Things you only do when you’re sick

My husband says I only listen to Ani Difranco when I’m unwell. I have no idea why, but this is in fact the case. He says because of this I should stop listening to her. Is he right? Should I stop listening to her just because I only listen to her when I’m not well? I don’t think her music contributes to my state of mind. I’m not even really sure what it is. When I was much younger, I really followed her and listened to her non stop.

For me it's Alice in Chains, specifically the Jar of Flies album.

My ex-husband used to snap at me to "stop listening to depressing music." The thing is, it keeps me company and comforts me when i'm feeling down. It's nice to know someone understands and that i'm not alone. I told my ex to bug off.

I have certain books that only read when I'm sick. It's a coping mechanism though; I have read them so many times that I don't need to be able to concentrate to follow them. I just look at the pages and can sort of follow the stories that way.

I avoid music during episodes, especially since psychosis often has a music component for me where songs transform into dirty lyrics that play in my head 24/7. I will literally scream for them to go away but they don't.

If listening to certain music triggers you to have an episode then yes stop listening to it. However, in your husband’s case I would’ve thought it’d be a helpful early clue that you’re unwell. I ‘sway and dance’ when I’m on the upswing, which my husband seems to like because it lets him know I’m unwell but still manageable.

Hmm. I only drink hot tea when i am coming down with, or am in the middle of, a cold or flu or such. I drink cold tea all the time. But hot tea tells me im getting sick. So what would he say to that? then when the cold is winding down, i dont want any more hot tea. The tea or the music is the need, the symptom, the comfort; not the cause.

Baking muffins at 3 am or driving somewhere at that time with the music blasting and me singing and "car dancing", though I need not be that sick to do these things. However, when I'm stable I don't...as much. When stable, I'm mostly sleeping. I also act pretty wild in public (and home) when hypo/manic, may do a lot of yelling, and be generally loud, out of control, reckless, impulsive, etc. I'm not like that when stable, though I am a flirtatious person who can be jovial, upbeat, and humorous when stable. The difference is clear, though.

When depressed, it's not so much what I do as what I don't do.

Fascinating story, and I must admit music is an indicator and a therapy for me. When I'm hypomanic, more upbeat rock/metal is indicative of my mood, yet I can listen to say, Epica or Nightwish which is symphonic metal to help with catharsis or simply grounding me. I also paint both when I'm elevated and as a therapy and it always calms me either way.
Thankyou for sharing

If I listen to passion pit I know I'm getting into the danger zone. So I don't anymore, period. It just makes me uncomfortable and brings up bad memories of a manic stretch that really did a number on me. I did not know till later on, but a lot of his stuff is about mania. I think he's healthy now but has had very rough patches on both spectrums.

Is funny to hear the AIC comment, I've had that too on depression, I also know it's not a good sign, so I don't and in general they make me uncomfortable now like p/p does.

Funny on Ani too, I used to like Ani many years ago, but eventually got annoyed with lol. Love her though as an artist and 'righteous babe' is an awesome label name. I have no idea what she has been doing for the past decade or two.

I find jazz to be neutral, helpful, and soothing regardless. Which is what I have on right now. Ahmad Jamal, album "One". There is usually jazz music in my head the bulk of the day the bulk of the time. Again, very soothing to me regardless of up, down, or stable.

I have a tendency to listen to a lot of Nirvana, Evanescence, Staind, and the Alice in Chains unplugged when I'm not well.

That is different from what I listen to when I'm well, which is a lot of country and classic rock.

It's what I stop doing.
Not a lot of production. No music, etc.

I've been out of the hole for about six months now.
Not planning to return anytime soon.

I delete negative thoughts from my mind.
Superman can only be deterred by the green stuff.
None near my path right now. Only joy and happiness.

Good luck.

Cheers.

I have a nightcore playlist on youtube I listen to when I'm hypomanic/manic but almost never touch it otherwise. I also break a lot of driving laws which is why I surrender my keys and try to get a ride from someone else when I notice I'm getting unwell.

The AIC comments have inspired to me to put on "Voices." Rockin' song!

I speak a little differently. It’s like broken words.

I once had an episode where I thought i was communicating with famous musicians by playing videos of their concerts on youtube. I would turn the volume up and down as well as the lighting for the screen in rhythm to the music and do this for hours on end. Eventually I could hear them speaking to me through my laptop. Of course this . was all delusions and eventually hallucinations.

I find music quite triggering and don't listen to it anymore.

I like jazz when I am up. It mirrors my thinking, I guess.
I listen to ac/dc, metallica, sade, and amy winehouse when I am down.

I have tried the inverse to control my moods. Jazz when i am down (can't follow it and it's just noise) and ac/dc when i am up (too slow, it's painful). But it doesn't change my mood. So I am pretty sure the music isn't a trigger but reflective off my inner dialogue.

eat soup.

actually I can't stand the stuff, but when I'm sick, it seems the only thing that will go down without a fight

and it really helps with sore teeth too

don't eat proper meals.

as when I'm sick I don't have an appetite

watch sport

not sure why, it's long, and it's distracting (or something.)

it's boring, but it saves me changing the channel every few minits.

have a mouth drier than the sahara desert

seriously when you're all coughed out it feels horrible

and I don't have an off switch, it either doesn't come, or all comes at once

fortunately it's very rare. i've not even been sick this year yet

Thank you so much for making this thread, cashart10! Thank you so much everyone for taking part in it and sharing your stories. I don't do much when I'm sick. I just lay in bed, sleep a lot and take it as an opportunity to relax Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences. They're all really interesting. Sending many hugs to everyone

I feel the same way about "depressing" music when I'm depressed. Someone understands. Thing is, I listen all the time to music others consider depressing, lol. It feels different listening to it depending on my mood, but I love it either way.

I've not been asked to turn it off for my own states. But, I was once asked to turn it off for ex-BF who was finding it triggering (though he normally loves it).

All hail ipod.

I just get quiet as in mute quiet. I’ll go days without saying a word.

My husband finally understands it’s just me dealing with my head. It really worries him.

“ usually” i work out the kinks on my own and go back to talking normally.

Omg!! Yes yes on the music thing. Its not just ooh cant get this song outta my head so annoying...its that it becomes dark and scary, terrorizing me sometimes, like haunting me.. A few weeks before i was fired working the grave yard shift i was at work and U2 "bloody sunday" took over my brain and it would not stop. With it came feelings of terror, fear and mixed in with strange nostalgia of teenage hood while also feeling like i was trapped in a bad part of A scary movie while also feeling i was in danger. Idk its so hard to explain. But its awful. Burrrrr i cant even think of the song without shivering. I hate my brain sometimes

Drive for hours in the car listening to one or two songs on repeat. My car has an amazing stereo (I will go without food to have excellent stereo’s), which I bought while hypomanic last year. Although it ate a massive chunk out of my savings (it had to be the best of course) I am thankful for that hypomanic episode. I also am very animated while driving and sing loudly. I even slightly vear the wheels in time to the music. When stable I am mad about good music. When hypo/manic it goes stratospheric.

Jacky I am so glad someone understands the music thing. I'm sorry you have to deal with it but I've felt alone on this for so long. People think it's just a earworm but it is so much worse than that. Even when it isn't turning the songs vulgar it's like being trapped with songs that should be enjoyable instead becoming horrific.

I do find screaming at my brain sometimes helps......