Songs that help me with my breakdowns and anxiety attacks

It is no secret to the people who frequently read my articles that I have always struggled with my mental health—anxiety and overthinking. My overthinking as it goes to a spiral always produces a set of emotions that always get the best of me. It is overbearing, so I always try my best to find things that will make it stop. One of those is listening to songs that actually help and comfort me.

Most of the songs in this list provide a sense of understanding of what I feel. They usually contain lyrics that soothe me or perfectly mirror what I’m feeling at the moment. I am genuinely thankful for every single of these. Through this article, my goal is to share these tracks to help people who struggle with the things I battle against.

Without further ado, here they are.

Rise (Katy Perry)

When I first heard this song when it was released, I immediately thought that it is beautiful. It was very emotional and powerful. This track, when played, feels very motivating and recharging. I remember finding myself having goosebumps whenever I listen to this. It is perfect to listen to this when your anxiety gets the best of you.

Lyrics that stuck to me:

‘Cause when, when the fire’s at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They’re whispering, you’re out of time
But still, I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don’t be surprised, I will still rise

Get It Right (Rachel Berry – Glee)

This song came from the series that will forever be in my core being, glee. The track perfectly talks about how a person tries to do her best but always ends up failing and destroying everything. It tackles the frustration of not being good enough and striving to “get it right”. This usually contributes to the destruction of one’s mental health.

I’m tearing up just by talking about this. It just really screams everything your heart aches for when you feel like you are not enough. This song is a masterpiece, paired with the amazing vocals of Lea Michele. Lyrics that stuck with me are:

What can you do when your good isn’t good enough
And all that you touch tumbles down?
Cause my best intentions
Keep making a mess of things
I just wanna fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me to get it right, to get it right?

Sissy That Walk (Rupaul)

The fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race probably have this as their anthem when battling against obstacles and fighting for their dreams. This track comes from the fun, party, and motivating end of the spectrum.

It is upbeat and dancey. If you don’t want to sulk and sit your feelings, this song is perfect. It emphasizes with you, but it also encourages you as a powerful anthem—for you to “sissy that walk,” or slay that huge runway called life. This song helped me boost my confidence and conquer my anxiety.

Lyrics that speak to me goes like this:

Pick myself up, turn the world on its head
Don’t forget what, don’t forget what my mama said
People talking since the beginning of time
Unless they paying your bills, pay them bitches no mind

This Is Me Trying (Taylor Swift)

Of course, this list will not be complete without this track from my main queen. This song is just exquisite. In an interview, Miss Swift even talked about how she feels bad for the people who struggle and aren’t credited enough.

Like the queen that she is, she understands people who suffer and created a song that perfectly mirrors this. However, this song definitely has a deeper meaning about Taylor’s struggles, just like her other songs. But as a general song, it speaks to everyone who doesn’t feel seen and has been battling against a lot of hurdles. In this case, our anxiety.

I think this comes down as one of my favorite songs from Taylor. The incredible lyricism of this song goes like this:

They told me all of my cages were mental
So I got wasted like all my potential
And my words shoot to kill when I’m mad
I have a lot of regrets about that
I was so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere
Fell behind all my classmates and I ended up here
Pourin’ out my heart to a stranger
But I didn’t pour the whiskey

Fight Song (Rachel Platten)

Of all the tracks on this list, this is probably one of those that became mainstream. When this song was released, it was everyone’s jam. You cannot blame them though because of how powerful it was. It resonated to the public as the title suggests, their “fight song.”

Its upbeat tempo made people dance and sing their hearts out for how it motivates everyone that is down. Its lyrics go like this:

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

Actually, she has another song which is the title track in her underrated album, Waves, entitled Broken Glass. It has the same message as Fight Song but it didn’t blow up like its predecessor. However, you can check it out if you want to.

The Next Right Thing (Anna of Arendelle from Frozen 2)

I saved the song that had the most impact on me these past few months. As I mentioned, I have always struggled with my mental health. That’s why when we watched this film in the theaters and this song played, I almost bawled my eyes out. It literally made me place my hand on my chest and mouth the words, “this song is beautiful.” Because it is… it really is.

This track probably becomes one of those that had the biggest impact on my life. Whenever this plays, I become emotional. The beautiful lyrics tells:

I won’t look too far ahead
It’s too much for me to take
But break it down to this next breath, this next step
This next choice is one that I can make
So I’ll walk through this night
Stumbling blindly toward the light
And do the next right thing
And, with it done, what comes then?
When it’s clear that everything will never be the same again
Then I’ll make the choice to hear that voice
And do the next right thing

So, yeah, I guess that’s about it. I have plenty more songs to feature but it will take me forever to write. I suggest that if you listen to these tracks, you dim the lights or turn them off completely, then curl up in your bed. It works perfectly, especially if you’re sad.