Mental Health
- If people in your family have had mental health issues after doing drugs (e.g. Marijuana) then you most likely will suffer the same fate. It runs in families. Just because it is legal or everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it is safe for you. Don’t succumb to peer pressure.
- If people in your family have had trouble with addiction then you most likely will suffer the same fate. This means that it is very hard for you to stop at just one. Once you get started it will be very hard to quit. This also runs in families – don’t think you will be smarter or stronger. It is OK to not drink – find friends who are OK with this.
- If you are using drugs to medicate pain from trauma it is far better to reach out to friends, family, teachers, therapists, pastors and God (through prayer). People do care about you and love you. People will listen to the trauma you have experienced, empathize with you and help you.
- A lot of people who have experienced trauma use music to numb the pain (particularly rock, emo, or metal). A lot of music in these genres tends extremely sad, angry or hateful. Going to therapy to talk about the trauma you have experienced would be a better outlet and would be much better for your mental health (alternatively friends, family, teachers, pastors and God (through prayer)). If you are listening to this stuff you most likely are internalizing the trauma that you have experienced (meaning you don’t tell people about it because you think they don’t care). People do care about you – give therapy a shot for a private and non-judgmental outlet. In addition to being an outlet for venting about trauma, your therapist will also give you life skills and coping strategies. They will help you work through problems in life.
For those who have experienced trauma here are some examples of what your music probably sounds like:
I am assuming you have what I call ‘Sad Eyes’ in photos. I also assume you have an internal ache that is always there. It is like a hole that you fill with music, drugs or something else. I’m truly sorry for whatever it was you have experienced or are experiencing in your life. Depending on how long you have been experiencing trauma and have been internalizing your problems, your musical tastes could have grown sadder, darker, or angrier than the above songs. As you work with your therapist to heal, try to draw lines on your music. So for rock music – only soft vocals, non psychotic guitars, and no satanic content. For rap music limit violence and aggression. Music significantly affects your inner mental state – your thoughts and emotions. If you listen to angry music, your vibe is angry. If you listen to sad music your vibe is sad. The more you internalize your problems and the more of this kind of music you consume, the worse you will get. You think it is comforting you, but in reality you continue to get sadder, angrier and more hateful at the world. This process continues until you end up in a place you don’t want to be. This is why it is important to give therapy a try. They will help you to actually process your trauma and heal from it in real and meaningful ways. As you heal, try to mix in more positive music. Try the following song by Michael Franti & Spearhead. You will notice that it has the opposite effect on your mental state – it uplifts your mood instead of keeping it down.
Finally God sees your pain and wants you to come back to Him.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done. He knows you and loves you.
This is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4):
This is the calling of Mary Magdalene:
This is the healing of Mary Magdalene:
Advice For The Kids 