Fashioning Mental Health
The time comes for everyone. To combat those negative thoughts, the urge to turn on some emotional music kicks in. Music plays a huge role in the brain, through stories and emotion helping listeners escape from their undesired moods. The artists portray moments from their lives, or talk about things that they enjoy, to engage their audience. Different genres of music are associated with different moods for people. Music can improve undesired situations in life naturally. It is crucial to consider avenues for achieving an improved mental state.
A Connection to Fashion
In these difficult times, people tend to lose self-love and confidence, which takes a toll on their mental health. Fashion also ties into this challenge, because it is a route for people to be comfortable in their own skin. Having a favorite shirt or piece of clothing brings confidence to an individual due to the emotional ties to the garment. Being confident in the way a person portrays themselves is important for mental health. A variety of positive thoughts flow in the mind naturally when one is at peace with the surroundings. Mental health is a very serious subject that everyone deals with. It can be treated through both music and fashion.
Fashion provides an open canvas through a cognitive process that can be expressed and explored, opening the uniqueness of every individual. Self-determination dictates how a person wants to express themselves to the public. Having a wardrobe that is desirable and expresses oneself correlates with a positive self-image and high levels of self-confidence. “This study shows if you have a strong cultural association with a garment, wearing it can affect your cognitive processes. This phenomenon is called enclothed cognition” (Bernard 1). This phenomenon reveals that the brain works more easily through a calm state of mind when wearing a desirable garment. Self-confidence portrays the best possible idealization of what makes one unique. Not being confident or having low self-esteem can lead to mental health issues and social issues when a person does not love themselves for who they are. The tie between people dressing in clothing they like to wear and mental health is a straight-line to pride and positive energy. “Instead, we want to use clothing to reflect our authentic selves in the best possible way. We can project an image with our clothing that reflects comfort and self-esteem, even if we aren’t there yet” (Fluker 109). Fashion can reflect authenticity and self-esteem through the clothing a person feels comfortable wearing. Having a balanced self-esteem helps develop character and confidence while being in public. Clothing also plays a role in self-confidence and self-esteem by portraying the consumer’s personality. These make it so the consumer looks at themselves in the mirror with a smile on their face.
A Connection to Music
Listening to music while participating in any activity can bring different emotions across the brain. A variety of music can help deter one from an undesired state of mind and improve mental health.
“At the age of fifteen, Abdul experienced his first episode of serious depression and was briefly hospitalized for feeling suicidal…Over time, he began to use music as a resource to manage his emotions rather than unconsciously reinforcing difficult emotions and felt that this was helpful during difficult times” (McFerran 241).
Abdul, in this example, was going through life changes and his mental health dropped at the time. The situation was made worse by his grandmother passing away the year prior. Music became an element to pivot his mindset from depression. He played music to match his vibes and then further progressed into music with themes of resilience and positivity. Having an audio that is relatable and soothing to the ear can help deter evil thoughts from spiraling in the brain, which is a reason why music is such a powerful art.
“Sula then remembered that she needed to do some chores and chose songs that increased her energy to accompany the vacuuming. The songs had predictable ‘four on the floor’ drumbeats and bouncy melody lines. She soon found herself moving backward and forward in time to the music as she moved between different rooms. By the time she was finished, she felt energized, despite having done chores, and decided to call a friend to see whether she wanted to catch up later that day” (McFerran 239).
The different components in a song can make the energy in the room change from a calm environment to a high-energy environment. In the quotes about Sula, she was grieving about her grandmother who recently passed away, and was in a constant depressed state of mind while using most of her time to lay in bed and think. Music played a vital role in productivity and positivity in this scenario, giving Sula the energy and willpower to accomplish tasks she needed to get done and to continue to give her life the rest of her day.
The beauty in music is in its numerous forms and purposes, one of which is to help people get through the rough times in their lives. Music can have negative impacts on someone when their preference for music does not include upbeat energy within the artwork and keeps negative emotions flowing in one ear and continuing to spiral in the head. Meanwhile, the mindset to get out of the negativity loop is a practice that needs to become familiar to the younger populations going through changes in day-to-day life. Artists can help, bringing their stories to help push their listeners away from negativity. Music artists create the emotions portrayed in music to help listeners attain a desired mood. In hip-hop, it is common for artists to boast or toast in their music to keep the energy in the environment alive. On the other hand, this type of music is not ideal for mentally ill listeners who love the genre but are going through hardships.
