Mental Health And Music Therapy

Music therapy has been an established form of therapy in cultures around the world for centuries. Music therapy is an evidence-based form of psychological treatment that uses music to affect and maintain physical, mental, and emotional health, and it has been widely used in many traditional cultures to treat a variety of health issues. In the domain of ethnomedicine, music therapy is appreciated for its potential to help those struggling with mental health issues. Music therapy is often utilized to help individuals living with mental health issues to identify, understand, and process their feelings. By combining the therapeutic and musical elements, music therapists provide an environment in which individuals can feel truly safe and secure. Music therapy-based techniques, like drum circles, rhythmic activities, or guided improvisations also foster an environment in which collaboration and creative exploration can occur. These opportunities can lead individuals to rediscover, or possibly gain, personal insight into their emotions and mental health. Furthermore, scientific research corroborates the efficacy of music therapy for individuals living with a variety of mental health issues. For example, studies have revealed positive impacts of music therapy on conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and stress. These positive effects are attributed to the music’s ability to target physiological processes in the body like respiration, heart rate, and muscle relaxation, which consequently induce sensations of relaxation, peace, and clarity. Finally, the complex elements of music—including rhythms, melodies, and other structural properties—have been shown to create an emotional response beneficial to addressing mental health problems. Further, music therapy can enable individuals to verbally and non-verbally express the feelings they cannot verbalize, as well as to process and confront unresolved issues that influence their mental health. This depiction of music therapy illustrates its potential to be a valuable supplemental therapy for mental health needs.