5 Reasons I Love Metal

The Multifaceted Beauty of Metal

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That’s me in the cover photo…just older.

I’m a forty-something introvert, mom, and writer and love hard rock and metal. It’s cathartic.

Have you ever watched Dead to Me? Christina Applegate’s character meditates via metal. It’s the scene in which I felt understood…that I’m not the only one who can find solace in such music.

1. Mental Health

Perhaps listening to metal is an equivalent to the primal scream…an outpouring of raw emotion. I live with depression and anxiety, and tension and frustrations build up within me too quickly sometimes. Instead of allowing it to boil over into yelling and cursing the universe, I feel the release of these emotions through the music. Some people run every morning to moderate these emotions. I would love to pound pavement and just go, but my back and knees prevent me from doing so. Next best thing…cranking up the metal (and perhaps some dancing around like a fool in the privacy of my own bedroom). I actually enjoy a variety of music, but if I have to pick a favorite, it’s metal.

Photo by George Bohunicky on Unsplash, color adjustment by author

2. Health Benefits

Immersing yourself in any genre of music you love, even metal, has been shown to reduce stress levels. The levels of cortisol in our bodies are reduced over time. Cortisol is that evil stress hormone that causes so many problems, such as anxiety, depression, headaches, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain, and even memory and concentration impairment.

Many don’t believe that hard rock and metal can possibly reduce stress, but we all connect with music. Some of us connect with pop or country or classical…and some of us connect with hard rock and metal. Music we love triggers dopamine and endorphins to release within our bodies. These are two of…