One moment I’ll be focused on playing a song or learning something new, and then suddenly, negative and traumatic memories from the past start surfacing. This has been happening while I play, even though I’ve been playing for five years and it hasn’t occurred consistently before. It’s disheartening because now I worry that these memories will interrupt and ruin my practice sessions, regardless of how well I play. Is this a common experience after a certain period of playing, or is it just something I’m going through?
I haven’t come across this issue before, but it might be helpful to consider therapy. I don’t mean to sound extreme or negative, just suggesting it as a potential solution.
I hope this is just something I’m experiencing personally and not related to some kind of “guitar midlife crisis.”
This forum isn’t the right place for mental health support, and I say that with genuine concern. It’s best to consult a therapist for help.
None of us here are really equipped to diagnose why this is happening to you specifically. There could be various reasons why these particular memories are surfacing. It’s not something commonly reported with guitar playing, and I haven’t experienced it myself. It sounds more like you might be dealing with some troubling memories that surface while you’re in a focused state, rather than the guitar itself causing these thoughts. I used to experience something similar with video games when I’d enter a flow state.
My best advice is to consider seeing a therapist to address these memories as a separate issue. In the meantime, try to remember that thoughts are just thoughts—they come and go on their own. You don’t have to engage with them; just let them pass through without giving them further attention.
Having done three years of therapy myself (which was the best decision I ever made), it sounds like there might be some unresolved issues trying to surface, and they likely aren’t directly related to playing guitar.