I’m feeling miserable, lonely (what’s new?) and like no one I know understands what it’s like to have to deal with this crippling disorder so decided to make a playlist of songs that relate to social anxiety in some way. It’s probably the most depressing playlist made by anyone ever (though it would be a lot worse if I made a ‘songs about depression’ playlist) but listening to songs with lyrics that put my experiences with social anxiety into words does actually help sometimes. I’m dealing with the same old – memories, regrets, preoccupation with everything I can’t/ probably won’t be able to do because of this horrible curse of a disorder. I haven’t really done anything over the holidays and I can count on one hand the number of non-family members that I’ve talked to since finishing my Christmas job – and 3 of those were staff at the dermatology department; Another 1 of those is my driving instructor (who berates me almost constantly during lessons). Feeling very, very isolated and lonely.
Some of the songs I’ve included are songs that I listened to and felt that I could immediately relate to, or songs that got me through various stages in my life. Some others are not from my own music collection but have lyrics that anyone with SA can relate to.
Songs about social anxiety:
- The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby
- Ben Harper – Glory and Consequence
- Black Sabbath – Loner
- Billy Talent – Nothing To Lose (I would play this song over and over again when my depression got really bad during my first year of uni).
- Bright Eyes – Waste of Paint
- The Doors – People Are Strange
- Eels – Things The Grandchildren Should Know (This song makes me tear up when I listen to it).
- Elliot Smith – No Name #1
- Frank Turner – Reasons Not To Be An Idiot
- The Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
- Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams*
- Jimmy Eat World – The Middle (This song got me through high school).
- Kate Nash – Mariella
- Kate Nash – We Get On
- Keane – Crystal Ball
- Linkin Park – By Myself
- Linkin Park – Somewhere I Belong
- Lykke Li – Everybody But Me
- Marina and the Diamonds – Living Dead
- Marina and the Diamonds – Numb
- Marina and the Diamonds – The Outsider
- Matchbox 20 – Unwell
- The Moldy Peaches – Nothing Came Out
- Motion City Soundtrack – Modern Chemistry
- Muse – Map of the Problematique
- Nine Inch Nails – Every Day Is Exactly The Same (I have this on repeat at the moment – describes my current situation perfectly).
- One Republic – Stop and Stare
- Papa Roach – Who Do You Trust?
- Paramore – Be Alone
- Paul McCartney – She’s Given Up Talking
- Pearl Jam – I Got Id
- Pink Floyd – Keep Talking
- Ross Copperman – All She Wrote (I might actually make that the theme tune of this blog)
- Simon & Garfunkel – A Most Peculiar Man
- Simon & Garfunkel – I Am A Rock
- Simple Plan – I’m Just A Kid
- The Smiths – Ask
- The Smiths – How Soon Is Now?
- Snow Patrol – Spitting Games*
- Stone Sour – Socio
- Sum 41 – Pieces
- Switchfoot – Don’t Be There
- System Of A Down – Lonely Day
- Weezer – The Other Way
* (I remember relating painfully well to both of these songs as a young teenager, before I even knew that I had social anxiety disorder).
I am not in a good place right now and there is no one I can really talk to about it. The lyrics of those songs are the things that I wish I could tell other people. But there are increasingly fewer people/ places for me to turn to for help (will mention this in the next post). Bit of a self-obsessed mess at the moment.
Every day is exactly the same
Every day is exactly the same
There is no love here and there is no pain
Every day is exactly the same
Diary of a social phobic 
For me it was not songs, but anime. Welcome to the NHK being my favorite based off social anxiety. I understand wanting to find ways to just emote and express something that is so hard to, music, books, and my anime all help.
I watched the first episode of that programme and I could relate to some of it myself – particularly the social paranoia. I’m glad that music, books, and anime have helped you. Music does help me a lot.
I LOVE that show!!!
Thanks for the list, I’ve saved it for a listen. I’ve always liked “How soon is now”, “Unwell” and “A most peculiar man” too. Totally relatable. I thought I’ll share my list too, since these songs got me through many rough periods as well. Btw, do you listen to podcasts? This American Life and The Moth org really helped distract me from intrusive thoughts.
