"Am I the only one I know"
They're questioning whether they're the only people to have ever thought these thoughts or felt these feelings.
"Waging my wars behind my face and above my throat"
Their mind is stuck in a continuous war against themselves, where they're constantly battling against depression and trying to function normally, but this war isn't ever a simple one. This war is all hidden away in their brain, whilst their face is smiling.
"Shadows will scream that I'm alone"
They feel as if they're alone, and that nobody else feels like this. "Shadows" may be referencing to the depression itself, where it tells you that you're alone.
"I-I-I I've got a migraine"
The migraine is a reference to their depression. The fact it's described as a migraine suggests that they felt a need to describe the depression in a form of physical pain, because mental pain is seen as many people by something people can just "get over it", rather than a serious issue. It puts emphasis on how much pain this is causing for them, and how it's almost impossible to ignore.
"And my pain will range from up, down, and sideways"
The pain isn't only mental, it causes pain in their body, and they feel as if they've been trapped by this pain, and can't escape.
"Thank God it's Friday cause Fridays will always be better than Sundays
'Cause Sundays are my suicide days"
This suggests that their life is a constant repeat of days, where they spend the weekdays at their worst, and then spend the weekend worrying about going back to the weekdays.
"I don't know why they always seem so dismal
Thunderstorms, clouds, snow and a slight drizzle"
Everything around them now feels depressing, they see sadness in everything around them.
"Whether it's the weather or the letters by my bed"
They don't even know what's making them sad anymore. "letters by my bed" may be suicide notes.
"Sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head"
To them, death is a more inviting option than having to deal with all the pain. Death seems like the only way to get out of it, and it seems as if it'll get rid of all the pain.
"Let it be said what the headache represents
It's me defending in suspense
It's me suspended in a defenseless test
Being tested by a ruthless examiner
That's represented best by my depressing thoughts"
They feel as if this is a test, and it's "ruthless", whilst they're left there not knowing what to do, being "defenseless". They feel as if their thoughts will never leave them alone, and that they're incredibly harsh on them.
"I do not have writer's block my writer just hates the clock
It will not let me sleep I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead"
They lose a lot of sleep because of the depression, and it means that they're constantly tired. There's another mention of death, which suggests it's on their mind a lot and that they see positives in death, that they'll finally be able to rest when dead.
"And sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head"
The fact it's repeated shows that it's not a one off thought, that it's something that often goes through their mind.
"But I know, we've made it this far, kid"
They've managed to live through life so far.
"I am not as fine as I seem"
They look as if they're fine, however a world of depression hides within them.
"Pardon, me for yelling and telling you green gardens
Are not what's growing in my psyche, it's a different me
A difficult beast feasting on burnt down trees"
They feel as if they have to apologize for being depressed, and that it's their fault. They feel as if it makes them a burden to people and that they annoy people and disappoint people when they decide to talk about it.
"Freeze frame, please let me paint a mental picture portrait
Something you won't forget, it's all about my forehead
And how it is a door that hold's back contents
That makes Pandora's box contents look non-violent"
They suggest that the things going on in their minds are unforgettable, and that it's an experience you never truly forget. They suggest that it's filled with terrible things, things that are worse than something that's said to contain all the evils in the world. This comparison emphasises how it feels like it's the end of the world to the person, and how much pain it causes.
"Behind my eyelids are islands of violence
My mind ship-wrecked this is the only land my mind could find
I did not know it was such a violent island
Full of tidal waves, suicidal crazed lions
They're trying to eat me, blood running down their chin
And I know that I can fight, or I can let the lion win
I begin to assemble what weapons I can find
'Cause sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind"
In this part, he creates a metaphor for how his depression feels. They say that their mind is "ship-wrecked", which conveys that they never meant to end up there, and that they can't escape now and they're lost. The fact it's the "only land my mind could find" suggests that they see no other way other than this land, and it's the only way they can currently be. "Full of tidal waves" suggests that it feels overwhelming, something that totally engulfs them. "suicidal crazed lions" is the thoughts that are telling them to kill themselves, and the fact they're lions suggests they're deadly, and that they're terrifying. "I know that I can fight, or I can let the lion win" conveys that the battle against suicidal thoughts isn't an easy one, but it's one you have to do to survive. "'Cause sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind" suggests that the only away to get away from the island is to get away from all your thoughts and feelings, and that the only think you need to kill is your mind, not you.
"And I will say that we should take a day to break away
From all the pain our brain has made, the game is not played alone
And I will say that we should take a moment and hold it
And keep it frozen and know that life has a hopeful undertone"
Here, they convey that everyone needs a break, and it's important to reach out to other people. It may suggest that we need to savor the good moments, and with the bad ones we just need to know that it will get better.
"Made it this far
Made it this..f.."
The fact they don't quite finish the last "far" suggests that the fact they've made it doesn't mean they will always, and that it's an ongoing struggle to make it that far for them.
