The power of the playlist

I’ve been feeling pretty low over the past week or so. It’s probably been a combination of the burn-out that I’ve never fully recovered from, the anxiety that I’ve started feeling more regularly in recent years, busy-ish days and a series of unwelcome news received in a relatively short span of time (what can I say apart from, when it rains, it pours?) The stress has, in turn, taken a toll on the body, from sleep quality to stomach trouble. After a week of pendulum-ing between “it’s not great but it’s not terrible, I can do this” and “if a tsunami came and washed me out to sea right now I’d be grateful”, I picked up my copy of ADHD Explained: Your Tool Kit to Understanding and Thriving by Edward M. Hallowell, a book I’d started reading and then put down halfway and forgot about for over a month because… well, I guess the answer’s in the title.

I cracked the book open and landed on this page:

Well, shit, I thought.

Turns out this isn’t uncommon for people with ADHD. Which isn’t to say that people who don’t have ADHD don’t experience this, only that those of us who do can be quite prone to it because, as Hallowell puts it: “One of the first laws of ADHD is that we crave stimulation, even painful stimulation and can’t endure boredom. […] Well, nothing is more painfully stimulating than getting beaten up by the Demon. That’s why we keep feeding it our attention.”

Just like what they say about Internet trolls, Hallowell advises that one avoid feeding the Demon. This can be done by diverting our attention to other high-stimulation things. He suggests things like intense exercise or doing a puzzle—the first one only occasionally works for me, while the second might be fun for awhile but stops being so effective once my brain gets used to it (and if it’s too hard, I end up beating myself up about why I can’t do it, so that’s no good either). But another of Hallowell’s suggestions caught my attention: loud music.

Now that, I can do.

It’s not like I haven’t noticed the effects of music on my mood before. There have been so many times when the playlist hits just right and I can feel my mood lift and the joy come rushing back in; before I know it, I’m singing along and bopping and jumping around the room, feeling like maybe things will be okay after all.

Now that I think about it, if the key is to find something more stimulating than the gloom… well, what could be more stimulating than the absolute attack on one’s senses that K-pop can be? Maybe that’s why I’ve glommed on to it so much in recent years. I regret nothing!

Anyway, since I’m writing and thinking about pick-me-up playlist, I thought I’d include 10 songs that usually have the power to pull me out of a funk. After the week I’ve had, I’m going to have to really crank ‘em up.

 빛나리 (Shine) — PENTAGON

“Yes, I’m a loser, loser who loves you”

This one always works for me. There’s just something really infectious about the energy and vibe of it. (Actually, a lot of PENTAGON’s music makes me feel better.)

 파이팅 해야지 (Fighting) — BSS

“Gotta keep going, what else can you do? Fighting, yeah!”

The choreography involves high-fiving yourself, so how can it not make the list?

Nothing Better — American Authors

“There is nothing better than you”

Something about this song is so joyous, I love it.

Paint Me Naked — TEN

“Baby, be my weekend”

There was a time I would listen to this on repeat while running outside and it would make my run significantly more enjoyable.

 Healer — Day6

“Looking at you, my heart feels comfortable”

This is a pretty new addition to my ‘feel better’ playlist. I’m not sure why; I’ve listened to this song before but it was only recently that something clicked. Maybe I just find the “gwenchana, gwenchana” in the chorus comforting lol. Or maybe it’s because of this video of Day6 dancing to this song with their representative animals… and losing to the animals.

我們的青春 (We Are Young) — Dino Lee

“With you running next to me, our courage is doubled”

This is from the hit Taiwanese film Our Times 《我的少女時代》which I haven’t actually watched (and am not sure if I ever will), but this song definitely reminds me of my teenage years, dancing around my room to my favourite music.

Adore U — SEVENTEEN

“I adore you, enough to get dizzy”

This song is so cute (and SEVENTEEN are so young in that video), and for what? For what, you tell me?! For me to listen to this song 10,000 times?!!!

不必回答 (No Answer) — YAOCHEN

“In the bright moonlight, I wish I could shout, there’s no need to respond”

I think it’s the beat that does it. Just turn it up and jump around. The chorus really works for me.

 에잇 (eight) — IU feat. Suga

“Forever young”

This songs scratches something on the inside of my brain, I swear. Seeing this clip of IU performing it live made me kind of regret not going into battle for a ticket to her show in Singapore.

Get Cool — Stray Kids

“What more do I need on this good day?”

This list would never be complete without my happy pill song! You’ve got to have a heart of stone to watch this dance practice and not end up with a smile on your face.

So that’s my ten… what’s yours?