Music Can Be Therapy

Music Can Be Therapy

“Music touches our innermost being, and in that way gives us new life” (Barnett, 2004). Music is an important part of our lives. It could be that one song from long ago that reignites a memory we once thought was lost or a pick me up when we feel lost. In my life, music has helped me to relax, focus, moved me and been there for me when I felt like nothing else was. Music is not just a melody we listen to, it can provide a therapy we never knew was there. It can be the light in a tunnel for people suffering from physical and mental ailments such as autism, alzheimer’s and chronic pain. In addition to providing a therapeutic outlet to people with disabilities, it can also help to improve concentration. Therefore, music may be beneficial and therapeutic to people when other things have failed.

Music has been used as a therapy tool for multiple ailments and disabilities. One of the disabilities that benefits from music therapy is autism. A major issue among people with autism is the ability to socialize and connect to the people and the world around them. They have a difficult time in social situations and are unable to bond with people. This can be difficult for the person struggling with the disease. However, it can also be difficult and hard to understand for the person attempting to connect with them. Music therapy assists an autistic individual with issues of cognition (Berger, 2002). Music increases their ability to connect by increasing the left brain cognition which uses the right brain to stimulate the left brain (Berger, 2002). Berger states that “Cognition is “connectedness”, [which] is the opposite of “autisim.” Music therapy also helps people with autism by encouraging them to play which in turn increases their self-esteem (Berger, 2002). It then increases their awareness of the people around them. Music provides a path for them to follow. A path that was not open to them before music.

In addition to autism, music is also beneficial to alzhiemer’s. People with alzheimer’s have a difficult time following life (AMTA, 2016). They often become confused and are unable to remember their family members which can be devastating. Music gives something back to them for which they have lost; their sense of control. The part of the brain that interprets music and rhythm is still intact in a brain of a person with alzheimer’s (AMTA, 2016). They are able to follow music and remember it giving back their sense of control (AMTA, 2016). Music also helps their families cope too. It provides an opportunity for the family member to connect with them in a way they could not before. An example of this comes from a women who’s husband was dying from alzheimers. She stated “ … On the last day of his life, he opened his eyes and looked into mine when I sang his favorite hymn. I’ll always treasure that last moment we shared together. Music therapy gave me that memory, the gift I will never forget.” (AMTA, 2016).

Furthermore, music also helps people suffering from chronic pain. Patients suffering from chronic pain also deal with anxiety and depression. Music can be comforting and a way to escape for them. A women with cancer said “Listening to music helps me realize I’m coming out of this. Everything is going to be fine and I can move on from here.” (NewsRx, 2008). One of the thing’s music does for someone with chronic pain is reduce their perception of the pain. Music does this by engaging the cerebral cortex which is connected to pain (NewsRx, 2008). This in effect lowers the perception of the pain they are experiencing. Besides blocking pain, music also improves breathing, lowers blood pressure, reduces heart rate and relaxes the muscles (NewsRx, 2008). These are wonderful things to help alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms not just for people suffering with chronic pain, but can also be useful for people who are not.

Of course it is true that music can be distracting. I understand and agree with that it can be distracting for some people. For some people, it can hinder their concentration and their ability to focus on the task at hand. However, according to “The Mozart Effect” (Campbell, 1997) it can actually strengthen the mind. Research has proven that the corpus callosum which is the bridge between the left and right side of the brain is actually larger in musicians (Campbell, 1997). Studies actually show that the brain has its own circadian rhythm. Short term memory is processed better in the morning while long term memory is processed better in the afternoon. (Campbell, 1997). Our body systems are literally made of rhythms! This would make sense as to why music is such an important aspect to learning