THE EFFECT OF MUSIC ON TEENAGERS

A REVIEW OF LITERATURE

NATTHIDA AMNUAY-NGERNTRA

A PAPER SUBMITTED IN FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENT FOR THE 4TH QUARTER FINAL PROJECT
ENGLISH GRADE 10
MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL
DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL
2016-2017
Natthida Mint Amnuay-ngerntra
Ms. Orana Meenongwha
English 10/10:04
May 25, 2017

The Effect of Music on Suicide in Teenagers

Introduction

We might not notice, but nowadays music really does affect our lives. Music is one way

people use to express their feelings. Most of us choose to listen to different types of music

depending on our mood. When they feel sad, heartbroken, songs are their friends and when they

feel happy, love songs are their favorite. It is an essential part of peoples lives. There are many

studies about music used on healing people with mentally health. However, everything has two

sides. Music controls emotions by allowing an escape from feelings and thoughts and release

anxiety, emotions, anger and energy out. A group of people that has the most effect on it is

teenagers. In December 1987, two people committed suicide after listening to a 1978 Judas

Priest album called Stained Class for six hours straight. 18 year old Raymond Belknap and 21

year old James Vance shot themselves in a Reno churchyard after listening to the album, where

Raymond survived the gunshot but was severely damaged physically. Since there is evidence

that music has an effect on the individuals lives and so of teenagers; it has been suggest by the

studies that certain music are associate with several psychological attributes. Studies also

showed that teenager listen to music for approximately two to three hours per day, especially

when feeling distressed. This links between music use and depression in young people has led to
music being blamed for the suicide of several youths. For most people, listening to music, even

music expressing negative emotions like sadness or anger can be an effective way to deal with

their emotions. A range of antisocial behaviors is correlated with preference for rap music and

heavy metal music. Although, if it could not be suggested that such behaviors are caused by

music, it could be said that music preference is suggestive of an underlying emotional

disturbance. The aim of this research is to analyze the effect of music upon suicidal behavior of

individuals, especially teenagers.

Effect on psychology

The kind of music which humans exposed to during growing-up years determines the

balance of their souls. An ancient Greek philosopher and scientist; Aristotle said that, If one

listens to the wrong kind of music he will become the wrong kind of person; but conversely, if

he listens to the right kind music he will tend to become the right kind of person.(Arlene R.

Taylor PhD 2016). In contrast, study has shown that some types of music can caused harmful

effects to the mind and body as well. Accordingly, the sound vibrations acting upon and through

nervous system give shocks in rhythmical sequence to the muscles, which caused them to

contract and set arms and hands, legs and feet in motion. The bad thing about this was

sometimes people cannot control themselves. By this I mean they cannot pick things up as they

wanted to or even walk straight. Music has a profound effect on the brain as well. It connected

the two hemispheres of the brain and activates many different parts of the brain, such as the

motor cortex, sensory cortex, auditory cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, amygdala, and

prefrontal cortex. This can have an effect on emotional responses, sensory responses and the

brain's reward center. Background music can reduce concentration, which made it difficult to
retain information while working or studying for teenagers. Although music can activate strong

emotional responses on kids and the brain's reward center, people may experience negative

responses while listening to music that they do not like. Listening to some kinds of music can

produce signs of agitation, such as tension in some medical patients, according to a 2006 article

in A Journal of Neurology (2017 IAC Publishing, LLC). Some music can also cause

overwhelming emotional reactions in some people, especially when the music in question

created a powerful memory. Due to the lyrics or even music video that can cause some

hallucinations to the listener about their past or bad things that once happened in their lives

which theyll never forget. Thus, a piece that was disturbing and upsetting to one person may

have no or little injurious effect on another. For instance, a listener who was sensitive to music

and whose passions are strong and not under control, will be influenced in a very different way

from a listener of the intellectual type who was emotionally cold and unresponsive. If a person

was in love, he will be much more disturbed and excited by erotic music than when his passion

was dormant or when it has burned itself out, leaving only the cold ashes of disappointment. In

some extreme cases, when listeners are abnormally sensitive, music can be the cause of serious

troubles.

