Wiltshire Music Connect
Music and Mental Health
Research shows that listening to and making music can provide a significant benefit for the mental health of young people. It can help with managing emotions and stress, encourage emotional expression, foster a sense of belonging and promote creativity. Studies have shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety and depression and even boost self-esteem.
Young people have written about how music has helped with their mental health.
Schools can help young people to explore and reflect on the beneficial effects of music. Trying out and learning new things, including creative activities, can improve wellbeing.
Many schools already use music to promote wellbeing:
Teaching about mental health
Teaching about mental wellbeing is part of RSHE and PSHE education.
Guidance and resources for schools to teach about mental health are available from a range of organisations including the PSHE Association (membership is required to access all the resouces).
Your OWN Music
For the last few years Wiltshire Music Connect have been asking young people to send them a sample of their music as part of the Your OWN Music project. Some of these contributions have explored issues relating to mental health and wellbeing.
Resources for PSHE
These recordings could be used as part of a PSHE lesson in secondary schools to raise awareness of common feelings and emotions experienced by young people. Many young people will relate to the feelings expressed in the music and lyrics from young people of a similar age living in Wiltshire.
Discussion and related activities can help to raise awareness of the benefits to mental health of listening to, or writing and performing music; it can ease anxiety, help people to express difficult emotions and even help some people develop their identity.
Hearing these contributions may encourage young people to be creative; perhaps write lyrics or compose music themselves.
The resource
Track 1: Anybody Else by Alex
Listen Anybody Else here (2:55)
Track 2: Her Silence by Hollie
Listen to Her Silence here (4:38)
