# is playing guitar is good for your mental health?



## gustavowoltmann (Oct 3, 2020)

We see playing guitar as a form of mindful escapism, a way to create space between an individual and their busy mind. Guitar-playing is beneficial to your overall well-being and mental health in other ways, too, including helping you develop a greater sense of personal achievement.

What you say about this?


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

For me it is about keeping my mind active discovering new things. The music, how it works, how it can affect others is more important than my guitar playing. Playing a guitar or other instrument is using a tool to make the music. There is an element of escape when I play with other musicians. When everybody hits the groove at the same time something magical happens.


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## ol' 58 (Jul 12, 2019)

I say absolutely.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

It’s a two sided coin. Playing guitar usually helps my mental state, but I think I suffer from depression to some extent lately, which makes even picking up a guitar seem like a chore sometimes. I always try to play a couple times a week, but being out of practice is frustrating too. So I guess my answer is maybe.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Playing music, not necessarily just playing guitar. Yeah it does help. But I suppose it depends on what people are having issues with.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Remember the old saying "If it feels good, Do it" (as long as it's legal). If you get enjoyment out of playing any instrument, it makes sense to continue doing it. I personally feel keeping your mind active is a good thing and remembering chords, lyrics etc definitely keeps your mind active.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

I'm not sure but it can be frustrating as hell and could be detrimental, all depends on the person I guess. 


Guitar101 said:


> Remember the old saying "If it feels good, Do it" (as long as it's legal).


I remember back in the day when pot was illegal but we smoked it anyway., same with other stuff. I do still try to play guitar on occasion but it's more to see how long I can do it before my hands and arms start to cramp. Lately 15 to 20 minutes is my best time.


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## Festus McCorkindale (Dec 17, 2017)

For me it’s essential to stay sane. Unfortunately my playing is detrimental to my wife’s mental health! Joking aside, I don’t know why I don’t make more time to practice and jam. God knows I spend countless hours on Instagram etc.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Music is definitely good for your mental health - unless you are using it to avoid other things that should be getting done. I'm not talking about doing the laundry or washing dishes, but if it is a mechanism for avoiding your family or other obligations, then it is probably detrimental to your overall well-being.

I'm not a psychologist, but I suspect that disciplined practice and creativity are more beneficial than noodling in front of the TV. I would love to hear from anyone with a deeper understanding of psychology whether or not this instinct is accurate.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Charlie Manson was a guitar player.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

As a person who doesn’t generally talk about his feelings and tends to internalize things, it’s an important emotional outlet. Playing helped me cope during some very difficult times.


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## mnicholson2003 (Feb 16, 2009)

I'll say yes...for me, it's my escape from all the crap the day throws at me. I struggle from time to time with depression, anxiety and low self esteem. The fact that I can hide in my "studio" space at home and just play let's me decompress. As someone mentioned above, it can be really frustrating too but lately, I've just taken it upon myself to learn some new things...and that, for me, means starting from scratch almost. It's been fun...it's made me want to play more and of course, the more I play, the less I think about the shit that drags me down. It's like exercising almost.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Sure, almost any activity is...arts, sports, anything that stimulates the brain, especially if theres learning and creativity involved.
theres an old saying...the devil makes use of idle hands.


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## Mikev7305 (Jan 6, 2020)

Playing guitar is absolutely good for mental health. I think playing (or just listening to) music in general is extremely helpful. I know personally, if I've gone a few days without playing I can't even sleep. I'll start making melodies around various white noise sounds I hear, start thinking of licks and trying to figure them out in my head... 

And then playing with a band, if it's been a couple weeks, that insomnia comes back even worse. It takes over every thought. When everyone just hits the right groove, there's no better feeling. I am absolutely a nicer person if I have jammed recently. 

It's probably the same with any hobby really, just doing something that you absolutely love is great for the soul


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

In a life filled with wonderful people and moments, music has been my steadiest friend along the way. In terms of positive effects on mental health, I think it goes without saying... but it's still _worth _saying... if only to remind ourselves of how lucky we are to have any kind of rapport with it. Guitar is the means to the end. Music is the bigger picture.

I guess we could live without it... but realistically, saying guitar (and by extension, music) is good for our mental health is a bit like saying water is useful for staying alive.

Great thread, thanks for starting it @gustavowoltmann


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## Sketchy Jeff (Jan 12, 2019)

Wardo said:


> Charlie Manson was a guitar player.


imagine how much more bonkers he would have been if not
j


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## Sketchy Jeff (Jan 12, 2019)

gustavowoltmann said:


> What you say about this?


i'm getting to the end of 4 weeks without playing and let me tell you playing is a benefit
j


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## Alsomooh (Jul 12, 2020)

Yup.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

gustavowoltmann said:


> We see playing guitar as a form of mindful escapism, a way to create space between an individual and their busy mind. Guitar-playing is beneficial to your overall well-being and mental health in other ways, too, including helping you develop a greater sense of personal achievement.
> 
> What you say about this?


I agree. I was into more destructive pastimes before picking up the guitar 4 years ago. Now, I'm never bored or looking for something to fill any spare time I might have. Forming a band also made a huge difference in getting my head into another space.


