Songs about anxiety can actually help you decrease your emotional state of panic. By listening to calming music that’ll relax you with powerful lyrics that’ll help you cope with extreme stress you can find peace of mind. In this article, we’ll share 25 anxiety songs to help you decrease panic attacks. Many of these songs have helped me with my own anxiety and I hope by sharing them with you, you’ll find comfort in these songs about anxiety as well.
25 Songs About Anxiety for 2023
1. Waving Through A Window – Ben Platt
Songs about anxiety, such as Waving Through A Window from the successful musical Dear Evan Hansen is about coping with social anxiety. The relatable song shares the vulnerability that comes with stepping in front of the sun and getting burned. It’s about how we often feel unnoticed or we intentionally lock ourselves up away from the world to be unseen. On days where you struggle with social anxiety, this anxiety song can be pretty fun to sing along to like all musicals let’s be honest. While this song won’t encourage you to face your fears or seize the day, we hope that you put yourself out there because if you’re falling in a forest and nobody is around, you can and do still make a sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfnMvo87fQU
2. About Damn Time - Lizzo
Lizzo's song About Damn Time is about mental illnesses. She asks about 'how you're healing' from your anxiety symptoms. But this isn't the song about losing hope. While there are hints of negative emotions and negative feelings about being "so down and under pressure," she believes she's better than her emotions. So, if you have severe anxiety, you're not alone. This beautiful song is all about how you can go from feeling overwhelmed to triumphant. The line "I got a feelin' I'm gon' be alright" is all about overcoming your mental health despite feeling it. The mind playing tricks on us that make us feel bad about ourselves is common. But you can fight it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXXxciRUMzE
3. Brave – Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles smash anxiety song Brave is all about facing your fears. It’s about how you might be someone’s backlash, an outcast, or be on the receiving end of some hurtful words, but you’re still amazing. So you have anxiety, that’s hard enough to deal with on it’s own. But you still have a voice to stand up for yourself, to call out your inner critic, and to say how you feel. It’s about allowing your vulnerability to shine through. Tell people how you really feel on tough days, you’d be surprised at how much people can relate or at least empathize with feeling anxious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4
4. Ok Not To Be Ok – Demi Lovato
Songs about anxiety like Demi Lovato’s Ok Not To Be Ok can help you accept that every day might not be sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns but it can still be okay. Dealing with the stresses of life or anxiety can be a lot to handle. Sometimes, you need to accept that your emotions are running high or you’re on edge and you need to give yourself a moment to sit with these feelings as you pick yourself back up again. There are times when you feel ashamed, lose focus, feel lost, or that you’ll never have your big moment. So, tell your loved ones to remind you on tough days that it’s ok not to be ok but to also remember that this feeling of setback, anxiety, or frustration will pass. Tough times are always temporary. You can and will eventually be stress free.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAPlzt2L7wE
5. Hypnotized - Purple Disco Machine, Sophie and the Giants
This song talks about mental health in a very real way. Those with anxiety disorders will likely relate to it a lot as it's one of the best songs in terms of lyrics. For instance, "Suffocated and lonely in the crowd, I'm surrounded by all the screens of their life, screaming in a space to draw them out." The song is about the anxiety of fame. And with more people publicly sharing their lives online, mental illness from going viral in a bad way is very real. You could develop physical symptoms from it too. But if you look at your life ahead, you'll find this song brings self confidence to fight your inner demons as she's "coming home." Home is your place of refuge. And while some might view this as running away from your problems, it's also ok to know that some things aren't as good as they seem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbYQErtM9Zk
6. Anxiety – Julia Michaels, Selena Gomez
The most relatable songs about anxiety come from those who experienced it first hand like Julia Michaels and Selena Gomez. This is another song about social anxiety as Michaels sings about how her friends want to take her to the movies but her depression and anxiety prevent her from sharing that experience with them. She shares about the struggle of negative thoughts going into overdrive. The real value of this song is that the lyrics remind you that anxiety is something that others experience as well, so you’ll never be alone in your struggle on tough days. And there are anxiety coping strategies to help you overcome it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q33DvcjXA7M
7. In My Blood – Shawn Mendes
This is one of my favorite songs about anxiety that I love listening to during moments of panic. The lyrics in this anxiety song are quite powerful as Shawn Mendes uses imagery to describe what anxious people tend to do. It’s also a really positive anxiety song. Despite walls caving in, it’s just not in his blood to give up. During moments of high stress, we need to remember that we’re strong enough to overcome obstacles and emotional distress. This pick-me-up is definitely one to put on repeat when you have high levels of anxiety.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36tggrpRoTI
8. Bad Life - Sigrid, Bring Me The Horizon