Here’s my list, a depressing but comforting mix:
Agnes Obel – Riverside
Memphis – I am the Photographer
Stars – “Person”, “The Passenger”, “The North”
Radiohead – Black Star
Nico – These Days
The National – Just about every song by them, but here are my favourites: “Racing like a Pro”, “Mistaken for Strangers”, “Graceless”, “Demons”, “Slow Show”, “City Middle”, “Sorrow”
Hedwig and the Angry Inch OST – “Wicked little town”
Amanda Palmer – Runs in the Family
Halou – “Today”, “Present Tense”
Arcade Fire – Normal Person
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – I see a Darkness
Foals – Spanish Sahara
Lamb – Back to Beginning
Remy Zero – Fair
Thanks for your list of songs. I liked “Black Star” and “Normal Person” in particular. “Spanish Sahara” is quite calming. My attention span is quite short when it comes to podcasts so I don’t usually listen to them unless I find something that really interests me. I’m glad that they’ve helped you. 🙂 I find that relatable TV series and films can also help me feel better.
Whoops, I meant Stars – “Personal”
I’m so sorry you are struggling, I can honestly say I know exactly how you feel. It is the most trapping and painful feeling. It is a shame you have no one you feel you can talk to. Could you go into therapy? Maybe CBT or psychoanalysis? I have been in both and found them both helpful in different ways. I’m lucky enough to have parents who understand and can help me with my social anxiety. I hope you can overcome this and realise that you are actually a worthwhile person, who people could enjoy being around. A really good song by Ross Copperman called “All she wrote” is good to listen to when you’re feeling stuck/down/like no one understands you. It describes a girl who has felt an outsider all her life, which from the sounds of things is what you’re feeling at the moment. Another song called “miniature disasters” by KT Tunstel is another good song. Although it’s not about social anxiety, it’s a song people with severe social anxiety can relate to (like myself). Hope things look up for you, sounds like you deserve them too.
Thank you. I’m sorry that you’re going through the same thing. 😦 Social anxiety disorder is a curse. I have done a bit of CBT in the past and it did help a little bit, though I haven’t done any in a while now. As far as I’m aware, psychoanalysis is not available on the NHS and I don’t really have the money to pay for it myself (I’ll cover this more in my next post).I’m trying to go down the self-help route at the moment.
It’s nice of you to say that, though I can’t really believe it myself. Thank you for mentioning “All She Wrote”. Very, very relatable song. Yes, I’ve felt like an outsider throughout my entire life so far. I imagine that a lot of people with severe SA and who are very socially isolated feel the same. I’ve listened to KT Tunstall and quite like some of her songs.
Thanks again for your kind words. I hope things get better for you too.
Set It off was a really good band for me. I reccomend them. Their song “Breathe in, Breathe out” was based on Anxiety (i don’t know if it was generalized or not). Horrible Kids was based on bullies, who make us self-conscious.They have a little bit of a my chem. romance feel, but the singers are people who were obviously once misfits and changed their style and personalities to fit in society. That’s part of why I like them so much. I doubt My Chem. Romance (with them being so cute and all) had as much real trouble fitting in.
Anime got me through things when I was younger, I had something to relate about, If someone mentioned an anime I saw I would fight the feeling inside and sometimes say “I saw that one!” Then, since anime lovers rarely stop to take a breath, they would make up most the conversation. I wouldn’t even have to open my mouth, just watch them and laugh.
