Is Music therapy as good as it sounds?
In recent years, stress has become a prominent part of our lives. Stress is often a common factor for initiating suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety among students. It is important to teach teenagers and young adults as early as possible to handle and navigate through the emotions and elements in their life which cause stress. There are new therapies that are being devised often to help individuals cope with stress and one such relatively new treatment is music.
Music therapy is a well-established evidence-based therapy which has helped many individuals overcome not only stress but also improve mood and self-expression. This category of therapy sessions is planned with the client's physical health, communication abilities, cognitive capabilities, emotional well-being, and interests in mind. After considering these criteria as well as the therapy goals, the therapist decides whether to use the creative or receptive process. The music therapist collaborates with the client to actively create or generate music during the creative process. This could entail writing a song, improvising music or songs, or drumming. The therapist provides music-listening experiences during the receptive phase, such as employing music to help a client or group relax. Clients or groups may then discuss the music's aroused thoughts, feelings, or ideas. Music therapy is more holistic than other psychotherapies as it not only aids with reducing stress but also adds an element of entertainment and is much more convenient for people to undergo.
Music is often used even in hospitals to reduce the stress experienced by healthcare workers. It is clear that most doctors face psychological stress at work. The current strain in the doctor-patient relationship, as well as the doctor's work intensity, could be the main reasons. Some surgeons have been known to work continuously in the operating room for more than ten hours. In this scenario, the psychological strain on doctors at work is gradually increasing. Quiet music might help you relax. Light music, for example, is delicate and expressive, and it has a positive influence on the direction of music therapy. Light music therapy should eventually fulfil the goal of psychological ease for medical professionals, hence relieving psychological stress. Listening to piano pieces that soothe emotions allows medical professionals to commit themselves to the music scene and, ultimately, achieve the goal of treatment through empathy, which is to release bad emotions and psychological pressure and maintain a healthy mental state.
Music therapy is also often used in corporate companies for bringing about an improvement in their employee’s mental and physiological well-being. Rap music may ease people's hearts and inspire them to be happy and positive, whereas sad music can spark employees' nostalgia and imagination. Beautiful and delicate music can help employees regulate their emotions, while tranquil and soothing music can help employees relax restless emotions and relieve workplace anxiety.
Reducing employees pressure caused in the workplace through music in turn creates a healthier environment and there is increased productivity. When Einstein was out of ideas for writing, the famed scientist would pick up his violin, and he could always rekindle his creative inspiration after a few concerts. A similar method has been demonstrated in numerous cases. Playing music that employees enjoy while working on difficult jobs will always provide creative inspiration.
Music can also help reduce fatigue and this is true as we often experience this ourselves. A song with a good rhythm can often instantly cheer us up or remind us of our happy memories which can lead to a boost in one’s mood.
Music therapy has been tested to treat various psychological conditions, but more explicitly among patients with an autism spectrum disorder. A few studies employed this form of therapy to enhance social interaction, reciprocal interactions and duration of eye contact among autistic children. The results from these studies were very positive, and the researchers noticed some changes in social interactions, such as a decrease in the time it took the kid to recognize the mother and an increase in eye contact and involvement with the mother.
More rigorous, high-quality experimental research is still required. The majority of studies did not publish treatment integrity data or incorporate generalization or maintenance metrics. Positive results have primarily been reported in terms of the frequency of verbal communication and social contact. Because of its promise, more research comparing music therapy to other forms of therapy for improving communication and social skills is necessary. Studies examining the components responsible for, and the process behind, music therapy's promising results would also appear to be necessary.
References:
Accordino, Robert, et al. “Searching for Music’s Potential: A Critical Examination of Research on Music Therapy with Individuals with Autism.” Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, vol. 1, no. 1, Jan. 2007, pp. 101–115, todd.macshare.com/asdmusictherapy.pdf, 10.1016/j.rasd.2006.08.002.
James, Ruth, et al. “Music Therapy for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.” Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, vol. 2, no. 1, 16 Sept. 2014, pp. 39–54, link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40489-014-0035-4, 10.1007/s40489-014-0035-4. Accessed 8 Dec. 2019.
Mao, Nan. “The Role of Music Therapy in the Emotional Regulation and Psychological Stress Relief of Employees in the Workplace.” Journal of Healthcare Engineering, vol. 2022, 29 Jan. 2022, pp. 1–7, 10.1155/2022/4260904.
World Health Organization. “Adolescent Mental Health.” World Health Organization, 17 Nov. 2021, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health.
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