[ConservativeMind]

Singing with others, seemingly like one does at church, helped depressive symptoms a lot—even after going six months without singing.

[ConservativeMind]

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[decal]

Having to concentrate on the lyrics and tune rather than on one’s own thoughts must help a lot.

As an aside, I misread “postnatal” as “postnasal,” but singing might help with that as well...

[MayflowerMadam]

Of course group singing is mentally healthy for everyone.

In church, I see the people who just stand there like dolts during song service. They don’t know what they’re missing.

[cyclotic]

so, another reason to go to church.

[myprecious]

I began vocal training with a YouTube coach about 18 months ago and changed my life.
I have been in a severe PTSD crisis with social isolation and shuddering since 2019. Without speaking or using facial expressions, the muscles deteriorated rapidly. I began having trouble swallowing and probably sleep apnea. My face looked gaunt and old. My teeth felt weak. My stuttering caused tremendous frustration and deepened the crisis.
I found a YT channel and started singing along. Instead of singing words and tunes, the training focuses on vowel sounds and progressive but simple patterns along a scale. It sounded terrible at first, but I gave it 10 or 15 minutes daily.
Within a month, the changes began and continue to today. Vocal production uses the tongue, cheek, and both the hard and soft palette. The slack muscles of my cheeks lifted. The saggy chin is tight. My teeth have shifted and straightened considerably. My face has dramatically changed.
My voice is still developing, but I have gained fluidity and confidence. I am now interacting socially.
I am convinced that the vibrations of the sounds have calmed my overactive limbic system.

[Getready]

Are they saying that Village People were therapeutic?

[spankalib]

Not only at church. I remember as a boy, going to parks (national parks IIRC), and the park rangers would gather everyone around the fire pit and lead us in singing ('My name is John Johnson, I live in Wisconsin... songs like that).

& then there was Mitch Miller - do you remember in "Catch Me if You Can" the director made sing a longs cringey...yeah, "we're too sophisticated for that corny stuff now."

We've definitely lost something (listening to our sophisticate "betters").