Why heavy metal could be good for your mental health

Researchers say loud heavy metal music can actually be good for our mental health. According to a study, that involved 39 heavy metal fans, really, really loud music can help get rid of toxic emotions like anger and depression.

For the study, the team examined the participants after an 'anger induction' that lasted for 16 minutes. In this phase, the group revealed what ticked them off, relationship issues, as well as financial trouble. In the second phase, participants had to listen to a heavy metal song of their choosing for 10 minutes. Instead of it igniting rage or negative emotions, this type of music actually made them calmer.

"When you're angry and you listen to something that's highly arousing, it's going to match your emotional state," Leah Sharman from the University of Queensland's School of Psychology, told a news portal.

Liam Frost-Camilleri, an organiser of charity metal gig Beyond Black, believes this kind of music can offer great support for people who suffer mental health issues. "I was amazed at how often once one person started talking about it, another person would start talking about it. It seemed to be a pretty big problem amongst musicians in particular, in the heavy metal genre," he told a news portal. Adding,"I think the reason why people with anxiety and depression tend to gravitate towards heavy metal is because of the catharsis of the emotion."

Researchers hope this can help be part of the treatment plant for people who come from challenging environments in order to build strong and sustained identities.