The Taylor Swift Influence On Mental Health: How She’s Inspiring Fans
You cannot deny the impact Taylor Swift has on our culture, she’s iconic! She’s literally everywhere and it’s pretty safe to say that we, collectively, are in a “Swiftie Era”. Taylor’s touch reaches to conversations about football and politics, her ever impressive wardrobe and romantic life, she is everywhere and we are here for it! One topic Taylor hasn’t backed away from in her music is mental health. Through her lyrics and public statements, she has often opened up about personal issues, creating a platform for honest conversations about mental health challenges.
Recently, we shared our Top 15 Taylor Swift Songs About Mental Health: A Healing Playlist here.
Taylor Swift’s voice and openness can really influence and inspire people to think about their mental health and growth.
Taylor Swift’s Advocacy for Mental Health
Taylor Swift has actively promoted mental health awareness, drawing from her own experiences with disordered eating and stress, by using her platform to spark conversations. Through public discussions and support for related organizations, she has significantly contributed to reducing the stigma around mental health.
Public Discussions on Mental Well-being
Taylor has openly shared moments of her life where she faced mental health challenges. In several interviews, she has spoken about dealing with anxiety and the pressures of fame. But, it’s likely her emotional expression through her music that builds community among her listeners.
Grief, depression, anxiety, suicide, PTSD, and addiction are all themes Swift approaches through her work.
These topics are heavy. Many of us live with these complex challenges and, singing about it and expressing it through art has been an effective form of therapy for many people, so why not?
Even recent studies suggest that Taylor’s music is good for her fans mental health by building;
- open conversations around mental health topics
- offering a source of comfort
- increasing awareness
- reducing mental health stigmas
- and, promoting growth
I also have the experience of raising a teenaged daughter right now and feel that not only has our relationship been strengthened by Swift’s music, but we’ve been able to discuss these themes more openly as a family as we sing along to our favorite songs. Most recently, I Can Do It With A Broken Heart, has been a favorite in our house and it’s a song that echoes mental health challenges and depression. It’s given me an opportunity, as a mom, to really share and teach my kids about these important topics as we sing along on our way to soccer practice.
Support for Mental Health Organizations
Swift has backed several mental health initiatives and organizations. For instance, she has made donations to mental health services, helping them extend their reach and impact.
In 2019, she donated generously to The Trevor Project, an organization focused on crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth.
Taylor’s partnerships also reflect her commitment. Collaborations with entities like Mental Health America highlight her dedication to the cause.
Through these efforts, she not only raises funds but also awareness, amplifying the message that seeking help is vital and should be free from stigma.
Analyzing Taylor Swift’s Lyrics
Song Analysis: Sharing Some Favorites
| Song | Themes | Key Lyrics |
|---|---|---|
| Fortnight | depression and addiction | All my mornings are Mondays. Stuck in an endless February.
I took the miracle move on drug. The effects are temporary. |
| This Is Me Trying | anxiety and depression | ’ve been having a hard time adjusting
I had the shiniest wheels, now they’re rusting I didn’t know if you’d care if I came back I have a lot of regrets about that Pulled the car off the road to the lookout Could’ve followed my fears all the way down |
| Marjorie | grief and loss | What died, didn’t stay dead
You’re alive, you’re alive in my head |
By diving into specific songs, it becomes clear how Taylor Swift’s lyrics continue to resonate deeply with her audience. Swift makes these challenges relatable.
Expert Insights About Swift’s Music
Last year, the O2, the world’s most popular live entertainment, leisure, and retail destination, released research ahead of World Mental Health Day, October 10th, linking music and live entertainment and mental health in young people aged 14-25 in the UK. Teaming up with YoungMinds, a mental health resource for kids and parents in the UK, they determined that some artists have a more positive impact on the mood and wellbeing of young people than others, with Taylor Swift coming out on top (32%).
So her music is making an impact.
Mental health professionals have often discussed how music can influence mental well-being. Taylor Swift’s music is no exception. Experts point out that her honest lyrics help listeners feel understood, validated, and less alone in their struggles.
Therapists agree that music and art can be therapeutic tools and Swift takes this a step further. Her songs address the mental health struggle and include themes of personal growth, resilience, and emotional healing, which can be comforting for people experiencing mental health issues.
Her music also adds a reflective nature. Many of her songs invite listeners to introspect, which can foster self-awareness and emotional intelligence. It’s not easy to describe mental struggles, through her music Swift offers listeners an example of how to verbalize the complexities of mental health challenges. This reflective quality is seen as a positive attribute in promoting mindfulness and self-care practices.
Personal Struggles Shared in Songs
Taylor Swift’s music often mirrors her personal battles, conveying emotional vulnerability and using her art as a therapeutic escape.
Lyrics Reflecting Emotional Vulnerability
Many of Taylor Swift’s songs bare her soul, providing insight into her mental state and emotions. Tracks like All Too Well and The Archer reveal her struggles with heartache and self-doubt.
Through poignant lyrics, she expresses feelings of isolation, anxiety, and the pain of public scrutiny. This Is Me Trying is another example, where she candidly sings about attempting to cope with life’s pressures. Her words resonate with listeners who find solace in knowing they aren’t alone in their feelings.
Music as a Therapeutic Outlet
Taylor Swift often uses music to process her feelings and experiences. Songwriting provides her with a creative outlet to explore and address her challenges.
Taylor Swift’s Contributions to Mental Health Awareness
Taylor Swift’s willingness to openly share her own experiences with mental health struggles is helping reduce the stigma around these issues and is a massive contribution itself. We are lucky to have her. I am sure other mental health advocates would agree with me!
Through her music, she helps in promoting a more open dialogue about mental health issues. Through her actions, she encourages her fans and the public to seek help and support each other.
I witnessed this for myself last year when my daughter and I went to her show here in Arizona. It was only the second night of her Eras show and to witness the community and collective enthusiasm with her fans was truly special. I walked away from that night a forever Swiftie, feeling like she was my new best friend!
No other artist or performer has ever made me feel that way.
In her own words — it was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well.
Public Response and Influence
Taylor Swift’s exploration of mental health in her music has sparked significant reactions and conversations among her fans and the wider public, creating a ripple effect on societal attitudes and most importantly, amongst her young fans.
Fans’ Reactions to Vulnerable Songwriting
With her candid lyrics about her struggles with anxiety, self-doubt, and other mental health issues, Taylor touches her fans deeply. It is a special gift she has!
Swift, through her vulnerability in her music, has shown her fans that it’s okay to not be okay. And also, that growth, healing, acceptance, and being kind to yourself through down times is important too.
Final Thoughts
Taylor Swift’s influence on mental health awareness is notable. Through her music, she brings attention to personal struggles that many people face and makes these challenges relatable by sharing her own challenges too.
Her openness hopefully helps her fans more freely share their mental health challenges too, breaking years and generations of stimga around these issues.
Taylor’s contribution is significant in creating a world where mental health is prioritized and understood.