Hey, I am glad you made this. I put up with a SAD playlist on Spotify, to help me as well. Know your contribution will help me a lot in this phase I’m going trough! A big THANK YOU 🙂
No problem 🙂
I like Promise by Eve 6. The song does have the ‘f’ word in it though
Sleeping through the evening singing dreams inside my head
I’m heading out I’ve got some friends
Who say they care and they just might
I run away with you if things don’t go as planned
Planning big could be a gamble I’ve already rolled the dice
I spit, stutter stuff and clutter worries in my worried corner
Maladjusted, just, untrusted, rusted,
Sometimes brilliant busted thoughts
Think I’ll stay for a while I’m intrigued
And I’m red as a newborn white as a corpse
I promise not to try not to f- with your mind
I promise not to mind if you go your way and I go mine
I promise not to lie if I’m looking you straight in the eye
I promise not to try not to let you down
As an aspie, I relate to so many of the lyrics. Brilliant, busted thoughts. Definitely. And the whole I promise section.. def me. Check out the rest of the lyrics and the song. It’s definitely my autism anthem. 😉
Read more: http://artists.letssingit.com/eve-6-lyrics-promise-jw4p3kv#ixzz306I25YGv
LetsSingIt – Your favorite Music Community
Ah crippling, indeed. I’m feeling the same way. Thanks for the list. Hope you feel better!
No problem. Thank you. 🙂
This helped me so much 💕
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Wow Nine Inch Nails – Every Day Is Exactly The Same describes my situation perfectly too! Thank youuu!
How about “Thearpy” by All Time Low? “The Middle” is another amazing one!
Yes, the lyrics do fit with having social anxiety. Would you like me to add it to the song list? ‘The Middle’ is indeed amazing.
‘Can you feel my heart’ by Bring Me The Horizon perhaps? I feel that the lyrics ‘I’m scared to get close, I hate being alone, I long for that feeling to not feel at all. The higher I get, the lower I’ll sink. I can’t drown my demons they know how to swim’ fit with dealing with social anxiety.
There’s this song called I Don’t Like People by Marc Goone. It’s explicit rap about not liking people and not being comfortable around them. Another one like that is Me, Myself, and I by G-Eazy. One line actually goes “I don’t like talking to strangers, so get the f off me I’m anxious.” I like to listen to those two a lot when everything gets frustrating.
thank you for the list of songs
No problem! 🙂
Anxiety by Drew Duprey/Stilrize hits it right on the nail for me. I also listen to Understand by Christian Blevins, and My Demons by Starset (“Mayday! Mayday! The ship is slowly sinking. They think I’m crazy, but they don’t know the feeling…”). Stupid & Anxious by Joel Faviere has a couple lines in it that are really relateable…
“I’m stupid and anxious.
Can you just shut up, let me finish a sentence.
Just let me finish a sentence.
Can you just shut up, let me finish a sentence.
Just let me finish a sentence…”
Enemy is another good one by him… even though it’s supposed to be about self-harm, I think it’s relateable for a lot of people with many mental disorders…
This list has helped me find even more to listen to when everything gets frustrating/depressing/anything. Thanks for the list ❤
Maybe, TNBH – Every body is watching me
Should’ve had a *every ToP song ever* in there l-/
Hey,
I’m sorry if I waste your time but I’m kind of discovering the social anxiety disorder.And I saw your writing and I feel so related to what you said and I just wanted to tell you.I’m sure other,more important people tell you but,you’re not alone. (I have to apologize for my english too.I’ve only learned it for a few years.)
Hi Olivia. Thanks for your comment. I apologise for the late reply. Hey, you’re important too! 🙂 And there’s nothing wrong with your English.
I can’t believe linkin park – hardly breathe
THE ORIGINAL not the one with rap by I forgot who.
I don’t know if you like musical theater songs, but the song Waving Through a Window, from the musical Dear Evan Hansen, is really good too, and it’s completely about social anxiety. The whole show is, really.
Hi. Got a song to add I thought quite recently. And the thing with social anxiety and music, means a lot to me because all I feel is SA, and all I like is music! 😦 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxfFTZauGHg
Liked the Frank Turner song, and love those Smiths songs. But I’m gonna listen to all of those now 😉
You forgot one of the most importants! The Neighbourhood – Afraid 🙂
It’s been a while since this was posted. I hope things are better for you now, dude 🙂
I’m actually a “dudette”, but thank you 🙂
Oh, my apologies. I use words like ‘dude’ and ‘guys’ regardless of gender