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## polyslax (May 15, 2020)

Playing a musical instrument has profound effects on your brain. I've read numerous things over the years, but suffice it to say, medical science is fairly certain that learning a musical instrument can delay the onset of dementia. Whereas many functions, such as sight, or hearing for instance, are associated with a particular area of the brain, musical skill, aptitude, appreciation, emotional response seem to roam throughout the brain. Learning a musical instrument develops novel synaptic pathways and fosters neural plasticity within the brain. You'll often see music used in therapies treating traumatic brain injury or stroke because of this. Here's a bit of info I just quickly googled, but there's a lot of interesting stuff out there if you want to find out more.


Brain scans have been able to identify the difference in brain structure between musicians and non-musicians. Most notably, the corpus callosum, a massive bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two sides of the brain, is larger in musicians. Also, the areas involving movement, hearing, and visuospatial abilities appear to be larger in professional keyboard players.
Initially, these studies couldn't determine if these differences were caused by musical training or if anatomical differences predispose some to become musicians. Ultimately, longitudinal studies showed that children who do 14 months of musical training displayed more powerful structural and functional brain changes.
These studies prove that learning a musical instrument increases gray matter volume in various brain regions, It also strengthens the long-range connections between them. Additional research shows that musical training can enhance verbal memory, spatial reasoning, and literacy skills.

Brain-scanning studies have found that the anatomical change in musicians' brains is related to the age when training began. It shouldn't be surprising, but learning at a younger age causes the most drastic changes.
Interestingly, even brief periods of musical training can have long-lasting benefits. A 2013 study found that even those with moderate musical training preserved sharp processing of speech sounds. It was also able to increase resilience to any age-related decline in hearing.
Researchers also believe that playing music helps speech processing and learning in children with dyslexia. Furthermore, learning to play an instrument as a child can protect the brain against dementia.
"Music reaches parts of the brain that other things can't," says Loveday. "It's a strong cognitive stimulus that grows the brain in a way that nothing else does, and the evidence that musical training enhances things like working memory and language is very robust."


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)




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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

What’s pissing me off is not being able to get to jams and open mics anymore because of the lucky 19.


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## gustavowoltmann (Oct 3, 2020)

You often hear people refer to an activity or a hobby as an ‘escape’. When you’ve had a long day and nothing seems to be going right, sometimes you need an activity that totally absorbs the mind. For so many people around the world this escape comes in the form of an instrument.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

The main thing I know is that NOT playing is bad for my mental health.
It's not the only thing I do that's good for my mental health--but it certainly is one of them.
And it's fun too.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Seriously now.
Every moment I fall idle, I get in my music room, 
take a guitar, sit on the stool, check strings to
pitch, make some basic exercises and then open
one of the songbook that I keep on the stand.
Sometimes it does not work and I stop after a few 
pieces and sometimes I would play for two hours
playing old pieces and babling on something new.
Most of the time, I would play for 45-60 minutes.
My hobby became a habit, maybe an addiction,
but I never get mad, depressed nor in the highs : 
Maybe I am dead ? :-/


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## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

It's been a part of me for so long that I'd feel incomplete without it. But playing any kind of instrument is good for you, really.


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## Alsomooh (Jul 12, 2020)

Guitar, and music generally, saved my life. Twenty-two years ago when I bailed on a good paying job with a future, due to stress, I returned to music. Since then it has been my full time job. Music is the one steady dependable thing in my life. It calms and comforts me.


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## gustavowoltmann (Oct 3, 2020)

Hi, Alsomooh, guitar save your life? its amazing love to read your twenty year's story in just two lines. 
you know music can be utilized to regulate mood. Because of its rhythmic and repetitive aspects, music engages the neocortex of our brain, which calms us and reduces impulsivity.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Ever since I made my first speaker cab when I was 12, music has been a big part of my life. I collected speakers at the dump one summer and made a cabinet. It had 13 speakers. (no I don't still have it). I used an old Bogen amp someone gave me and a $7 crystal microphone and started my first band. It still is a big part of my life and I just turned 70.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Sneaky said:


> It’s a two sided coin. Playing guitar usually helps my mental state, but I think I suffer from depression to some extent lately, which makes even picking up a guitar seem like a chore sometimes. I always try to play a couple times a week, but being out of practice is frustrating too. So I guess my answer is maybe.


That's the same issue I have. I have suffered from depression and have ebbs and flows over the years. It can manifest itself in a lot of different ways though. I stopped playing around the time of the original quaratine, mainly due to disappointment that all our summer gigs were cancelled. Gigs have always been a big motivator because they give me a task to work towards. Plus I just like the rush of playing. I got really discouraged about that plus dealing with a long winter going right into quaratine. I have barely picked up instrument since.

I know I need to get my home recording rig set back up and do some writing. That will break snap me out of the not playing issue. Hopefully this winter.


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## gustavowoltmann (Oct 3, 2020)

Sometimes we don’t have the right words to communicate how we’re feeling, and it can be frustrating trying to explain to someone exactly what is going on.
This is where music comes in action.


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