Music to my Ears (Live Typing)

A homeless friend of mine Desmond introduced me to the music of Mike Pozner. One song in particular he introduced me to was an acoustic version of ‘I took a pill in Ibiza’. Mike Poznor proclaims at the beginning about how he is going to ‘live, live, live’. It’s an inspiring piece, it got me thinking of the importance music has played in my recovery and mental health challenges.

Aoife, an addiction counsellor in Bushypark, Ennis once told me of her own recovery and the things she had to sacrifice in the short term to protect her sobriety. Music was one of those things. She didn’t feel strong enough to play music for about eighteen months. (I could be wrong on the timeline) Music can have a negative effect on your recovery and mental health too. One song in particular for me that had a negative effect was ‘Creep’. Lyrics such ‘I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo’ and ‘What the hell am I doing here, I don’t belong here’ are the opposite of affirmations I needed ingrained in my brain. Lately I have taken a break from listening to YT Music as I cannot afford the ten euro a month, most likely a sacrifice that has come to enable my gambling. Singing to myself that I drink my whiskey neat is no longer an option either, singing ‘The gambler’ by Kenny Rogers wouldn’t benefit my recovery either.