News: 'Dangerous' music linked to drug and alcohol abuse in young people, new Aussie

[thestudent14]

LISTENING to "dangerous" music could drive young people to lapse into drug and alcohol abuse, new Australian research has found.
Positive or more soothing music could also be used as an inexpensive tool to prevent or treat substance misuse, according to the Queensland University of Technology study.

The findings will see doctors encouraged to ask young people what music they listen to following a warning that the lyrics, tempo and mode of music can have a much greater influence a vulnerable person's behaviour than previously thought.

Researcher Dr Genevieve Dingle said being aware and strategically changing a person's music choice could help them avoid drug and alcohol cravings, though the formula was individual and not as simple as pop songs being more healthy than heavy metal or rap.
Those most at risk of taking ``club drugs'' may face the biggest threat if they hear up-tempo dance music and could benefit by swapping for reggae, classical or more sedate tunes.

Those suffering depression face dangers from darker, negative music such as thrash metal and could benefit from more up-tempo beats.
"It is broader than just how it makes you feel, it might be also that it triggers cravings for substance use if that music is associated with previous use in some way," Dr Dingle said.
"Some of the key things are tempo because that has an impact on heartbeat, its also lyrics because young people tend to take them on as messages to themselves, the sound of vocal and music quality, and whether it is in a major or minor mode which can make it feel happier or sadder music.
Two studies will be presented at the Australian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs 2013 conference today detailing the musical triggers for people in long-term drug treatment programs.

Literally made me lol, dangerous music haha.

 

[spacejunk]

Literally made me lol, dangerous music haha.

Fucking hell! What a hilarious piece of crap that article is...where did you find it? I can only really guess at the real intentions of this without the context of its source.
Sadly it could be a religious pamphlet - or equally plausible, one of our high quality Australian newspapers nowadays.

It sounds like the sort of study commissioned by a fringe interest group, cult, or simply something to print on a slow news day.
What about this:
Hank Williams died of an overdose of chloral hydrate, alcohol and a shot of morphine (administered by a phony doctor) in the back of of his chauffeur driven Cadillac on New Year's Day 1953!
Drawing a conclusion that people will listen to his music and live a similar life of pain an sorrow - of heartbreak and alcohol abuse - would be a big stretch.
Sure, some folk may have gone down that road, but to blame the music ignores all the people that enjoy it for what it is - music!
Hank's music is some of the darkest, most sorrowful music I've heard to this very day - but the nature of art is that you see in it what you will. There is joy and excitement there too.
Careful - it might increase your heart rate - like sex and drugs - everybody just stay calm!

This is nothing new, it's just ludicrous bunch of wild assumptions that have been bandied around for decades - be it in the media regarding a local rave scene, some kind of metal or a fucking art exhibition depicting representations of the human body or something - and someone always has to take offence at it; unfortunately these people oddly seem to have a nationally syndicated column - or a religious congregation of furious letter-writers.
Whatever gets ratings, I guess. Or parishioners through the doors...
The subtleties of contemporary music styles are clearly lost on the researchers - at least the as the article makes out.

Just as (white) parents were outraged at 1920s jazz, Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed (may he rest in peace), Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, the Sex Pistols, the Dead Kennedys, NWA, Marilyn Manson or whatever - in their respective times - some people are going to grow up and be horrified at what the kiddies are listening to!

It's just an annoying cliche now though - how many of the original punks or ravers must have grandchildren by now?

If you're one of these concerned parents, I would recommend subtly introducing any of those bands I just listed into your children's lives at appropriate times - well, the Elvis is up to you, but there is so much good music parents can turn their kids onto. Rather than say "no hard trance" "no death metal" - show them something they might appreciate.
If it's too late, then maybe you missed your chance Music can be a really powerful art form, and there are songs, performers - and I guess sounds that evoke childhood memories; and I treasure this music; but I also really get off on loud, wild, hectic music.
My taste is dictated by mood - not the other way around!!

Some of what i enjoy with my folks happens to be "relaxing" or sedate - but these can also be tales of pain and heartbreak. More so than a grinding noise track or punk rock racket; it's so subjective.

Are they serious in suggesting that;
a) depressing music causes depression? this is so logically flawed.
b) people will actually start listening strictly to music suggested by their physician. (seriously???)
c) people will actually start listening strictly to music dictated by their parents! if we're talking the kinds of kids with "uncool" (or percieved uncool) parents, forget it! (I know plenty of super cool parents - my own certainly weren't [to me], but we have a handful of musical tastes in common) but people will enjoy what they enjoy. Lots of parents into so-called "dangerous music" end up with kids who listen to the complete opposite. In other cases they all party together.
The idea that we start telling anyone what sort of music they should listen to for "health" reasons is just silly.
This is like a weird 80s Tipper Gore/Nancy Reagan flashback nightmare.

I agree that there is some dangerously shit music being peddled to the kids these days, but these people need to face the facts; the corporate "music industry" has been dying an unpleasant death for the past decade, people either dig what's presented to them or seek out alternatives. Or both, or whatever. The Internet makes accessing practically any music possible.

If you're worried about the music your kids might be listening to - or your friends - you can try to engage with them, try to find some common ground. But people will like what they like; trying to forcefully change that - with such laughable arguments and conclusions - is just bizarre.

