There’s Bliss in the Negativity
The very essence of metal as a genre of music is to be rebellious against the normal standards of society and against authority. Of course, this is common knowledge for any metalhead. But why do we feel this way?
Because a lot of us have been hurt in the past just for being ourselves. The idea that a person would abuse another emotionally or physically for no other reason than to validate themselves is just revolting. But for many people, they know it all too well.
But it’s not just that, it’s other wounds like addiction, grief, depression, anxiety, and anything negative regarding the human experience that you could think of.
Heavy metal has been a perfect emotional outlet and cathartic release for everyone who has been hurt by life in the worst ways imaginable.
Heavy Metal Therapy(HMT) is a UK-based online community resource that gives metalheads a platform to express how much it has helped them through the suffering we all go through as a collective.
Dr. Kate Quinn, the Director of Heavy Metal Therapy and an experienced clinical psychologist says that instead of using the phrase, “live, laugh, love”, HMT uses the phrase, “die, cry, hate”.
This is obviously much different from the conventional stance that “a positive mindset will help you overcome your problems”.
From my perspective, in some cases that is just faking it until you make it. And that hardly ever works, despite what people say.
Finding Refuge & Purpose in Extreme Music
With the understanding that faking positivity can only ever get you so far, it’s important to know exactly how the negativity expressed in the music can make such an impact on our lives.
Negativity giving us the motivation and drive to keep going sounds preposterous to most in society, but it absolutely works wonders from my own personal experience.
That negativity is compounded into multiple playlists that Heavy Metal Therapy employs to help people with their mindset and attitude.
Anxiety, depression, trauma, and much more are all here to give those with such terrible feelings a way to feel relaxed and spoken to in a way that they haven’t by anything or anyone else.
The music absolutely does speak to us like it is a friend we can lean on in the worst of times and emotions.
Negative Emotions Are Your Friend
Countless misconceptions and labels have been placed on what I consider the nicest and friendliest community of people you will ever meet in your life.
But because we have that outlet that people just can’t seem to comprehend, those same misconceptions and labels become obsolete and completely get put in the rearview mirror.
Do you know how we get past the point of caring anymore? By embracing those negative and taboo emotions to grow as a person and self-improve.
These emotions are perfectly normal to experience for everyone at one point or another in their life. However, we have that one passion that allows us to overcome them in such a cathartic and healthy way together in a community of people who absolutely love heavy music.
As Dr. Quinn put it, “Peer support and sharing experiences of struggles with each other is quite a helpful intervention.”
And so too is the music a helpful intervention in not acting upon such negative emotions. Embrace the feelings you have, they are your ticket to unlocking positive change in your life.