Recently, I’ve noticed a lot of people advising against engaging with dark or bleak art when you’re in a bad mental space, but all I can think about is how that kind of art has saved me from my worst impulses during my lowest points.
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If I'm ideating it is *not* a good idea for me to look at sunshiny rainbow smiley art, because then the thoughts start to creep in about how broken and miserable a person I must be. On the other hand, if I can see someone else's darkness shining through in their art, I feel less alone & more human.
Listening to sad music when you're sad releases chemicals in your brain that help you, granted it's not for everyone, but if you feel better with the sad stuff, you don't need to stop. If I listen to happy music it feels fake and makes me more upset
This is what I was gonna post. Sometimes you just gotta treat your inner demons like a small child and use some very-basic, totally obvious reverse psychology.
All I can say is I've walked away from books like The Psychographist, Negative Space, and Tender is the Flesh feeling more fulfilled and at peace than I expected to. It's a haunting feeling, a bit morose, but I feel like I'm more understanding of the world around me.
But it does help, knowing you're not the only one struggling. Seeing others be brave enough to bare their souls and share that pain... it gives me hope.
It's not for everyone, but I genuinely don't know if I would still be here if it weren't for the darker, "edgy" music and art that people create.
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Idk. It's very difficult to explain without sounding like you enjoy seeing others struggle with their mental health, y'know?
It's not for everyone, but I genuinely don't know if I would still be here if it weren't for the darker, "edgy" music and art that people create.
Not to mention the well known quote, "Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable".