Sunday, January 9, 2011

The Perfect Drug


What I’ve always loved about music is that it can be instantly mood changing. Unlike most art forms, music grips you in a way that is visceral and immediate. If I want to get hyped up, I can put on a few different songs that within seconds will have me throwing devil horns and playing air guitar. If I want to revel in feeling miserable, I know this song will make any bad mood, er infinitely more miserable. And if I want to get sexy... Well, I’ll leave that up to your imagination. Anyhow, turns out I was high on drugs the entire time.

Today I read this article about how the right choice (whihc is subjective, apparently) in music can release dopamine into the body – a substance that “induces the sense of reward that comes from food, psychoactive drugs and money.” This makes so much sense to me because I gain so much well being from listening to music that being without it makes me sad and crotchety and now I know why – I’m just a junkie clamouring for another hit. If you see me on the side of the road looking dishevelled and begging for itunes vouchers*, don’t be surprised.

*If I'm begging for itunes vouchers then I'm really, really desperate....

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1 comment:

  1. I love this post JH.
    So amazing that a few notes played together on certain instruments can make our brains go nuts with the ol' dopamine.
    Totally my drug of choice.
    Also: apparently bananas make your brain release serotonin. So if you ate a banana (serotonin), went for a jog (endorphins) while listening to music (dopamine) that could be one heck of a brain party...

    x K

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