How Mark Mallman used happy music to lift his mood
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
It all began with a panic attack.
"It's 3 a.m. I'm afraid of the dark. I'm afraid of my hands ... Something is wrong," Mark Mallman writes in his debut memoir, "The Happiness Playlist." "I'm shaking. I'm crying. I'm having a panic attack that doesn't go away. Not in the morning. Not the day after. Not a week later."
To help combat the anxiety and fear, Mallman started a playlist with happy music. It was all he listened to for six months.
"The playlist becomes a newfound musical map to safe harbor," Mallman writes. "Once, I knew peace. I will stop at nothing to return there. Difficult does not mean impossible."
Mallman explores the effects of happy music, the music scene in Minnesota, and how grief manifests itself in day-to-day activities.
Mallman joined MPR News host Angela Davis to talk about the book and how music changed his life.
To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.