 As mental health is becoming a more socially acceptable topic, musicians are releasing songs about everything from anxiety to borderline personality disorder. It’s comforting to hear lyrics that you can connect with, especially when you’re having a difficult time. Here are some of the best songs to listen to when you’re feeling down:
1.  “Altar”- machineheart
A song about crying out for a higher power after hitting rock bottom, “Altar” contains a raw vulnerability that knocks you off your feet. “Take me away from hell and then/ Heaven, help me/ Steady my feet again” lead singer Stevie Scott pleads in the pre-chorus. The song’s beautifully tragic tone ends in a feeling of triumph and leaves you feeling as if you’ve undergone a complete journey.
2.  “Good Person”- Gilanares
With a style that resembles lyrical spoken word, Gilanares recounts her struggles with acceptance. She believes that she still has the potential to improve despite her flaws, singing, “I know that I can be selfish and narcissistic and self-destructive,/ but underneath all that, deep down, I’m a good person.” The song’s blunt admissions and glimpses of hope perfectly encapsulate an inner struggle with morality so few are willing to admit.Â
3.  “Panic Attacks in Paradise”- Ashnikko
Even when you’re at the top, you can feel like you’re on the bottom. Ashnikko has told NME that, despite doing well physically and professionally, she was trapped in a cycle of self-pity. “I hate that I’m so/ Self-deprecating/ More comfortable in bad situations,” she mourns. Filled with a resounding reverb, the song echoes in your chest in a similar fashion to Gilanares’, if a bit slower.Â
4.  “Ugly Crier”- Mckenna Grace
Despite her success as an actress and musician, Grace still struggles with imposter syndrome, singing that “even at her best, she’s a constant mess.” Filling the music industry’s pop punk princess gap, Grace’s music has an angry angst that encapsulates the teenage frustration of trying to find one’s purpose in a landscape littered with internet stars.
5.  “Taking Up Space”- Ariza & Julia Gartha
This one’s for the people-pleasers looking to start prioritizing their own interests. “I’m tired of/ Dulling my shine/ Just to make someone’s a little bit brighter,” the pair sing. High synths contribute to a more hopeful, growth-centered narrative.