5 Kelly Clarkson Songs That Have Gotten Me Through Dark Times

These songs have gotten me through some of the darkest moments of my life. They have pushed me to be a better me. They have soothed me when I needed comfort, and they have given me power when I felt powerless. Since my diagnosis a little more than a month ago, I have experienced a roller coaster ride of emotions, from relief to complete and all-encompassing fear.

My immediate family has no understanding of mental illness and no desire to learn. I feel more alone than ever before, and these songs are like salve on a wound. They help me believe I will gain control over my anxiety and depression, I am strong and capable and I am worthy of love and support.

1. She makes me feel like I’m not alone.

“People Like Us” by Kelly Clarkson

“Everybody loses it.
Everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes.
And hey… yeah I know what you’re going through.
Don’t let it get the best of you.
You’ll make it out alive.
People like us, we’ve gotta stick together.
Keep your head up nothing lasts forever.
Here’s to the damned, to the lost and forgotten.
It’s hard to get high when you’re living on the bottom.”

2. She says exactly what I wish I could say to my husband.

“Dark Side” by Kelly Clarkson

“It’s hard to know
What can become,
If you give up.
So don’t give up on me.
Please remind me who I really am.
Everybody’s got a dark side.
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?”

3. She understands my past.

“Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson

“Because of you,
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me.
Because of you,
I am afraid…

I was so young.
You should have known better than to lean on me.
You never thought of anyone else.
You just saw your pain,
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing.”

4. She knows what it’s like to have loved ones who don’t get it.

“Catch My Breath” by Kelly Clarkson

“I’ve spent most of my life
Riding waves, playing acrobat,
Shadowboxing the other half,
Learning how to react.
I’ve spent most of my time
Catching my breath, letting it go,
Turning my cheek for the sake of this show.
Now that you know, this is my life
I won’t be told what’s supposed to be right.”

5. She knows how low I’ve been and how strong I can be.

“Invincible” by Kelly Clarkson

In the first verse she sings:
“You know I was broke down.
I had hit the ground.
I was crying out, couldn’t make no sound.
No one hears silent tears collecting.
You know I had lost hope.
I was all alone.”

In the chorus, she continues:

“Now I am invincible.
No, I ain’t a scared little girl no more.
Yeah, I am invincible.
What was I running for?
I was hiding from the world.
I was so afraid, I felt so unsure.
Now I am invincible,
And I’m a perfect storm.”