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Best Anxiety, OCD, Phobia Songs
The Best Songs To Help You Face Anxiety, OCD, Fear, Panic Attacks and Phobias
Sometimes it's important to focus on the lighter side of anxiety treatment. The monster of anxiety wants to be taken seriously, but just like a child's fear of the dark, when a light is turned on the monster dissolves. Here is a list of songs to help you turn the light of encouragement and inspiration on during your battle against the anxiety monster!
Let's begin!
These are in no particular order other than what occurred while creating this list.
11) Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
A classic 80's tune. Especially useful when battling the physical sensations and symptoms of panic attacks or panic disorder. When afraid, our adrenaline or fight or flight response is activated. When we respond to the accompanying rush with anxiety resistance, this then unwittingly encourages more adrenaline. It can be a vicious cycle. In order to fight panic attacks, you've got to look these symptoms in the eye. And welcome them! Listen to this song to encourage you to be a warrior.
12) Invincible - Muse
A moving and inspirational song encouraging you to keep moving forward towards facing anxiety and fear. Life is too short to allow anxiety to be a barrier. You can overcome whatever you fear! You can experience relief and get on with your life. Just keep moving forward.
13) Flashdance - Irene Cara
This is an early 80's song from the movie "Flashdance". The lyrics can be used to encourage you to let go of irrational beliefs and embrace your life by following your dreams - a key aspect of anxiety treatment. When you change your perspective, your experience can change.
14) Keep The Faith - Bon Jovi
The title is self-explanatory. Believe that you can change. You can reduce anxiety symptoms. You can learn to stop panic attacks. You can overcome a phobia. Life can be challenging, but you must believe that you can overcome adversity. Listen to this song and have faith.
15) Monster - Paul Waters
This is an inspiring song of achievement with regard to OCD treatment, written by a talented musician whom I treated on the TV series OBSESSED. As depicted on the show, Paul suffered with a classic harm obsession that manifested in a fear of driving and potentially hitting pedestrians. Following my work providing CBT with Exposure and Response Prevention, Paul made tremendous progress. And then wrote a song about it!
16) Spread Your Wings - Queen
This is a 70's rock song about acknowledging your freedom of choice, being your true self and the importance of taking chances. Anxiety is often about trying to control risk that is often out of one's control. This is never a helpful strategy. You simply must take action. As the cliche goes "No risk, no reward".
17) Rhino Skin - Tom Petty
This is a lesser known song from Tom Petty. It addresses the struggles of this life and the importance or need to have a thick skin. So much of life is out of our control. In fact, most anxiety originates from a desire to control what is out of our control. What else could the result be but anxiety when taking this approach? "Rhino Skin" or a "thicker skin" can be developed. You can practice not taking your anxiety personally. It only feels personal based on the reinforcement of fear and obsessive anxiety over time. Meanwhile, although anxiety is uncomfortable, anxiety cannot really harm you other than the power you give it to effect your choices.
18) Invincible - Pat Benatar
A great song about acknowledging your inner strength. You don't have to allow anxiety to hurt you. When struggling with an anxiety disorder, we can feel powerless and lose sight of our inner strengths. Remind yourself that you've succeeded in resolving other problems in your life and can beat this one too. You're much more powerful than you think!
19) That's Life - Sinatra
An old classic! To put it simply, this song is about rising again after you fall and doing this consistently. This is how you can overcome OCD. Every time you have an obsession, you can learn how to apply effective strategy to reduce it. Obsessive thinking does not have to create suffering or anxiety symptoms.
20) Fighter - Christina Aguilera
This song appears to be based on a bad relationship that encouraged her to be a fighter. However, if you apply this song to the anxiety symptoms, panic attacks or phobias you are suffering with, it can inspire you to face them - and be a fighter. The lyrics express gratitude that the bad experience created "a fighter". This can be true for most difficult experiences, especially anxiety. Once you learn how to overcome anxiety with skills and strategies, you'll realize that you can apply these techniques to any fear that arises. You'll feel tougher, stronger and more empowered!
