost myself again

Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found

Yeah I think that I might break

Lost myself again and I feel unsafe

As per usual, Amy Winehouse’s lyrics are deep but upbeat. Wake Up Alone is no different. She is singing from the heart about addiction and mental illness and how the two go hand in hand.

It’s okay in the day, I’m staying busy

Tied up enough so I don’t have to wonder where is he

Got so sick of crying, so just lately

When I catch myself I do a 180

We’ve all been there, faking happiness to survive. Sometimes its all we can do to get through the moment. It’s a defense mechanism for me because it deflects serious questions or me being questions over and over agin. Sometimes its our best option.

So I’ve been doing a good job of makin’ ’em think

I’m quite alright, better hope I don’t blink

You see it’s easy when I’m stomping on a beat

But no one sees me when I crawl back underneath

This one hits deep. It’s a strangely melancholy upbeat song about anxiety and how it fucks up part of your life. The lyrics hit many aspects of mental illness that some of us deal with on a daily basis.

Feel like I’m always apologizing for feeling

Like I’m out of my mind when I’m doing just fine

And my exes all say that I’m hard to deal with

And I admit it, yeah

This classic hit from the 90’s is all about being positive through adversity. It’s an oddly upbeat song about struggling with life and how to move on. Their lyrics are about someone who made poor decisions and the consequences of those actions. We all have to take responsibility for our actions and move on.

You could sustain

Or are you comfortable with the pain?

You’ve got no one to blame for your unhappiness

You got yourself into your own mess

Lettin’ your worries pass you by

Don’t you think it’s worth your time

To change your mind?

TW: Unaliving yourself

This song hits deep on a very serious subject, unaliving yourself. We can be so negative about ourselves. This song talks about feeling like no one is there for you. It also speaks on how to make it through and lets you know you are not alone.

It’s the very first breath

When your head’s been drowning underwater

And it’s the lightness in the air

When you’re there

Chest to chest with a lover

It’s holding on, though the road’s long

And seeing light in the darkest things

And when you stare at your reflection

Finally knowing who it is

I know that you’ll thank God you did

This one from the late great Chester Bennington speaks to on strange wave length. I can be so into myself when I am depressed and thinking everything was about me but the song helps you realize you’re aren’t alone in this life. We could all use that reminder to let go.

You say that I’m paranoid

But I’m pretty sure the world is out to get me

It’s not like I make the choice

To let my mind stay so fucking messy

I know I’m not the center of the universe

But you keep spinning ’round me just the same

I know I’m not the center of the universe

But you keep spinning ’round me just the same

Demi is known for her hard hitting songs about emotions and mental health. This one in particular is about fighting your demons and rising above like a phoenix from he ashes. She sings about being a warrior through all of it.

Now I’m a warrior
Now I’ve got thicker skin
I’m a warrior
I’m stronger than I’ve ever been
And my armor, is made of steel, you can’t get in
I’m a warrior
And you can never hurt me again

That was just a sample of my Mental Illness playlist. There are plenty more here on this playlist I put together. I hope you can find something in there for yourself to relate to.

If you have songs that relate to Mental Illness please share them in the comments below.