Anxiety, Depression High Among Young Heavy Metal Fans - Polidicks

[quote]How would you characterize adolescents who listen to heavy metal music? Angry? Perhaps prone to violence? Newly published research suggests “anxious” and “depressed” are more accurate adjectives. An analysis of 551 college students found “significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression among listeners of heavy metal/hard rock music, as compared with non-listeners.” Furthermore, their underlying level of anger was not significantly different from their peers who prefer other musical genres. The study, conducted by psychologists Gavin Ryan Shafron of Columbia University and Mitchell Karno of the University of California-Los Angeles, is described in the journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture. The researchers chose to survey students at Los Angeles-area community colleges, figuring that population would be more representative than a sample of university students.[/quote] [url]http://www.psmag.com/blogs/news-blog/anxiety-depression-high-among-young-heavy-metal-fans-55337/[/url]

There have always been two constants in metal communities long hair and sad guys and long hair on sad guys But as an addition, these kind of people aren't created from metal music (usually), these kind of people flock to metal because of those kinds of issues.

[QUOTE=Take_Opal;40325108]There have always been two constants in metal communities long hair and sad guys [editline]18th April 2013[/editline] and long hair on sad guys[/QUOTE] ahh fuck i'm a walking stereotype

not surprised at all.

This article is surprisingly accurate, at least for me

This is purely anecdotal but I've always associated heavy metal with people on the internet, in that there's a larger presence of metal fans on the internet than there is in real life and even those in real life seem to have a higher internet presence than others stuff like posting on forums or PC gaming. Or atleast so it seems. I suppose in a way this could support these findings and suggest that if those are depressed, they could be spending more time on the internet, spending more time alone, being more introspective (? I don't think that's the word I'm looking for). Anyone know what I mean?

Yeah. It's not surprising that most metal heads are avid gamers (seriously, go on /v/ and look at "Post what album you're listening to threads") and internet forum goers. Not to generalize the whole forum going populace, but a lot of them are regulars on forums because they're not regular socialites. Social anxieties, depression, isolating habits lead them here and the same goes for heavier sounds.

I wonder what my 1950-1980's pop music does to my feelings. Kinda wish there was more studies into music and feelings.

[QUOTE=Hamsterjuice;40325116]ahh fuck i'm a walking stereotype[/QUOTE] Shit, I was too, glad to have cut my hair.

[quote]A majority of the participants—57 percent—described themselves as heavy-metal listeners[/quote] that seems abnormally high

I dunno about anger though I do love the heavy sounds. You have to be careful saying what genre of metal your testing. There is a pretty big difference between heavy metal and just "metal" in general. Don't even get my started on un-black metal.

I'd be depressed and anxious I'd I had to remember so many types of metals and cores too.

[QUOTE=Phaselancer;40325322]I dunno about anger though I do love the heavy sounds. You have to be careful saying what genre of metal your testing. There is a pretty big difference between heavy metal and just "metal" in general. Don't even get my started on un-black metal.[/QUOTE] I think they're using heavy metal as a term for all metal.

Well what "metal"? Are they testing them with Nightwish or are they testing them with Dio? Are they going heavy or speed? Black or Liquid? Hair or Metalcore? There's a [I]lot[/I] of variables as opposed to just "metal".

Yeah, I'm sure at least 20% of those people are referring to Screamo and Blood on the Dance Floor as metal.

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;40325375]Well what "metal"? Are they testing them with Nightwish or are they testing them with Dio? Are they going heavy or speed? Black or Liquid? Hair or Metalcore? There's a [I]lot[/I] of variables as opposed to just "metal".[/QUOTE] [quote]They were asked their preference for various sub-genres, including Emo, Hardcore Punk, Death Metal, and Thrash Metal.[/quote]

Well I would assume it's what the participants defined it as? ^yeah

[QUOTE=Yumyumbublegum;40325386]They were asked their preference for various sub-genres, including Emo, Hardcore Punk, Death Metal, and Thrash Metal. [/QUOTE] Again, who though? Did they just pull them out of a hat and say "wow this sounds like x genre of metal" or did they actually take the time and compare artist-to-artist?

I'm more a fan of heavy core nu-scream postindustrial acidpunk

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;40325404]Again, who though? Did they just pull them out of a hat and say "wow this sounds like x genre of metal" or did they actually take the time and compare artist-to-artist?[/QUOTE] What are you saying? They asked they participants if they liked metal, then what their favorite genre(s) were. Then measured their anxiety/depression levels.

Huh, I am a lot more anxious -- and stay-at-home sorta metalhead, but I do dress the part whenever I go outside.

[IMG]http://forlackofabettercomic.com/img/comic/159.png[/IMG] I don't even know what the fuck half of the genres I hear about are, if there's guitars and it sounds "heavy" it's metal, and everything is pop for me.

I thought it was pretty obvious that a lot of metal heads are introverts with high anxiety

[QUOTE=Retardation;40325449]personally I have never met a person (online or otherwise) who was [u]solely[/u] into heavy metal and wasn't really sad/depressed all the time, extremely awkward or just really out there. i knew it had some sort of correlation before but god forbid you mention that to metalheads who lash at you instantly. at least there's a study to back up my suspicions now.[/QUOTE] I'm not a sad person and I'm reasonably capable with people despite listening solely to [sp]german[/sp] metal.

[QUOTE=Mingebox;40325413]I'm more a fan of heavy core nu-scream postindustrial acidpunk[/QUOTE] Really? You're a cunt. Everyone knows it's about post-power industrial grind and blackened death thrash.

Well with heavy metal music that's out now that's not too surprising. On a more serious note, someone already said it best, people flock to this music because of their issues; it's not the music making them. Which is sad because most metalheads are genuinely nice guys who would want nothing else but to drink bear clobber each other in a mosh pit and laugh about it in the morning. Then repeat the whole thing.

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;40325375]Well what "metal"? Are they testing them with Nightwish or are they testing them with Dio? Are they going heavy or speed? Black or Liquid? Hair or Metalcore? There's a [I]lot[/I] of variables as opposed to just "metal".[/QUOTE] when a post like this comes up in every discussion about metal, i can totally understand why fans of the genre have high anxiety

I have to agree with that. Pretty much everybody I know who has social problems (anxiety, depression, bullies, ...) listens to metal. I have to say that I enjoy heavy metal too. I'm not depressed or something though.

I can see this statistic being more true under genres like Nu-Metal and Metalcore. I have been diagnosed with clinical depression (depression without any apparent cause) but with my medications I function just as well as any other person in society. What draws me to Metal is the technicality and sophistication, bands like Megadeth and Evile are what make me really tick.

i'm not surprised by this study at all.