In the United States, 18.5% of adults experience mental health issues in a year, and that is quite a high number when you think about it. We often ignore mental health, or treat it like it is a smaller issue than people make it out to be, but this is all wrong. Mental health is serious, and it needs to be treated as such. In many ways, this is why many of us turn to music for solace and reassurance, which is perhaps why it has such a big impact on our mental health.
Music and Anxiety
Anxiety affects many of us, but music can help through even the toughest attacks. This is because music with a slow and steady rhythm is actually able to lower the amount of the stress hormone cortisol that is in our bodies. This also reduces your heart rate and blood pressure, leaving you feeling more relaxed and tranquil than you were before. It is the perfect end to any hectic or stressful day.
Music and Depression
Depression is essentially an imbalance of serotonin, causing your mood to drop. While music is not a replacement for medication, it can help to put things in your favour a little. Music with a fast pace is great for increasing the amount of serotonin produced by the body, and over time it will slowly build up – ultimately improving your overall mood as well as your general outlook on life.
Choosing Music Therapy
Music therapy is a form of expressive therapy that allows you to really get your emotions out freely, and in a space where you won’t be judged. It teaches you healthy ways to release emotion, as well as how to communicate with others so that you can get your feelings across in a clear manner. You can choose to take part in group sessions, or go one on one with the therapist if you are more comfortable that way.
There are also two forms of music therapy. The first is where you create music yourself, and the second is where you listen to it while performing a creative task. It should be noted that the instruments provided for the first task are very basic, so you don’t need to worry if you can’t play an instrument or feel self-conscious about it. In each form of music therapy, there is no pressure to talk to the therapist either, so you can just express yourself freely without needing to worry about actually talking things through with them.
To Conclude
The links between music and mental health are strong, which this article should hopefully have pointed out for you. It is a topic that is still being researched, and new results are being found all the time, but the current work is very promising. If you would like to learn more about music therapy, as well as how music and mental health are connected, we have a fantastic and detailed article on the subject that you are welcome to read.
About the Author
Will is a freelance writer & blogger. If you are interested in more information on music therapy, audio guides and gear reviews , be sure to check out Will’s articles at Myaudiosound.co.uk
Follow Will on Facebook or Google
Be the first to comment