Music Therapy: Working and Benefits

 

Introduction

Music has a powerful psychological effect. Different musical genres can instantly change a person's mood and help with the experience and processing of a wide range of emotions such as joy, enthusiasm, melancholy, tranquillity, and thinking. Music therapy helps people feel better by utilizing music's powerful therapeutic properties. 

It can be used in place of other therapeutic approaches such as counseling or CBT. Music therapists use a person's responses and associations with music to promote mood and general mental state improvements. Music therapy can include listening to music as well as making music with various instruments. Singing or dancing to music may also be involved. It can aid in concentration and attention issues, as well as confidence, independence, and communication abilities. A patient and their therapist interact musically in real time during music therapy.

How Does Music Therapy Work?

Music's effects on the brain are quite complex. Each component of music, including pitch, speed, and melody, is processed by different parts of the brain. The frontal lobes, for example, decipher the emotional impulses produced by music, while the cerebellum handles rhythm and a small portion of the right temporal lobe aids in pitch understanding. The nucleus accumbens, the brain's reward center, can even cause strong physical indicators of pleasure, such as goosebumps, when exposed to intense music. People's profound bodily responses to music can be used in music therapy to help those dealing with mental health issues.

Music Therapy vs Other Forms of Therapy

Music therapy may be more beneficial for those who find it difficult to express themselves verbally because it does not rely on verbal communication. This could be due to a mental health issue, acquired brain damage, a disability, or a neurodegenerative disease such as dementia. 

Counselling and CBT are both talking therapies, so they may not be suitable for people who have difficulty communicating verbally. This is a case where music therapy could be beneficial. Furthermore, if a person is unable to leave their bed or travel to a therapist's office, mental health professionals can bring music therapy to them. Children who prefer to meet with their therapist in a familiar setting can benefit from receiving music therapy at home.

Benefits

Music therapy has additional benefits that verbal therapies may not be able to provide. Learning and practicing music, for example, can improve memory, coordination, reading, comprehension, and math skills while also teaching responsibility and endurance. A person can be extremely proud of themselves for creating music, which can lift their spirits and boost their self-confidence. Music therapy allows clients to experiment with any style or genre of music, allowing them to learn about many different cultures. 

People can better relate to the music they hear or play if they understand its context. Although talking therapy includes self-expression, music therapy allows people to express themselves more creatively, which can be a more enjoyable way to work through difficult emotions. A lyric analysis is another approachable way for people to use music to examine and process difficult feelings, experiences, or memories. For example, if a person is unable to express themselves verbally, they can decipher themes and meanings in lyrics and provide alternative lyrics that relate to their experiences and lives. This can assist them in identifying the words that best describe their emotions.

How It Helps With Anxiety

Numerous studies indicate that music therapy can help people feel less anxious, especially those with cancer, undergoing surgery, or entering intensive care units. dependable source According to some studies, listening to music can lower blood pressure and pulse rate, which has a direct impact on how stressed a person feels. Furthermore, there is evidence that people who receive music therapy report feeling less anxious right after the session, implying that it can be a useful strategy for getting rid of symptoms quickly. Reduced levels of stress chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline, which are influenced by music, can help to alleviate anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion

Music therapy has proved to be very fruitful in rising the motivation, an effective and safe emotional release, a decline in worry, improved communication and improved relationships with others.

Written by Anagha S