When you experience anxiety, it's common to start feeling trapped. So you fake happy. This song is about giving listeners the real anxiety experience though. The lyrics "Everyone's damaged, a little depressed, every now and then we get that feeling in our chests." However, your anxiety issues are not permanent. Sigrid reminds you that it's "a bad day, not a bad life." So, if you're thinking about self harm, remember that every bad thing you're experiencing is temporary and you will thrive as long as you don't give up. You have your whole life ahead of you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4552tadeuM
9. Ride – Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey’s Ride is a song about relationship anxiety. Often, when we’re single, we feel a sense of loneliness that heightens our anxiety. Our thoughts make us feel worse and can ultimately destroy us. She sings about having a war in her mind but she focuses on riding through it. There’s a sense of desperation of wanting someone who loves her to stay by her side but in the end she’s left “high and dry.” It can be a relatable anxiety song for people who date regularly and feel an anxiety about never finding love with the right person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_-3di1yx0
10. Only Love – Katy Perry
Songs about anxiety like Katy Perry’s Only Love is about making the most of each moment while you’re here. It highlights that most of our time is wasted and how much energy we spend by taking things personally. Her solution is to apologize her mom for never calling her back, let her dad know how much she loves him in a heartfelt letter, and focusing on spreading only love. The lyrics “Like, Oh My God, the time I’ve wasted lost in my head” are likely the most relatable anxiety lyrics Perry could come up with. But by focusing on love, you can cure your anxiety for good. This upbeat anxiety song provides the solution of love for panic and distress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uhczwQx9kw
11. Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men
Songs about anxiety don’t get more relatable than Little Talks. This song is essentially a story of a woman who feels anxiety and has someone helping her through it. She talks about the anxiety of creaking stairs which is common in people who have nighttime anxiety. The song tries to help you focus on the positive moments like when you were young. The powerful lyrics, “Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear” is a sentiment that many people with anxiety can relate to even though sometimes those tricks feel extremely real. If you’re looking for uplifting songs about anxiety, add this to your playlist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghb6eDopW8I
12. Under Pressure - Queen
From Green Day to Paul McCartney to Twenty One Pilots to Linkin Park, rock bands have been singing about anxiety disorders since the age of time. So, if you want a fun song to sing when your mental health is going poorly, turn on some Under Pressure by Queen. This power song is fun to sing-cry to. The finale of the song is all about the solution to managing your mental illness. All you need to do is "give love" but that tends to be the hardest thing to do. It's one of the best songs to listen to when you're having a panic attack, stressed about exams, or need to let out some emotions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01QQZyl-_I
13. Disturbia – Rihanna
Rihanna’s Disturbia is a song about anxiety on a more extreme level. This “disease of the mind” makes you feel like you’re going insane. She talks about how it acts like a thief robbing you of everything and making it all you consume. But the lyrics remind you to “put on your break lights” and take a look at the world around you. So whether you're struggling with social anxiety or any type of thought disorder, this song can be fun to sing to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1mU6h4Xdxc
14. Demons – Imagine Dragons
Demons is an enlightening song about anxiety that talks about how sometimes things don’t go as planned and life just doesn’t go our way. And no matter how much we want to shelter people from this pain and suffering it’s ultimately inevitable. It’s something we simply have to face in life. The lyrics “when you feel my heat, look into my eyes, it’s where my demons hide” reminds you that every person who hurts you or suffers around you is also facing their own demons that they struggle with. It can be a hard to get close to someone who has so much darkness inside themselves but ultimately people who are suffering don’t want to hurt others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRsgZuwf_8
15. Keep Breathing – Ingrid Michaelson
The emotional anxiety song Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson gives you the opportunity to build up the tension and then release during the song’s climax. The focus of the lyrics are on an emphasis to keep breathing. Michaelson highlights that even though people are dying and a storn is coming it’s normal to want to stay in bed during tough times. Sometimes rather than trying to change the world, “all we can do is keep breathing.” The song is produced to allow you to feel your emotions at a heightened state so if you find yourself crying to this song, that’s a totally normal experience with songs about anxiety – especially this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svfd999aej8
16. Exhale - Sabrina Carpenter
Those of a young age, will likely relate to Sabrina Carpenter's Exhale for managing their anxiety. She's a Disney star like Demi Lovato. If you're struggling with growing pains or having your high hopes shut down, this song will calm your racing heart. The song asks for permission to "exhale for a minute" and to "breathe." It's about not letting people discredit your accomplishments. This song is perfect for those teen years and early twenties era when you're still learning how to handle your mental illness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gqu8ZTEM1k
17. Breathin – Ariana Grande