Logic
In the article “Hip-Hop Music Raises Awareness about Mental Illness,” the author speaks to the lyrics of Logic’s song “1–800–273–8255.” “I don’t wanna be alive / I just wanna die today.”
“But then the verses do an astonishing thing. Logic (whose reps said was unavailable to speak for this piece) confronts those feelings, acknowledges and analyzes them, and finally realizes that he does have the power to seek help and move past them. ‘You gotta live right now / You got everything to give right now,’ he raps. Then the chorus changes: ‘I finally wanna be alive / I don’t wanna die today’” (Brown 1).
These lyrics from Logic in his pop sensation “1–800–273–8255” impacted the lives of countless individuals suffering from mental health problems. Through this song, he gives the audience hope that the suffering is temporary. The song title is the number of the Suicide and Crisis Hotline (now 988) and brings mental health to attention immediately. The artist depicting how the young person went from wanting to die in the beginning then in the next chorus to wanting to be alive has a very deep connection to its listeners. The artist confronts the evil thoughts and analyzes them to bring out self-belief that he can get through the situation. It is very influential to the listeners going through a similar situation themselves, giving them motivation and a song to cope with the rough times.
Kid Cudi
A variety of artists push positive messages in their music that relate to the struggles and hardships in their lives.
“Yesterday I checked myself into rehab for depression and suicidal urges. I am not at peace. I haven’t been since you’ve known me. If I didn’t come here, I would’ve done something to myself.” (Mescudi,1).
This is a very deep and emotional post by the influential hip-hop artist “Kid Cudi,” in which he publicly portrayed himself in a vulnerable spot and wanting to do better for himself while overcoming his suicidal urges. Kid Cudi’s music is inspirational and revolutionary to the genre of hip hop and rap. What makes him so special is that he talks about mental health and destigmatizes it in his music. He publicly shared the above post on Facebook, showing that he is human and relatable. His words create a very deep connection between the artist and his fans, who are now going through rough times together, able to overcome anything in their path. The bigger picture shows the amount of self-control needed to make a decision to stand up against the storm of negativity in the brain during difficult times.
“Kid Cudi’s like really one of the main dudes that kinda like did that and that I listened to all the time, he saved my life, he saved me from doing like random bad things to myself and kept me like focused” (Mescudi 1).
This quote was an interview of Travis Scott speaking on the impacts of his favorite artist Kid Cudi. The power of Cudi’s music is incredible with thousands of supporters agreeing that it saved their lives. The way the artist spoke freely about his situation and was okay with it and made efforts to push through gave the audience at home a feeling of comfort and understanding.
“It was this thing I had in my head that I always used to know like I had to embrace myself. With Cudi, I appreciate him for being him so I can be me” (Mescudi 1).
This quote is from an interview with Lil Yachty which is him talking about the effects that Kid Cudi has had on him. He thanks Cudi for the music he himself puts out being what he loves and wants to make without anyone telling him what to do. This self-passionate mindset is very inspiring to the public and allows Yachty to have the freedom to do what he pleases every day. Music is a great outlet to help with mental health problems and undesired situations. Mental health is a very touchy subject and it’s hard to release your story to the public if something unfortunate is occurring. Music plays a massive role in mental health by deterring negativity in the real world and placing positive energy and coping mechanisms over negative thoughts. Getting stuck in a gloomy headspace can cause a lot of mental health problems, temporary and permanent, if not treated.
A Playlist for Finding the Positive
“Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson (2011)
Clarkson promotes the idea of finding inner strength in the face of adversity. It is a very powerful song that inspires people dealing with mental health issues to take control of their well-being. The lyrics “Thanks to you I’m finally thinkin’ about me” push a positive message in the music about making sure to prioritize one’s well-being. This song went mainstream, heard all over the radio 10 years ago and touched many people by giving motivation to never give up.
“Scott Mescudi vs The World” by Kid Cudi (2010)
This song talks about how challenges inevitably occur, and they need to be faced head-on. Many implications of resilience and determination push a positive message to the audience to be comfortable with the obstacles about to come and believe in themselves. The lyrics “This is a journey, into the horizon, hope you can see past… We can meet on the other side” talks about how life is unpredictable and can be guided by resilience and confidence. This message can empower individuals to confront their challenges with self-determination and strength.
