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Positive Vibes For Handling Mental Illness During Quarantine.

A Personal Playlist Of Uplifting Recovery Songs To Help During The Struggles Of Isolation.

By Erin ShieldsPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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During this time of uncertainty for those of us struggling with mental illness, this isolation can be devastating. Without access to our wider support networks and coping mechanisms, it can be a real struggle but music has always been there.

Music has this amazing ability to uplift me, to get right into my bones, my soul. It can turn a bad day good, when you find the perfect mix of feel good songs that is.

So I've come up with this playlist to help when I or you may be struggling with those inner demons. It's not much when we're missing out on therapy, but give it credit where it's due.

I'm sure many of you can relate to nights where you've wanted to take a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I'm also sure like me many of you will have sat there with music blasting out loud, and instead of taking that step you've cried your eyes to the saddest songs, passed out from exhaustion, woke up the next day and lived your life. As hard as it was and still is we didn't do it, in my case music was that buffer that stopped me from doing it. Allowed me time to think, to feel, expression in a way I could not express.

There are a few songs on here that bring back vivid memories of those nights long gone.

Ben Howard, Keep Your Head Up.

I remember this song, the first time I heard it I was sat on my bed it was summer and the sun was shining. For the first time in months I'd woken up that day and the fog had lifted. I remember turning this song on listening deeply to every single word he sang.

Oh I said I'd been away, and he knew .

Oh he knew the depths I was meanin'

This line is the most hard hitting one for me. When Depression takes over it feels like I'm checked out, like I'm not really here, not really living. That's how I take these lines followed on by the chorus about keeping your head up and your heart strong.

It is just one of those feel good songs. It makes me feel strong like I can get past anything that comes at me. I feel many others can relate to this song too.

Jess Glyne - Don't Be So Hard On Yourself.

It's got a really nice beat to it. Gives off those club vibes, makes me want to get up and dance but most importantly the lyrics hammer home to not give yourself a hard time. I feel with the quarantine a lot of us are having higher expectations on ourselves to get more done now we have all this free time.

But for those of us with a mental illness, we need to remember it's not like we've been given a gift of all this time to do more things we've been putting off, like home DIY or other different projects/work that needs doing. I discussed this with my therapist recently actually and she gave some very good advice. You see we're in quarantine and yes we do have more time to do stuff but that doesn't mean we have to do more, or beat ourselves up for not doing more.

This isolation is really hard on people's mental health, the stress, worry, fear and anxiety is increasing for everyone not just us already diagnosed with mental illnesses. It's about time we learnt to give ourselves some slack and praise ourselves for just making it out of this quarantine with minimal damage to our mental health progress.

Mostly this song is nice to just go wild too. Get up and dance all around the house. Jump up and down and shout out those lyrics until you believe it.

The Amity Affliction - Open Letter.

Okay so when I was around 18 I found this band. They are more heavy a mix of screaming and vocals. I have a varied taste in music and I absolutely love this band. I did go through a time where I was full of anger and pain. I listened to a lot of 'screamo' music as it's called because I could get out all that pain and angst. I could scream along to the song shout it out like no one was around to hear.

This song holds a place dear to me. I missed my chance to see them live when they were in the UK touring because of major anxiety about going to London despite being a quick train ride away. I wish I had gone but maybe some day in the future I'll get to seem them perform live.

'I'm not searching the sky for a reason to live

cos I found beauty right here and a passion to give'

When you are in a lot of pain this song can just be a really good release. Put it on, turn it up loud and scream along to the lyrics let the world know you're not ready to give up yet. That you're clinging onto life. It's time to reflect on the things that really matter to us right now in the midst of this pandemic.

The small things, the every day things we'd never stop and pause to even consider. Take beauty in life the mere fact you are breathing right this very moment. Take a deep breathe in, let it all out slowly. That is your sign to keep going. You're alive, you've come this far don't give up now.

Dance, Scream, Shout or just sit and appreciate the lyrics. But whatever you do. Remember why you're here. Remember you're stronger than this. It is a temporary situation that doesn't require a permanent solution.

I've included a link to suicide hotlines/text services across the world in case anyone needs it right now.

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About the Creator

Erin Shields

27. England. Poet. I have Bipolar, BPD & Anxiety. I’ve been writing since I was 18 as an outlet for my mental health.

I also have a Ko-Fi with more of my work: https://ko-fi.com/erin

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