Music As Treatment for Depression

 

Yun Jie Zou,

Correspondent (Music)

 

Music is used as a method of coping with depression, which can boost patients’ treatment progress, a Finnish research team has found.

Traditionally, music therapy is considered to be a non-conventional therapy. Dealing with depression mainly relies on medication as a standard method. Listening to music can help releasing pressure but it cannot replace the medication as it is still a necessary procedure for recovery. The research team found that combining medication and music therapy effectively helped patients to cope with their anxiety and depression.

Depression is a constantly emotional arousal which makes patient to think negatively. Music can help soothing drastic emotional changes and generating an alpha mental state.

The choice of music can be varied. A research by National University of Singapore showed that even sad music lead people recover from low mental status as it can be a distraction from the real life. The lyrics of the music can also make patients identify with their own life situations and further feel relieved.

Gabriel, a 23-year-old interviewee with OCD who doesn’t want his real identity exposed, said that music is one of the mechanisms he adapts to take his mind temporarily away from his inner problems. He said, “I prefer watching movies, listening to music or eating sweets because I can apply them without asking anyone about it. There was a period where I didn’t want to discuss my issues with family members or medical professionals so I would apply my own methods.”

Gabriel thinks emotional music can lead people’s mind away from things that make life difficult in the reality. He said, “Sad lyrics helped me to think about it as a normal thing that happens to everyone. It really got me through those hardships in life.”

Both listening to music or playing instruments like drums can alleviate depression as long as patients can find their own way to project their emotions into these activities and find a way out of depression.
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Image Courtesy: Darekm135, via Wikimedia Commons