Almost every social change of note - be it in arts, human societies, foods and/or drugs consumed - has been met with some kind of resistance or shock (be it genuine or media generated) but surely we've grown up as a culture to see the futility in trying to direct people to consume the media they consider "healthy".

Jazz music had a fairly extended era of being considered wicked - turning people mad - and making people overtly sexual - a hundred years ago. It doesn't seem so shocking to people any more - there are new folkdevils!
I might not think much of a lot of the music pushed by the (few remaining) big labels - auto tuned, generic, derivative or whatever it happens to be - but the idea of telling people what music they should be listening to ought to be left to music press IMHO.

 

[DigitalLove]

I actually think it sounds perfectly reasonable in parts. Listening to music you associate with drug taking should obviously remind you of said drug taking. I know I have certain songs I associate with certain drugs and the like. And there is many studies on major/minor chord progressions inspiring different feelings in people when they listen to them.
Obviously people won't listen to people who tell them what to listen to, but isn't a really important part of rehab avoiding situations that remind you of drug taking?

 

[spacejunk]

Remind you of, sure.
But different strokes for different folks - I don't get triggered by the sorts of music mentioned. We all have associations, but mine and the next guy's are likely to be pretty different.
It just seems like a generalisation of a certain demographic of user/patient/person.

Personally, there are plenty of "positive and soothing" types of music that makes me want to get high.
More so than cheesy techno that reminds me of nightclubs or something like that anyway. It's too subjective.

When I read this article it makes me feel like I'm being told to listen to the carpenters or something:
That makes me want to bust out the heavy sedatives just to escape it.

 

[footscrazy]

This article wasn't as stupid as I thought it would be but it's hardly a news flash that music can enhance or change your mood. I feel like the study was probably pretty reasonable (though unecessary), and it's typical media spin that adds such lines as 'LISTENING to "dangerous" music could drive young people to lapse into drug and alcohol abuse'. I feel like it's hardly worth a study to tell people what they already know and practice - that certain songs can trigger you (I certainly have some), and that some music works to calm you down, and so on.

If it has any benefit though maybe it'll be allowing mp3 players, stereos and cds into inpatient treatment centres - I always thought it was a dumb rule that some places forbid these.

 

[One Thousand Words]

I only have to hear certain house or trance tunes from the early to mid 90's and I get that urge to drop a pill and hit a dance floor. There are also plenty of films and tv shows that while watching them I think about getting high. To say people lose all self control and spiral into a sea of addiction because of a song is a bit melodramatic though.

 

[Crankinit]

Skrillex made me smoke meth!

 

[Jabberwocky]

Literally made me lol, dangerous music haha.

Absolute joke of an article but listening to any kind of electronic music definitely brings up MASSIVE urges to go out and hit the meth/MDMA and party. Sure it doesn't last past the first few songs but I definitely get a craving for stimulants when I hear any kind of house/dnb/trance etc.

 

[drug_mentor]

I had to remove a bunch of OT shit in this thread from posters that should know better. I would appreciate if this thread got back on track and will be removing any further posts that are not on topic. If any of the serial offenders in this thread ignore my instruction then further action will be taken.

 

[Juvenile]

Anecdotally it's somewhat true in my case. I got in to electronic music long before I tried drugs. The music led me to the scene which exposed me to drugs I guess.

That said, I suspect it was the other way around for a lot of people i.e. the drugs led them to electronic music.

 

[ayjay]

That said, I suspect it was the other way around for a lot of people i.e. the drugs led them to electronic music.

What he said! Certain songs also give me massive ecstasy flashbacks - even if they are fairly new songs that just seem to capture the mood of being off chops perfectly. "I feel cream" by Peaches does that to me every time - great rushes of electricity up and down my spine, goose bumps, warmth in the belly

Fuck I need to listen to it right now!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls_jiOE8WKU

Actually - music IS the drug

 

[thestudent14]

Remind you of, sure.
But different strokes for different folks - I don't get triggered by the sorts of music mentioned. We all have associations, but mine and the next guy's are likely to be pretty different.
It just seems like a generalisation of a certain demographic of user/patient/person.

Personally, there are plenty of "positive and soothing" types of music that makes me want to get high.
More so than cheesy techno that reminds me of nightclubs or something like that anyway. It's too subjective.

When I read this article it makes me feel like I'm being told to listen to the carpenters or something:
That makes me want to bust out the heavy sedatives just to escape it.

This I completely agree with.

Sure trance and electro house make me wanna party and drop a pill, but that's because I love partying and sure trance lends itself to E, I mean the whole genre grew around the drug but that doesn't mean that trance makes me want to take drugs, it means it's the music I prefer when I take MD. If trance did not exist I severely doubt it would affect my drug taking, i would just find a different style of music that I would also love. There is definitely correlation between genre's of music and drugs but causation I don't think so.

 

[angeleyes]

Reefer madness!@#@!

 

[pisspotnrock]

its true.. I once listened to slipknot and within the hour, I was main-lining heroin in my neck

that was a joke

that article's a good laugh but.. I wonder how much funding went into that research haha maybe I would rather not know....