I enjoy listening to music but it often causes an immediate shift to a bad mood which lasts the entire day. It is music that I usually have no control over hearing whether I am listening to the radio, shopping in a store, watching commercials on TV. It sometime takes me back to unpleasant childhood memories and events in the past. For example, if I hear a 90s song, (it can be any random song) it can immediately make me sad which sometimes leading to crying spells. It is as if my brain automatically links the songs to specific time periods in my past that were unpleasant.

Sometimes I think it also has to do with the arrangement of the song--the instrument, the sharps the flats--I don't know. What I do know is that it is frustrating because there is nothing I can do. My husband has to walk on eggshells as he cant freely sing songs or listen to his music as he is afraid it can cause a mood swing. I have tried making my own playlist and carrying it with me eeeverywhere I go. That gets tiring after awhile. My only reprieve is whenever it happens just to wait it out until it passes, --whether it takes a day or days.

Does anyone else experience this or can anyone offer any advice?

[Lab_Rat]

I have a few songs that remind me of my ex husband. It used to really bother me when I heard them. I had to make myself use a different association when I heard them like what I was doing at that I heard or whatever else. It took a while but it worked.

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[EBD8]

I would just keep and I pod handy at all times just with your favorite feel good songs so hopefully you can keep this from lasting for several days. The trend everywhere is to play music to stimulate you to buy, not from a conscious level but from a sub conscious level. Unfortunately those memories we try and protect ourselves from seem to surface and can act like demons at times. If you have an absolutely favorite song you can starting singing it in your head to try and take control of your mood before it becomes troublesome. Good Luck Chelbten

Music for me is a double edged sword. I love music, and always have, it lifts me up, and calms me down, but it can also be the biggest trigger that I have. Some songs at the right moment in time do trigger a serious downward spiral, but at other times they don't bother me.

Weird I know.

That's not weird at all, Jeffro. I feel the same way and I blame it on having such a
strong sensitivity to music. (I can't carry a tune, but dearly love good music!)

Some of it is triggering, definitely, but (with a little medication) the sensitivity is eased a
bit. A small dose of the appropriate antidepressant takes the edge off for me.

Christmas songs are nostalgic for me; love songs also; classical music will cause a
shift in feeling tone for me, so if one form gets to me too much, I'll stop it and listen
to something classical. That helps. (I know one person who, when the children get
too rambunctious, will put on her earphones and listen to music!) It's a necessary
component of life for many of us, I think.

Take care.

[Mack2]

I can't listen to music anymore, all music creates some form of undesirable emotion. I find music too thought provoking.

[faerie_moon_x]

Yes, I have 2 songs which are instant triggers. The first one is Eric Claptan's song "Tears in Heaven." The other is Evanescance "My Immortal." I cannot listen to either song without breaking down into sobbing fits.

About three weeks ago I was in a store and Tears in Heaven started playing from the overhead speakers. I was standing in line thinking everything and anything cheerful I could think to keep myself from crying but tears were on my face and I just kept trying to not listen. I am proud of myself for how well I did, actually.

[catsrhelm]

I have two songs that are instant tear triggers for me. One is "Lover's Cross" by Jim Croche, and the other is "When The Children Cry" by White Lion.

My big ones are "Whiskey Lullaby" by Alison Krauss and "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones.

[BipolaRNurse]

"My Immortal" and Enya's "Only Time" guarantee a crying spell EVERY time. They're on my homemade CD that I named "Songs for Depression", which I play when I'm down so I can just feel everything I'm feeling and try to get it out of my system.