After create many effects to the brain, it can continue destroyed teenage by physical as

well. Listening to lyrics that involve guns, violence, sex and aggressive behavior can have a

negative influence on youth. According to a 2003 study published in the "Journal of Personality

and Social Psychology," violent lyrics increase both aggressive thoughts and aggressive feelings.

The study also warns, "Repeated exposure to violent lyrics may contribute to the development of

an aggressive personality."(Apr 02, 2013, Amy Morin). We might not notice but nowadays, in

many types of music including pop, R&B, or even country started to add some sexual lyrics into

their songs to grab the listens attention. A case in point, in 2014 one of the most famous singer
Ariana Grande has released song named Love me harder. In this song the lyric related and was

focused about two persons having some bed activity together. Most song lyrics don't discuss

dangers of sexual activity, such as unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

Instead, music often compliment variety and promotes gender stereotypes. According to a study

published by the journal "Pediatrics" titled "Exposure to Degrading Versus Nondegrading Music

Lyrics and Sexual Behavior Among Youth," adolescents who listen to degrading sexual lyrics are

more likely to engage in riskier sexualized behavior. Degrading lyrics tend to objectify both

genders and portray men as sex-driven and women as sexual objects.

How music affects suicide

After create many effects to the brain, music can continue destroyed teenage by

physical as well. Listening to lyrics that involve guns, violence, sex and aggressive behavior can

have a negative influence on youth. According to a 2003 study published in the "Journal of

Personality and Social Psychology," violent lyrics increase both aggressive thoughts and

aggressive feelings. The study also warns, "Repeated exposure to violent lyrics may contribute

to the development of an aggressive personality."(Morin, Apr 02, 2013). We might not notice but

nowadays, in many types of music including pop, R&B, or even country started to add some

sexual lyrics into their songs to grab the listens attention. A case in point, in 2014 one of the

most famous singer Ariana Grande has released song named Love me harder. In this song, the

lyric related and focused about two persons having some bed activity together. Most song lyrics

don't discuss dangers of sexual activity, such as unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted

diseases. Instead, music often compliment variety and promotes gender stereotypes. According

to a study published by the journal "Pediatrics" titled "Exposure to Degrading Versus No

degrading Music Lyrics and Sexual Behavior among Youth," adolescents who listen to degrading

sexual lyrics are more likely to engage in riskier sexualized behavior (Apr 02, 2013, Amy
Morin). Teens whose iPods are full of music with raunchy, sexual lyrics start having sex sooner

than those who prefer other songs. Whether its hip-hop, rap, pop or rock, much of popular

music aimed at teens contains sexual overtones. Its influence on their behavior appears to

depend on how the sex is portrayed, researchers found. Songs depicting men as sex-driven,

women as sex objects and with explicit references to sex acts are more likely to trigger early

sexual behavior than those where sexual references are more veiled and relationships appear

more committed. Teens who said they listened to lots of music with sexual messages were

almost twice as likely to start having intercourse or other sexual activities within the following

two years as were teens who listened to little or no sexually degrading music. Among heavy

listeners, 51 percent started having sex within two years, while, 29 percent of those said they

listened to little or no sexually degrading music (NBC news). This made the parents felt so upset

and disappointed especially if they found out that their daughters have been pregnant at the

young age. Many teenagers solved these problems by themselves mostly in two ways. First do

the abortion or second ran away. If they lucky, probably they would find a suitable job and lived

with their babies. Conversely, most of the cases ended up sadly. After facing these problems

many decided to begin their new lives as a drug seller. Drug and alcohol use is often glamorized

in song lyrics and in music videos. John Hopkins Children's Center reported that alcohol is

portrayed in music videos once every 14 minutes. According to a study published in the journal

"Pediatrics, increased television and music video viewing are risk factors for the onset of alcohol

use in adolescents. Music often portrays substance use as cool without showing the negative

consequences of addiction.

Prevention from suicide

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in teenagers and has increased threefold in the

last generation. In New York State (NYS), suicide is the leading cause of injury death for
children ages 10 to 14 years and the fourth leading cause for children ages 15 to 19 years.

Depression is the major risk factor for suicidal behavior in adolescents, as it is with adults.