“Gorgeous” by Kanye West(2010)
This song dives into the freedom of self-expression as artists using the music to express personal stories. Uplifting energy is released under the themes of resilience and freedom of self-expression. The artists talk about how being yourself can lead to the best version of yourself with dedication. Kanye says “I ain’t got it, I’m coming after whoever who has it” bringing a message of determination to the table when getting things done, no matter the obstacles in the way.
“Self Care” by Mac Miller (2018)
This song by Mac Miller conveys a message of self-care being a coping mechanism to deal with mental health problems. Mac talks about how self-care helps treat his stress, anxiety, and difficult emotions. The lyrics “I got all the time in the world, so, for now, I’m just chillin’, plus I know it’s a beautiful feelin’” bring acceptance and healing to support the idea of self-acceptance in the minds of those who are dealing with mental health issues. Mac brings positive energy, guiding the audience to take steps toward improvement.
“Reborn” by Kanye West and Kid Cudi (2018)
This powerful song has several lines that are motivational and convey messages to keep pushing through life. Kid Cudi starts the song by saying “I’m movin’ forward, keep movin’ forward, keep movin’ forward,” which brings light to people dealing with issues that stop them from taking the next step. Whatever those issues may be, this song motivates us to keep pushing forward. Messages about self-acceptance in the lyrics help the audience embrace themselves and have the strength and hope to accomplish what they desire.
Final Thoughts
Mental health challenges are a very serious subject that everybody deals with. They should be more openly talked about so that easily accessible solutions to escape undesired moods can be shared. When life is not going well and a lot is going on, nerves and tension build up and cause stress and mood changes. The way I go through these obstacles is through listening to music and through fashion. It may be difficult to directly correlate fashion with changing undesired moods, but studies show that there is indeed a correlation between wearing your favorite clothes and an uplifting mood.
Being open about mental health truly matters, because challenges happen, part of a universal mental state that will inevitably occur in life. There need to be clear solutions and treatments to help those stuck in poor mental states. Music plays a huge role in one’s mood because the energy and lyrics can help keep you motivated during your day or set you back in productivity. These tools are very important to understand, realizing that they can be beneficial to one’s mental health. If you are feeling a loss of self-esteem or confidence, I suggest wearing your favorite attire, listening to uplifting music, and going out and getting yourself your favorite food. That series of steps will uplift your mood simply by enjoying a favorite food while looking your best. Understanding that being in a negative mood is temporary, and what tactics are available to change that mood, is important to combatting mental health challenges.
- Bernard, Katherine. “Confidence Dressing: How Clothing Affects the Mind.” Vogue, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2012, www.vogue.com/article/intelligent-design-how-clothing-affects-the-mind. Accessed 17 Oct. 2023.
- Brown, August. “Hip-Hop Music Raises Awareness about Mental Illness.” Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2023. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/AGHUHZ537303978/OVIC?u=mcc_chandler&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=94bf0549, originally published as “Young rappers are getting honest about doing battle with depression, drug addiction, and suicide,” Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2018. Accessed September 29, 2023.
- Fluker, Dominique Brielle. “Looking Good, Feeling Great.” Essence. 2023;54(3):108–110, https://search-ebscohost-com.ez1.maricopa.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=170733057&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed September 29, 2023.
- Laijawala, Riddhi. “Music is a lifesaver.” Psychologist. December 2022:71, https://search-ebscohost-com.ez1.maricopa.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=160223288&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed October 1, 2023.
- McFerran, Katrina Skewes. “Music as Emotion Management.” The Science and Psychology of Music: From Beethoven at the Office to Beyoncé at the Gym, edited by William Forde Thompson and Kirk N. Olsen, Greenwood, 2021, pp. 238–243. Gale eBooks, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX8251600065/GVRL?u=mcc_chandler&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=e0815205. Accessed 18 Sept. 2023.
- Mescudi, Scott. “Kid Cudi — Its Been Difficult for Me to Find the Words To…” Facebook, 4 Oct. 2016, www.facebook.com/kidcudi/posts/its-been-difficult-for-me-to-find-the-words-to-what-im-about-to-share-with-you-b/10154706102758586/
- Mescudi, Scott. “A Man Named Scott (2021).” Dailymotion, Dailymotion Video, 14 Dec. 2022, www.dailymotion.com/video/x8gc6dw.