Overall, the song describes a persons experience with depression. In my opinion, it's a very good picture of what the experience is like.
"Am I the only one I know" They're questioning whether they're the only people to have ever thought these thoughts or felt these feelings.
"Waging my wars behind my face and above my throat" Their mind is stuck in a continuous war against themselves, where they're constantly battling against depression and trying to function normally, but this war isn't ever a simple one. This war is all hidden away in their brain, whilst their face is smiling.
"Shadows will scream that I'm alone" They feel as if they're alone, and that nobody else feels like this. "Shadows" may be referencing to the depression itself, where it tells you that you're alone.
"I-I-I I've got a migraine" The migraine is a reference to their depression. The fact it's described as a migraine suggests that they felt a need to describe the depression in a form of physical pain, because mental pain is seen as many people by something people can just "get over it", rather than a serious issue. It puts emphasis on how much pain this is causing for them, and how it's almost impossible to ignore. "And my pain will range from up, down, and sideways" The pain isn't only mental, it causes pain in their body, and they feel as if they've been trapped by this pain, and can't escape.
"Thank God it's Friday cause Fridays will always be better than Sundays 'Cause Sundays are my suicide days" This suggests that their life is a constant repeat of days, where they spend the weekdays at their worst, and then spend the weekend worrying about going back to the weekdays.
"I don't know why they always seem so dismal Thunderstorms, clouds, snow and a slight drizzle" Everything around them now feels depressing, they see sadness in everything around them.
"Whether it's the weather or the letters by my bed" They don't even know what's making them sad anymore. "letters by my bed" may be suicide notes.
"Sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head" To them, death is a more inviting option than having to deal with all the pain. Death seems like the only way to get out of it, and it seems as if it'll get rid of all the pain.
"Let it be said what the headache represents It's me defending in suspense It's me suspended in a defenseless test Being tested by a ruthless examiner That's represented best by my depressing thoughts" They feel as if this is a test, and it's "ruthless", whilst they're left there not knowing what to do, being "defenseless". They feel as if their thoughts will never leave them alone, and that they're incredibly harsh on them.
"I do not have writer's block my writer just hates the clock It will not let me sleep I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead" They lose a lot of sleep because of the depression, and it means that they're constantly tired. There's another mention of death, which suggests it's on their mind a lot and that they see positives in death, that they'll finally be able to rest when dead.
"And sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head" The fact it's repeated shows that it's not a one off thought, that it's something that often goes through their mind.
"But I know, we've made it this far, kid" They've managed to live through life so far.
"I am not as fine as I seem" They look as if they're fine, however a world of depression hides within them.
"Pardon, me for yelling and telling you green gardens Are not what's growing in my psyche, it's a different me A difficult beast feasting on burnt down trees" They feel as if they have to apologize for being depressed, and that it's their fault. They feel as if it makes them a burden to people and that they annoy people and disappoint people when they decide to talk about it.
"Freeze frame, please let me paint a mental picture portrait Something you won't forget, it's all about my forehead And how it is a door that hold's back contents That makes Pandora's box contents look non-violent" They suggest that the things going on in their minds are unforgettable, and that it's an experience you never truly forget. They suggest that it's filled with terrible things, things that are worse than something that's said to contain all the evils in the world. This comparison emphasises how it feels like it's the end of the world to the person, and how much pain it causes.
"Behind my eyelids are islands of violence My mind ship-wrecked this is the only land my mind could find I did not know it was such a violent island Full of tidal waves, suicidal crazed lions They're trying to eat me, blood running down their chin And I know that I can fight, or I can let the lion win I begin to assemble what weapons I can find 'Cause sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind" In this part, he creates a metaphor for how his depression feels. They say that their mind is "ship-wrecked", which conveys that they never meant to end up there, and that they can't escape now and they're lost. The fact it's the "only land my mind could find" suggests that they see no other way other than this land, and it's the only way they can currently be. "Full of tidal waves" suggests that it feels overwhelming, something that totally engulfs them. "suicidal crazed lions" is the thoughts that are telling them to kill themselves, and the fact they're lions suggests they're deadly, and that they're terrifying. "I know that I can fight, or I can let the lion win" conveys that the battle against suicidal thoughts isn't an easy one, but it's one you have to do to survive. "'Cause sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind" suggests that the only away to get away from the island is to get away from all your thoughts and feelings, and that the only think you need to kill is your mind, not you.
"And I will say that we should take a day to break away From all the pain our brain has made, the game is not played alone And I will say that we should take a moment and hold it And keep it frozen and know that life has a hopeful undertone" Here, they convey that everyone needs a break, and it's important to reach out to other people. It may suggest that we need to savor the good moments, and with the bad ones we just need to know that it will get better.
"Made it this far Made it this..f.." The fact they don't quite finish the last "far" suggests that the fact they've made it doesn't mean they will always, and that it's an ongoing struggle to make it that far for them.
Overall, the song describes a persons experience with depression. In my opinion, it's a very good picture of what the experience is like.