Clinical psychology graduate student, Samantha Myhre, and I bonded a few years ago over our love of music. We both like to see live shows and get super-close to the stage. For example, here are some pictures Samantha has taken:

Eddie Vedder on the left; Chris Cornell on the right

And a few I have taken:

Aesop Rock on the left; Against Me! on the right

 

 

The connections we each have personally with music (discussed in more detail in this podcast episode) carried over to our Abnormal Psychology classes. We both found that adding class activities with music components engaged undergraduate students. Anecdotally, they enjoyed looking more deeply into lyrics than they had in the past. Some also said they experienced increased compassion and comprehension for mental disorder symptoms through the connection to music.

I posted our combined list of mental health-related songs below in case it’s helpful for people teaching these topics. If you have any that you think should be added, please let us know!

Anxiety:

• 19th Nervous Breakdown (by The Rolling Stones)
• If I Ever Feel Better (by Phoenix)
• Breathe (by U2)
• Flagpole Sitta (by Harvey Danger)
• Intro to Anxiety (by Hoodie Allen)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder:

• Wrong (by Depeche Mode)
• A.D.H.D. (by Kendrick Lamar)
• Epiphany (by Staind)
• Bouncing Around the Room (by Phish)

Autism Spectrum:

• We’ll Get By (The Autism Song) (by Johnny Orr Band)
• So It Goes (by various artists and parents)
• Missing Pieces (by Mark Leland/Tim Calhoun)
• I’m In Here (the anthem for autism – written from perspective of child with autism

Bipolar Disorder:

• Manic (by Plumb)
• Bi-Polar Bear (by Stone Temple Pilots)
• Manic Depression (by Jimi Hendrix)
• Lithium (by Nirvana)
• Secrets (by Mary Lambert)
• Down In It (by Nine Inch Nails)
• Given to Fly (by Pearl Jam)
• Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands (by Elliot Smith)
• I Go To Extremes (by Billy Joel)
• One Step Up (by Bruce Springsteen)

Depression:

• Fell on Black Days (by Soundgarden)
• Cleaning my Gun (by Chris Cornell)
• Hurt (by Nine Inch Nails)
• Lithium (by Nirvana)
• Save Me (by Ryan Adams)
• Today (by The Smashing Pumpkins)
• Sway (by The Rolling Stones)
• Turn Blue (by The Black Keys)
• Twilight (by Vanessa Carlton)
• Come Around (by Counting Crows)
• Lost Cause (by Beck)
• You Know You’re Right (by Nirvana)
• Oh My Sweet Carolina (by Ryan Adams & Emmylou Harris)
• Philadelphia (by Bruce Springsteen)
• Someone Saved My Life Tonight (by Elton John)
• Spaceman (by The Killers)
• Go Tell Everybody (by The Horrible Crowes)
• Danko/Manuel (by Drive-By Truckers/Jason Isbell)
• Fade to Black (by Metallica)
• Nutshell (by Alice in Chains)
• Keep Steppin’ (by Atmosphere)
• Adam’s Song (by Blink 182)
• Whiskey Lullaby (by Brad Paisley & Allison Krauss)
• Screaming Infidelities (by Dashboard Confessional)
• Rhyme & Reason (by Dave Matthews Band)
• Gotta Find Peace of Mind (by Lauryn Hill)
• Creep (by Radiohead)
• Everybody Hurts (by R.E.M.)
• So Many Tears (by Tupac Shakur)
• Dark Times (by The Weeknd)
• Electro-Shock Blues (by Eels)
• Quiet Times (by Dido)
• Comfortably Numb (by Pink Floyd)
• Hate Me (by Blue October)
• Girl With Broken Wings (by Manchester Orchestra)
• Jumper (by Third Eye Blind)
• Miss Misery (by Elliott Smith)
• Best I Ever Had (by Gary Allan)
• A Picture of Me (Without You) (by George Jones)
• Behind Blue Eyes (by The Who)
• One of Four (hidden track, end of Maintenance by Aesop Rock)
• Down in a Hole (by Alice in Chains)
• Keep Steppin’ (by Atmosphere)
• Picket Fence (by Brother Ali)
• Rain Water (by Brother Ali)
• Sullen Girl (by Fiona Apple)
• That Hump (by Erykah Badu)
• Rock Bottom (by Eminem)
• Boulevard of Broken Dreams (by Green Day)
• Moonshine (by the Gift of Gab)
• Mad World (by Tears for Fears)
• Black Clouds (by Papa Roach)
• Trouble in Mind (by Nina Simone)
• Much Finer (by Le Tigre)

Eating Disorders:

• Ana’s Song (Open Fire; by Silverchair)
• Demons (by Imagine Dragons)