Even Ariana Grande faces anxiety. In her anxiety song Breathin’ she sings, “I look up and the whole room’s spinning, you take my cares away, I can so overcomplicate, people tell me to medicate.” She tells the story of how she suffers from panic attacks due to her habit of complicating things. Her situation gets so severe that some think medication is her only cure. But in her chorus, she reminds people that all she needs to do is “Just keep breathin’, and breathin’ and breathin’ and breathin’.” And if you take Ariana Grande’s advice, you’ll likely learn how to stop panic attacks naturally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BYr1br2Ee4
18. Human by Christina Perri
Christina Perri’s Human is an anxiety song that reminds you that you can still do anything while you’re dealing with anxiety but you’re still only human. And you’ll still “bleed when you fall down” and “crash and break down.” It’s okay to admit to yourself and others that you’re still human and will experience pain and suffering sometimes. And that while you might be “faking smiles” or acting like a “good machine” allow yourself to experience the vulnerability of being human which entails going through challenging moments and pain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5yaoMjaAmE
19. Unwell – Matchbox 20
Most songs about anxiety don’t highlight how others perceive the sufferer as well as Matchbox 20’s Unwell does. It tells the story of how the singer is headed for a breakdown and knows that you’re seeing a different side than you’re used to. The lyrics, “I’m not crazy, I’m just a little impaired, I know right now you don’t care, but soon enough you’re going to think of me, and how I used to be” tells the story of how anxiety changes people’s lives. While you might find yourself defending yourself to people telling them that you’re not crazy, this song will remind you that you’re not the only person who has spoken those words to someone and you can find inner peace with these lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WziA88-n02k
20. Complicated - Avril Lavigne
Before Avril Lavigne's life became complicated with Lyme Disease, it was complicated by anxiety. This is one of the top songs that launched Avril's long-spanning career, in fact it was her first song. If you have intrusive thoughts, this can be a fun jam to sing along to to get your feelings off your chest. The lyrics "chill out, what ya yelling for? Lay back, it's all been done before" can be about tense relationships that make us feel anxious. Depression can arise from complicated relationships. And toxic people can make us feel like a basket case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPBIwQyPWE
21. Falling – Haim
The anxiety song Falling is about persevering despite feeling like you’re falling and stumbling in a downward spiral. The powerful lyrics, “Don’t stop, no, I’ll never give up, and I’ll never look back, just hold you’re head up, and if it gets rough it’s time to get rough” symbolizes that you need to stay strong and fight through battles you face in life. If the situation gets rough, then you should do that too. It’ll help you overcome the challenges you face. And throughout the song, you’re reminded that you’re falling throughout it all. Yet, there’s this sparkle of hope throughout the song that helps remind you to hang on a bit longer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIjVpRAXK18
22. I Can't Breathe - Bea Miller
For those struggling with a sleepless night every now and then from past mistakes or failed relationships, you might find peace of mind with Bea Miller's song. This song is about wanting to go back in time so you can 'escape from this prison' in your head. Other mental illnesses can be just as difficult, but there's something about anxiety disorders that makes life so tough. The feeling of not being able to breathe is common for anxiety sufferers, which is what this anxiety song is all about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xBOYHL9XiM
23. Epiphany - Taylor Swift
This is a song about anxiety from trauma. It's one of the hardest Taylor Swift songs to listen to if you've worked in the military or in health care. The feelings of "some things you just can't speak about" are relatable for people who bottle their emotions. Your real friends might not even understand how difficult something can be to process. The hope is that all you want is a "single glimpse of relief to make sense of what you've seen." This song is what music is all about, channeling your depression with your words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUnDkI7l9LQ
24. Help – The Beatles
If you’re looking for songs about anxiety that’ll basically give you a script of how to ask for help, you can always turn to The Beatles classic Help. In the song, the lyrics, “Help me if you can, I’m feeling down, and I do appreciate you being ‘round” are a pretty clear cut way to ask someone for help. You can use this song to muster up the courage to ask for support from a loved one as you face your battles by letting them know you need their help and you appreciate their support too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q_ZzBGPdqE
25. I’m Not A Robot – Marina
Most songs about anxiety don’t call you out, but Marina sure does in I’m Not A Robot. The lyrics remind you that people know when you’re trying to act tough but it’s okay to be vulnerable and say “you’ve got a weak spot.” By telling people you have emotions you’re working through, you give them an opportunity to help you with your pain. So let people know you’re not a robot and maybe you can finally find a way to treat your anxiety for good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_oMD6-6q5Y
Conclusion
These songs about anxiety remind you to persevere when it gets tough. If you liked one a lot, feel free to add it to one of your music playlists and play it on repeat for hours. It’ll help you calm down. You might also want to look up the lyrics to these anxiety songs because often songs are best heard after reading the lyrics and realizing how relatable these songs about anxiety actually are. May your anxiety decrease after listening to these calming songs.