Research reveals that children with mood disorders such as depression are five times more likely

to commit suicide than children not affected by such problems. After knowing the problem and

causes of it, fixing was the best thing to do. In earlier, teenage listened to music just for

entertaining themselves, but our present generation wasnt like that anymore. Since 20 century,

many types of music have been born, for example, pop, R&B, or even mix. It was good to have

many different kinds of them to listen but what come with them was the opposite. Many teens

that attempt or die by suicide have a mental health condition. As a result, they have trouble

coping with the stress of being a teen, such as dealing with rejection, failure, breakups and

family turmoil. They might also be unable to see that they can turn their lives around and that

suicide was a permanent response, not a solution, to a temporary problem. Parents have to be

involved as much as they can in order to help their children before its too late. Some teenager

decided to take the antidepressants as a helper to decreases their depression or other emotion.

The warnings call attention to the fact that children, teenagers and young adults under 25 might

have an increase in suicidal thoughts or behavior when taking antidepressants, especially in the

first few weeks after starting or when the dose was changed. They were many ways to help

teenager not to commit suicide including get help right away, listen to their problems, express

understanding and support, talk with the doctor, or spend time together on weekend for some

activities outside their house to make children be more relax. One important fact parents needed

to remember was always keep dangerous equipment out of the house or from your children,

example guns or long knife. Never shrug off threats of suicide as typical teenage melodrama.

Any written or verbal statement of "I want to die" or "I don't care anymore" should be treated

seriously. Often, children who attempt suicide had been telling their parents repeatedly that they

intended to kill themselves. Most research supports that people who openly threaten suicide
don't really intend to take their own lives; and that the threat is a desperate plea for help. If your

teenager's behavior has you concerned, don't wait to contact your pediatrician. Contact a local

mental health provider who works with children to have your child or youth evaluated as soon as

possible so that your son or daughter can start therapy or counseling if he or she is not in danger

of self-harm. However, call your local mental health crisis support team or go to your local

emergency room if you think your child is actively suicidal and in danger of self-harm. At the

end, spending time with your children, make them opened up their hearts to you and talked about

what problems are they facing were the best way to solve everything.

Conclusion

In the conclusion, any music that are either too loud or have inappropriate lyrics in them

are bad for teenagers and can caused them to commit suicide. Bad music can effects teenagers in

both mind and body, the sound vibrations acting upon and through nervous system give shocks

in rhythmical sequence to the muscles, which caused them to contract and set arms and hands,

legs and feet in motion. The bad thing about this was sometimes people cannot control

themselves. Music has a profound effect on the brain as well. It connected the two hemispheres

of the brain and activates many different parts of the brain, such as the motor cortex which can

lead to emotional respond. Also reduces the concentration which makes it hard for teenage in

both study and work. Listening to lyrics that involve guns, violence, sex and aggressive

behavior can have a negative influence on youth. Study shows that teens who listening to music

that include sexuality into their lyrics are interesting to have sex at the young age. Teens whose

iPods are full of music with raunchy, sexual lyrics start having sex sooner than those who prefer

other songs. All types of music including pop, rock, R&B, and heavy much of popular music
aimed at teens contains sexual overtones. Record shows that teenage in present has much higher

rate of pregnant than in the past, due to this music that influence them to do this activity together.

The cause of pregnant in teenage who are not ready to become a mother can lead to suicide. This

happens in many countries including Thailand as well. Drug and alcohol use is often glamorized

in song lyrics and in music videos. Even thou, the condition are bad but there are still many ways

to fix this problem which parents need to take in this part.

 References
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Bloch, D. (Ed.). (n.d.). Healing from depression. Retrieved May 24, 2017, from

http://www.healingfromdepression.com/preventing-teenage-suicide.htm

Morin, A. (2015, November 11). Can Music Be a Bad Influence on Kids & Teens?

Retrieved May 24, 2017, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/1000832-can-music-

bad- influence-kids-teens/

Hegarty, J. (n.d.). Potential Negative Impact of Music. Retrieved May 24, 2017

from http://arlenetaylor.org/music-and-the-brain/7410-potential-negative-impact

Assagioli, R. (2017, March 09). The Harmful Effects of Music on Body and Mind

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music-on-body-and-mind/

Teen suicide: What parents need to know. (2016, April 19)

Retrieved May 24, 2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-

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