“I Would Die Without my Music”

Abstract

It is common for young people to claim that music provides a positive way of expressing their identity, even when they are facing identity challenges such as those provoked by the onset of a mental illness. Whilst there is good evidence to suggest that music can fulfil this role, there is also indication that young people with mental illness have a more complex relationship with music. In this chapter we review literature describing both ends of the spectrum and advocate for understandings of musical identity that integrate both possibilities. A case study of a young man participating in music therapy in a mental health institution illustrates this complexity.