In this blog we present to you 16 songs about depression and loneliness.

17 Songs about depression and loneliness

“Astronaut” by Simple Plan

This song by simple plan is considered a staple on the theme of isolation and alienation that one feels when they are struggling mentally and emotionally.

The writer of this song uses the metaphor of being isolated in outer space as he feels isolated, unheard, and as disconnected from others.

The song holds a sense of desperation as the singer sings about his desire to reach out and rejoin humanity which reflects an individual’s desire to connect and feel understood.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day

This song is another important musical piece that was extremely popular in the early 2000s when many young people could relate to what the narrator talks about in this song.

The narrator of the song talks about how lonely he feels, how isolated and desperate he feels to reconnect with people that are no longer part of his life.

Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Bonnie Tyler

The song is about the loneliness that one feels when love is unrequited or when an individual goes through a loss of a relationship.

The song represents the social withdrawal that people often go through in the face of loss and how people tend to shut others out.

The song speaks deeply about the isolation and loneliness that one feels in the face of loss and on the face of hoping on to the hope of love.

The Outside – Taylor Swift

This song is about the loneliness one feels after chasing their own path and the challenges of experiencing rejection because of the choices one has made.

The writer of this song is about the rejection they have faced in the face of their careers and the loneliness she felt in the face of the misery she has experienced.

All By Myself – Eric Carmen

All by myself is a famous song about looking back at life and finding no one by your side. It is about the reflection that one has in the face of one’s later life and mortality.

Everybody Hurts’ – R.E.M.

This song is an anti-suicide song that plays emphasis how important it is to connect with other people when they are depressed and that everyone hurts- they are not alone.

‘I See A Darkness’ – Bonnie Prince Billy

This song is about the lows of depression and how this particular low of hopelessness and worthlessness can drive an indidvdiual to escape in many ways including suicide and self harm.

The song refects an indidvdiual inability to see any positive choices when they are depressed and instead think that the only way out is suicide which is not true.

‘Breathe Me’ – Sia

“‘Breathe Me’ is a song about anxiety and the general feeling of worry. It was inspired by her experience of being overwhelmed by her own inner thoughts and the fear of potentially doing herself some harm.

‘Comfortably Numb’ – Pink Floyd

This song is about what it is like to look at yourself from a childlike perspective reaching out for the adult you who is depressed, alinetated, and struggling. It is about what it feels like to live with depression and find yourself disdain and numb.

‘This song saved my life’ — Simple Plan

This song is about being depressed and down but being saved by a song that you heard at the right time when you needed it the most.

It is about being connected or feeling understood by an artist who feels the same way and feeling connected through music.

Never too late- Three days Grace

This song is about feeling isolated and misunderstood even when people around us are present and offering support. It is about the isolation that one feels when some is depressed.

How to disappear completely— radiohead

This heavy song about the feeling of alienation by radiohead is about the feeling that one is completely disappearing and that their importance or pace in the world is shrinking.

The lyrics of the song have a lot to do with the shame and isolation that one feels when they are part of this world and have depression.

The Geto Boys — “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” (1991)

This song by the Geto Boys talks about the struggle of living with PTSD and depression within urban communities that deal with death and gun violence.

The song also covers the struggles of living with mental states of paranoia, schizophrenia, and depression.

Headfirst for Halos — My chemical romance

This song is about the frustration one feels when the treatment that they are going through is clearly not working for them.

It also hints at sucidal ideation and the sheer frustration that one feels and the feeling that they are trapped with their mental state when treatment doesn’t seem to work.

My immortal — Evanescence

This song by Evanescence speaks about wounds and the overwhelming sense of helplessness and hopelessness that one feels when they are depressed. It talks about what it is like to lose important people in one;s lives and how it impacts someone’s mental health.

Dear Agony — Breaking Benjamin

This song is an open letter to depression and the agony of having to live with the condition.

The writer of this song clearly addresses depression and talks about the sheer isolation and hopelessness one feels in the face of depression.

How to manage feelings of loneliness and cope with depression?

Here are a few things that you can do to cope with these feelings of loneliness and depression.

