First of all, be glad that it is Christian music. Rejoice in the fact that they are not obsessed with weird or wild secular music. But, still you are concerned.
Your teen is dressing strangely, dancing in weird ways, hitting their head against the wall or bobbing it up and down, jumping up and down, making strange noises, or going to all sorts of concerts.
Next, you hear about the moshing that goes on there. Your teen is wanting to go see bands with weird names you have never heard of before, but who claim to be Christian groups. What is a parent to do? First of all, what not to do is sit by blindly thinking, "Well, at least they are Christian groups."
Don't let your young person listen to whatever they want to listen to or go wherever they want to go. It is your responsibility as a parent to make sure that even though a band or an activity has a Christian label on it, you are doing all you can to be the chief guiding force in your young person's life.
You're In Charge
You cannot let peers, music, news, or teachers be their primary guiding force. God has put you there to train them, not the music industry nor the educational system.
What can you do to help guide them through this? Ask your young person to let you see the lyrics to some songs. Sit down together and look over them. If there are lyrics you do not understand, ask your young person what they mean.
Compare them to scriptures to see if they really line up with the Word of God. Read magazine articles about the bands. Find interviews with them and read them with your young person. See what the band members are like. How long have they been Christians? Where do they go to church? Do they have a regular pastor? Are they accountable to anyone?
In regards to music and your teen, does the word obsessed come to mind? The word obsessed is a big word. It means your teen has to listen to it all the time—sunup to sundown. They can't stand to be without it.
It's amazing the strong pull that music has on our society. If your young person is so compelled that they cannot stay away, then there is something wrong. If they need to constantly have their headphones on with the CD player going, that is evidence that something is not right.
It's one thing to like that kind of music, but it is another thing to be so sucked into it that it is all they can think about, and all they ever want to do.
The fallacy is to think, "Well, when they are not with us, we don't have any control over them anyway. We might as well let them listen to it as much as they want. It's Christian—it won't harm them."
That is not necessarily so. Just because it is Christian music does not mean that it is healthy for a young mind to be bombarded with fast-paced, crazy guitars screaming through their headphones all day long.
It breeds confusion in their heart and mind. Keep in mind that if you tell your young person this, they won't believe it, understand it, or agree with it.
You Do Have Influence
The second fallacy is that you do not have any influence. Yes you do! You are the parent. You are the one who is there to say what is wise and what is not—what is permissible and what is not.
You can limit how much time your teen spends listening to a CD player or Walkman by telling them you don't think it is wise for them to listen to that style of music all day long. Suggest that they listen to some praise and worship or teaching tapes.
Maybe they need some quiet time without constant noise broadcast into their brain all day. You do have influence. You are there to set guidelines and parameters so your teen will be raised in a wholesome environment. Do your job.
Source: Rescue Manual For Parents by Ron Luce.
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
FAQs
Treatment — self-help
Two successful strategies can be distinguished: engagement, for example, singing the song aloud; and distraction, for example, doing sports, listening to different music,3 or even chewing gum. A variety of self-help options can be found on the internet.
Is it okay to listen to rock as a Christian? ›
Yes, Christians can listen to rock music. While there may be differing opinions within the Christian community, there is no specific biblical prohibition against listening to rock music. It ultimately comes down to personal convictions and discernment.
How to get over an obsession with a band? ›
Get some distance from the source of your obsession.
Putting physical distance between yourself and your obsession will help you gain mental distance, too. It'll be hard at first, but soon you'll feel the obsession's spell start to weaken, bit by bit.
Why do I like listening to rock music? ›
Medical studies have shown that rock music can help reduce stress, increase positive emotions, and even regulate mood. Rock music can act as an effective tool in stress management by increasing the production rate of dopamine, effectively reducing levels of stress hormones.
Is music addiction a disorder? ›
In short, not really. Experts don't formally recognize music addiction as a mental health diagnosis. Still, that doesn't mean music habits can still sometimes become problematic. If you have any familiarity with how addiction develops, you might know a little about the role dopamine plays.
What is a music addict called? ›
melomaniac (plural melomaniacs) One with an abnormal fondness of music; a person who loves music. [ from 19th c.] synonyms, antonym ▲quotations ▼ Synonyms: melomane, melophile, musicophile Antonym: melophobe.
What does the Bible say about rock music? ›
What music is acceptable to listen to according to the Bible? 1 Corinthians 6:12 “Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].” All music is acceptable!
What does it say about you if you listen to rock? ›
Rock and heavy metal often project images of anger, bravado, and aggression. However, this study found such fans to be gentle, creative, and introverted. They also tended to have low self-esteem.
What Bible verses say rock? ›
Psalms 18:2
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
How to break an obsession? ›
How to Deal with Obsessive Thoughts: 7 Tips
- Acknowledge your thoughts. ...
- Recognize the patterns and name them. ...
- Accept that it's out of your control, but manageable. ...
- Explore meditation and mindfulness benefits. ...
- Find ways to distract yourself. ...
- Challenge your thinking. ...
- Seek Therapy.
Relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) includes obsessions over a close or intimate relationship or partner and may include an obsessive focus on how a partner is unreliable or untrustworthy. Obsessive distrust in a relationship may link to depression, anxiety, and violence in a relationship.
How to deal with an obsessive person? ›
Be gentle but consistent. In the moment, they may feel hurt or rejected if you don't help with their compulsions. Try to give gentle, simple explanations without getting into discussions about their obsessions.
What do you call a person who loves rock music? ›
An aficionado, devotee, or fan of rock music. aficionado.
Why do people with anxiety listen to music so much? ›
If you're feeling anxious or stressed, calming music can help to settle your mind. Several studies have shown that when people undergoing surgery hear calming music, they have lower blood pressure and need less pain medication than those who don't listen to soothing music.
Why do I rock back and forth while sitting and listening to music? ›
Rocking back and forth can be a coping mechanism or an innate reaction to feelings of agitation, anxiety, restlessness, fear, and insomnia. However, if someone notices someone rocking back and forth, then they might need medical attention.
Why am I addicted to music so much? ›
In a study done at McGill University in 2011, dopamine levels increased when subjects anticipated certain parts of their favorite tunes. When listening to specific parts of the song, endogenous dopamine release in the striatum was at its apex, a sign of peak pleasure in the body.
Why are you obsessed with music? ›
Because it holds the key to your soul. Music is one of the few things that is pure and right with this world. It can reach in and make you feel emotions you did not even know you had. And that is just the Music.
Why am I so hypersensitive to music? ›
Your ears detect sounds as vibrations. If you have hyperacusis, your brain confuses or exaggerates certain vibrations. So even if you get the same signals as someone else, your brain reacts differently to them. That's what causes the discomfort.
Why do I crave music so much? ›
Brain regions that were consistently activated were those related to reward, emotional responses, and habit formation. It has been argued that further behaviors or stimuli which are rewarding, such as music, can induce both intense pleasurable experiences and craving (Salimpoor et al., 2011).
