"Anxiety" Song: Expressing Coping with Anxiety Through Music

Firstly, I would like to focus on the lyrics of the song "Anxiety." The lyrics of the song address a topic that many people experience: anxiety. Michaels and Gomez discuss ways of coping with anxiety and how it makes one feel in the song. For example, the lyrics say:

My friends, they wanna take me to the movies
I tell em to fuck off, I'm holding hands with my depression
And when I think I'm overcoming
Anxiety starts kicking in and teach us a lesson
Oh, I try my best just to be social
I make all these plans with friends and hope they call and cancel
Then I overthink about the things I’m missing
Now I'm wishing, I was with 'em

These lyrics clearly express symptoms of anxiety that many people may experience. The songwriter discusses how depression is a part of their life and how they reject their friends' help despite wanting to get rid of it. The songwriter makes an effort to be social but their worries cause them to withdraw from social life. This section illustrates the possible effects of social anxiety, depression, and social isolation on a person's relationships with others.
The line "Anxiety starts kicking in and teach us a lesson" emphasizes the difficulties that anxiety can give a person. The song also expresses that the person makes an effort to be a part of their social life but often expects their plans to be canceled and overthinks their social interactions.

Feel like I'm always apologising for feeling
Like I'm out of my mind when I'm doing just fine
But my exes all say that I'm hard to deal with
And I admit, and I admit, oh

In this section, the songwriter expresses a common experience for people struggling with anxiety. They acknowledge feeling emotional difficulty and constantly feeling the need to apologize. When experiencing anxiety, people often blame themselves and try to prove to others that they are "okay." However, in reality, they display these behaviors because they feel a sense of distress inside. Additionally, they admit that their past partners found it difficult to deal with them. This section demonstrates how a lack of self-esteem and low self-confidence can make coping with emotional problems more challenging.

But all my friends they don't know, what it's like, what it's like
They don't understand why, I can't sleep trough the night
I've been told that I could take something to fix it
Then I wish it, I wish it was that simple, ah, ah
But all my friends they don't know, what it's like

In this section, the songwriter expresses that their friends do not understand their emotional difficulties. Additionally, some people suggest taking something to fix the issue, but the songwriter acknowledges that the solution is not that simple. This section emphasizes the importance of social support and empathy.

In this section, the songwriter reflects on a situation experienced by people who feel anxiety. They express the constant thoughts racing through their minds and their uncontrollable nature. Anxiety is characterized by the constant thoughts and worries that occupy our minds. Many of these thoughts may be exaggerated, but they still take over our minds. Additionally, even though they say they are fine most of the time, they cannot seem to tell anyone what is really going on inside. This section shows that mental health issues are associated with privacy and a sense of shame.

So, what is there from a psychological perspective in this song? Anxiety has become a prevalent condition, especially in recent years. However, the way this condition is reflected in music is a relatively new development. The song "Anxiety" can be evaluated as an example that brings the topic of anxiety into music.

Anxiety is primarily a state of worry. It is characterized by various worries such as the fear that something will go wrong, a sense of threat, or a fear of coping with a situation that is beyond your control. The feeling of anxiety can significantly affect people's lives. This condition can make it difficult for people to maintain their daily lives, hinder their social interactions, and even cause physical symptoms.
The feeling of anxiety originates from the amygdala, a region of the brain. The amygdala activates the alarm system in the body in response to any situation it perceives as a threat and triggers a series of physiological reactions, including an increase in heart rate, faster breathing, sweating, trembling, and muscle tension.

The lyrics and theme of the song appeal to people struggling with anxiety and create awareness about this issue. Michaels and Gomez promise to support each other in dealing with this condition in the song. This is an essential message for people fighting anxiety because it often makes them feel alone and makes it difficult for them to seek help.
The melody of the song also reflects the tension and anxiety caused by anxiety. The rhythms and instruments used in the song emphasize the constantly racing thoughts in the mind and the speed of the heartbeat.