If you find yourself struggling with depression and loneliness, we urge you to seek support from a professional immediately.

Here are a few resources form the NHS that you can make use of if you are suicidal, depressed, or engageing in self harm.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text “YM” if you’re under 19
If you’re under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
Self Injury Support webchat (for women and girls) is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7pm to 9.30pm
CALM webchat (for men) is open from 5pm to midnight every day

You can also reach out to your local medical service providers or a mental health service provider.

If you are hesitant about reaching out for help, speak to a trusted friend or adult about what you are going through.

Do not hesitate to make use of resources provided to seek out professional support.

Seek professional help

Seek out professional help when these thoughts don’t improve after a week or two even after you have tried to manage them alone.

It is also imperative that you seek out help when the intensity of these thoughts and feelings disrupt your ability to function and meet the demands of your daily life.

When loneliness turns to thoughts and feelings of hopelessness it can aggravate your suicidal ideation, this is a major symptom of depression. So seeking out professional help becomes necessary.

Distract yourself

Of course, your therapist will teach you coping strategies but until then, one of the best things you can do when you feel these thoughts of suicide and loneliness come to mind is to distract yourself.

Watch a familiar movie or listen to a song that reminds you of good times. Reach out to a friend to have a nice day out, or even just a phone call to talk about everything or nothing, depending on how you see fit.

Challenge your thoughts

Thoughts of loneliness and worthlessness that often accompany suicidal ideation are often regarded as irrational thoughts and beliefs.

When such thoughts arise, you can challenge them by listing your positive assets and the victories that you have achieved.

Challenging your irrational beliefs with your strengths can be one of the best skills you can learn. If it is too difficult to do it yourself, ask a trusted friend to help you.

Push yourself to reach out

Reaching out is difficult especially if you find social interaction challenging. However, building up the courage to do so is a vital strength that we all have.

Using that courage to reach out to someone in spite of your fears is something that you need to push yourself to do.

Join a support group

Another thing you can do for yourself is to join a support group of people struggling with depression so that you can experience emotional support first hand within these communities and over time learn how to manage your challenges by learning from each other.

It is possible that people with depression can also struggle with a sense of worthlessness, a feeling that you have nothing of value to offer. By joining a group that is open, empathetic, and growing towards healing, you and your experiences can be an excellent sense of support to someone else who is also in their early part of their journey.

Conclusion

In this blog we presented to you 16 songs about depression and loneliness.

FAQ related to Songs about depression and loneliness

Does music help with loneliness?

Research finds that music does help with loneliness and also helps an individual feel understood as well as connected to the music.

Being able to connect with other people who share the same love for music is also one way that music help with loneliness as it brings people together.

Why do people listen to music alone?

Listening to music alone is often what some people prefer as it is convenient and the individual also has control over the setting and the choice of what music wants to be played.

Do sad songs help with depression?

A 2018 study published in Emotion journal found that the participants of the study reported feeling better after listening to sad music which indicates that there is a possibility that sad songs do help with depression.

Can sad music make you happy?

Sad music may not make you happy however it can act as a mood stabiliser, an emotional support, and even lead you to a cathartic moment allowing you to express your emotions and feel them.

Is music inherently social?

Music is social in nature because it allows one to feel connected with other people in the act of reaching others in music or by moving others through songs.

References

112 Songs About Loneliness and Feelings of Isolation. Spinditty. Retrieved on 26th March 2022. https://spinditty.com/playlists/Pop-Rock-Country-Songs-About-Loneliness

21 Best Songs About Loneliness And Being Alone. Music Grotto. Retrieved on 25th March 2022. https://www.musicgrotto.com/songs-about-loneliness/

Allen. E. 37 songs about depression and suicide. Music Industry How to.

Retired on 25th March 2-22. https://www.musicindustryhowto.com/sad-songs-about-depression-suicide/#Unwell_by_Matchbox_Twenty

Bartleet. L. 50 Songs About Depression. NME. Retrieved on 25th march 2022. https://www.nme.com/list/50-songs-about-depression-1109

17 Songs about depression and loneliness