Intellectual Disabilities:

• This Isn’t Disneyland (by The Sisters of Intervention)
• I Am (by Liz Longley)
• We’re Just the Same (by Terry Vital)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:

• Monster (by Paul Walters) is a song by Paul Walters who was on A&Es Obsessed. This song was created after his decade long battle with OCD
• Ana’s Song (by Silverchair) does a nice job of highlighting compulsions)
• Obsessions (by Marina and the Diamonds)

Panic Disorder/Panic:

• Be Calm (by fun.)
• If the Brakeman Turns My Way (by Bright Eyes)
• Circus Galop (by Marc-André Hamelin)

Positive Body Image:

• Nobody’s Perfect (by Hannah Montana – nice Disney Channel throwback)
• Stay Beautiful (by Taylor Swift)
• All About That Bass (by Meghan Trainor)
• Dumb Blonde (by Dolly Parton)
• Just the Way You Are (by Bruno Mars)
• What Makes You Beautiful (by One Direction)
• Try (by Colbie Caillat)
• Fat Bottomed Girls (by Queen)
• Born This Way (by Lady Gaga)
• Beautiful (by Christina Aguilera)
• Flawless (by Beyonce)
• You’re Beautiful (by James Blunt)
• F**kin’ Perfect (by P!nk)
• Beautiful (by John Mayer)
• Hips Don’t Lie (by Shakira)
• Fight Song (by Rachel Platten)
• Love Me (by Katy Perry)
• On My Own (by Miley Cyrus)
• Unpretty (by TLC)
• Feelin’ Myself (by Nicki Minaj ft. Beyonce)
• My Kind of Woman (by Justin Moore)
• I’d Want It to Be Yours (by Justin Moore)
• The Perfect Woman (by Bo Burnham)

Here‘s a playlist my class made with positive body image songs.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder/Trauma:

• Wrong Side of Heaven (by Five Finger Death Punch)
• Hidden Wounds (by dEUS)
• Drum + Fife (by Smashing Pumpkins)

Schizophrenia/Psychotic Symptoms:

• Jump They Say (by the late and great David Bowie) was a song written about Bowie’s brother who had schizophrenia and died by suicide while experiencing auditory hallucinations
• Basket Case (by Green Day)
• Is There a Ghost (by Band of Horses) is about Band of Horses member Ben Bridwell’s experiences with paranoia
• Annabelle (by Dessa)
• Shine On You Crazy Diamond (by Pink Floyd)
• Going Crazy (by Jean Grae)

Social Anxiety:

• Social Anxiety (by Nicola Elias)
• The Quiet One (by The Who)
• Things the Grandchildren Should Know (by Eels)

Substance Use:

• Everyone’s At It (by Lily Allen)
• Never Did (by Perfume Genius)
• Sober (by P!nk)
• Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth (by The Dandy Warhols):
• Needle and the Damage Done (by Neil Young)
• Under the Bridge (by Red Hot Chili Peppers)
• Rehab (by the late Amy Winehouse)
• Detox Mansion (by Warren Zevon)
• Cover Me Up (by Jason Isbell)
• Super 8 (by Jason Isbell)
• Choices (by George Jones)
• Stockholm (by Jason Isbell)
• Starting Over (by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)
• Amazing (by Aerosmith)
• That Smell (by Lynyrd Skynyrd)
• Gravity (by A Perfect Circle)
• Numb (by Alanis Morissette)
• Save You (by Pearl Jam)
• You’re Gone (by Diamond Rio)
• Sunloathe (by Wilco)
• Unforgiven (by Hal Ketchum)
• Uncle Johnny (by The Killers)
• Drug Ballad (by Eminem)
• The Man I Knew (by Dessa)
• Habits (Stay High, by Tove Lo)

Suicide/Self-Harm

• Asleep (by The Smiths)
• The Ledge (by The Replacements)
• Vincent (by Don McClean)
• King’s Crossing (by Elliott Smith)
• Suicidal Thoughts (by Notorious B.I.G.)
• Last Resort (by Papa Roach)
• Like Suicide (by Soundgarden)
• The Great Escape (by P!nk)
• Hold On (by Good Charlotte)
• Don’t Try Suicide (by Queen)
• 1-800-273-8255 (by Logic)
• Out of Here (by Brother Ali)
• Moment of Truth (by Gang Starr)
• Jeremy (by Pearl Jam)
• Coming Apart (by Friends of Emmet)
• The Pretender (by Jackson Browne)
• Keep Livin’ (by Jean Grae)
• Keep on Livin’ (by Le Tigre)

Here‘s a playlist my class made with songs that give them hope when they’re feeling down.

While I have you here thinking about mental health and music, I recommend checking out Dessa: