Audio setup for Person with depression, Anxiety

[square_wave]

I think you should avoid typical boom boxes made to play hip hop and such music. They sound horrible with the kind of music elderly people like. Try and get one of those quality mini systems.

Example :
DENON AP | System Audio

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

It is so long since I have been near one of those boom boxes that they had barely begin to include CDs when I last heard one, but I think "boom box" as a kind of general term is not quite the same as a "real" boom box. or should that be BOOM box :lol:.

It may not be hifi, nor is it expected to be, but there must be many a radio/etc unit sitting in many a kitchen, etc, that sounds ok.

Mind you, one of those "micro" systems as per your link would suit a lot of people. I confess to having wanted one myself once. And that was even before I became an elderly person :lol:

 

[BLASTO]

I hope I have asked the right questions. Help me with this!!

Hey, I think the question should be what kind of music will be suitable for a person with anxiety and depression.

The Audio setup itself is immaterial don't you think?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Leonard Cohen.





AAAAAaaaaarrrrrggggghhhh!


No, seriously... Unless you do need to wean her off a habit of listening to depressing stuff... Music she likes. Only she can answer that.

Best wishes to your mum. Depression is a serious thing that can be very debilitating. You probably know this already, but, remember it is an illness, like flu or a cold, or any other, and it needs treatment.

 

[keith_correa]

I confess to having wanted one myself once.

Me too. I think they are sort of cute in a geeky way. Especially the ones that are well made and which come with a lot of sleek buttons. hyeah:

 

[square_wave]

One can approach this in any way on wants. Since this is an audio forum, i think one should focus discussion on music systems that has the power to influence and soothe rather than ones that can just make some sound. A good music system can harness the power of music to help heal.

 

[sash]

Hi,
1. The best medicine for depression is to mingle with people. If you can enable that, then a lot of the problems go away.
2. It may be best to look around on her behalf and search for clubs, gatherings etc that elders go to, to share, laugh out etc.
3. Keeping the phone on the ear is terrible for me, i can only imagine how tough it is for your mom. Please get a jbl flip kind of bluetooth speaker which can automatically connect to your smartphone and she can hear loud and clear. The speaker also has a mic and she can speak to the speaker directly instead of speaking to the phone.
4. Talk a lot to her - do not judge (not saying you are doing it, just saying). Just hear her out and sympathize with her issues. Ex: Say "Yeah that aunt, i agree she should mend her ways" instead of saying "we cannot change people, so we should learn to live with them". Do not offer solutions, just hear her out.
5. Finally, please take her to a doctor. Depression can be reduced by taking medicines. There are mood elevators, anti-depressants which make one feel lively and energetic.
Sorry this post is in no way related to your query (music system). Just felt like adding my two cents because i have seen depression from very close quarters. It is very unsettling for the person going through it. Sorry for taking the liberty to give unsolicited advice.

 

[bluebell]

Just a thought....if the source will be a tablet, perhaps you could consider high quality headphones and a headphone amp. Cans of the noise-cancelling variety are adept at keeping stress-inducing ambient sounds at bay.

She will never agree to wear earphones or headset.

My 2 paisa worth: Get a simple boombox. With large buttons. Can't go wrong with those. And I hate to say this but symptoms of depression and anxiety have nothing to do with the system that you choose - don't choose a system based on what she suffers from. You should not be asking us what to get, you should be asking her what she is comfortable with.

I'm with Magma on this: K. I. S. S. and concentrate more on the music.

I hope she gets well soon.

A person said go for low bass and warm sounding speakers. NAD amplifier and etc, this stuff I will never know unless I ask about systems.

Hey, I think the question should be what kind of music will be suitable for a person with anxiety and depression.

The Audio setup itself is immaterial don't you think?

Answered above.

One can approach this in any way on wants. Since this is an audio forum, i think one should focus discussion on music systems that has the power to influence and soothe rather than ones that can just make some sound. A good music system can harness the power of music to help heal.

+1

Hi,
1. The best medicine for depression is to mingle with people. If you can enable that, then a lot of the problems go away.
2. It may be best to look around on her behalf and search for clubs, gatherings etc that elders go to, to share, laugh out etc.
3. Keeping the phone on the ear is terrible for me, i can only imagine how tough it is for your mom. Please get a jbl flip kind of bluetooth speaker which can automatically connect to your smartphone and she can hear loud and clear. The speaker also has a mic and she can speak to the speaker directly instead of speaking to the phone.
4. Talk a lot to her - do not judge (not saying you are doing it, just saying). Just hear her out and sympathize with her issues. Ex: Say "Yeah that aunt, i agree she should mend her ways" instead of saying "we cannot change people, so we should learn to live with them". Do not offer solutions, just hear her out.
5. Finally, please take her to a doctor. Depression can be reduced by taking medicines. There are mood elevators, anti-depressants which make one feel lively and energetic.
Sorry this post is in no way related to your query (music system). Just felt like adding my two cents because i have seen depression from very close quarters. It is very unsettling for the person going through it. Sorry for taking the liberty to give unsolicited advice.

I really appreciate the reply. She is being treated for a very long time with not much luck. Probably we didn't put our hearts into this and try our best and I guess it's overdue. So, I want to help as much as I can.

Point 4 is a real eye-opener. People with depression tend to complain a lot.

If there any other suggestions I would be happy to hear them. If you think it will be way off-topic please PM me.

If someone knows a good psychatrist in Trivandrum please PM me.


I am planning to get JBL flip and a tablet and see how it goes. If this doesn't work out I will be here for suggestions again. I will get that in another 10 days from Flipkart.


Keep your suggestions coming if you think I must reconsider my decision to get JBL flip.

 

[gobble]

Many good suggestions here. I just wanted to add that playing Carnatic instrumental like veena and flute+violin is a great form of music therapy. Specially try the recordings of T.R Mahalingam with the older stalwarts backing him and Doraiswamy Iyengar for veena for example. Mahalingam's musical expression has many pensive thoughtful silences that a ruminating mind will latch on to. Together with a calculated mathematical presentation of stroke play on the Veena and percussion and the follow-me dialogue between flute and violin that reflects joyful companionship, it can influence the attention of the person towards the other more happy emotions in the musical expression that a depressed person is unable to muster on her own, and also keep the mind sharp through experiencing calculated precision math stroke play and prevent one from sinking into a rut where agility of mind and thought is a casualty.

Also I have come to realize, Carnatic has some special qualities resulting from its structured presentation that stimulate the intellectual appreciation and aspect of mind without requiring and having rationalizing mental thought and deliberations to precede it. Frequently its like a light bulb coming On in my head while listening to a brilliant passage of subtle mastery, quiet similar to the experience when I study great ideas in science or read an Isaac Asimov short story.

I would suggest you pretend to have an interest in carnatic and play it daily so everyone ends up listening at home together.

G0bble

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Well, The Grateful Dead always cheer me up! :lol:

Seriously... yes they do! But, also seriously, I listen (live mostly) to more carnatic music than anything else, and I agree very much with what you say, but liking it is very much a pre-requisite. I don't think one can take to music just on the premise that it would do one good --- however great the music is.

 

[gobble]

Well, The Grateful Dead always cheer me up! :lol:

Seriously... yes they do! But, also seriously, I listen (live mostly) to more carnatic music than anything else, and I agree very much with what you say, but liking it is very much a pre-requisite. I don't think one can take to music just on the premise that it would do one good --- however great the music is.

Well true true... But liking something only comes with repeat exposure. One learns to appreciate as one listens more and more. I only suggested with the understanding that if one is not already predisposed against the idea for reasons of cultural background or whatever, then one should reconsider it.

Edit: Appreciating Vocal music may require cultural familiarity but instrumental does have a more universal appeal.

G0bble