Effects of Music Therapy
by Yvonne Silberman
The Effects of Music Therapy on Anxiety and Depression and The Tools We Can Use to Create Long lasting Effects
Yvonne Silberman
Abstract
Music Therapy is a therapeutic healing strategy that therapists use on their patients to achieve the desired goals. This can be for focus, processing emotions and trauma, reducing anxiety, mobility, memory enhancement, and physical or mental development. The results of current methods of Music Therapy can show strong results for people with physical disorders or mental disorders that have physical traits but lack long-term improvement for mental disorders like anxiety and depression. Current methods have shown short-term improvement for these mental disorders but lack research and efforts to better their long-term effects. However, the research surrounding the impacts of neurofeedback and neuro-sound have stronger possibilities if they were implemented into pre-existing methods and strategies. Altering your brainwaves while undergoing therapeutic processes can have stronger results when looking at long-term wellness. The use of binaural beats and frequencies are used to stimulate certain connections within the brain as they are non-invasive cognition enhancers. The implementation of these new methods as basis for current methods will contribute to the development of therapeutic processes and music therapy to better long-term outcomes for patients with anxiety and depression.
Introduction
Music Therapy is a form of individualized or group therapy meant to help its recipients reach their achieved goal. Starting near the 1800’s, music therapy and its methods have evolved to the four main methods of what it is today. However, there is so much it could become when taking the existing research in closely attached fields of neurofeedback and neuro-sound we can implement techniques to further evolve music therapy and better the long-term results for people with anxiety and depression. The approach covers the existing knowledge and understanding of music therapy and its main methods and outcomes, the research we have yet to uncover to better the process, sounds effects on the brain and how we manipulate brainwaves using binaural beats and frequencies, and how we can adapt of current systems to form long lasting results for mental disorders like anxiety and depression. There is still little information regarding the actualization of these techniques but there are huge possibilities within the field and similar fields.
Background and Approaches to Music Therapy Today
The basic science behind the success of music therapy is the releasing of endorphins like dopamine and serotonin and the rerouting of brain pathways by stimulating neurotransmitters with the connecting and building of memories. There are four methods of music therapy currently practiced: receptive, compositional, improvisational, and re-creative. Each of these methods can be conducted independently during one’s therapy or alongside it and have neurological, emotional, and psychical benefits (Drury University,2022). During receptive therapy, the therapist will play the music and allows the recipient to respond in whichever way they feel, whether that be verbally, physically, or artistically. This type of therapy is done mostly for patients with hearing or memory loss and anxiety. It is shown that patients with anxiety undergoing this process have results of reducing anxiety in the moment or for a period of time shortly after the session. The results for this are inconsistent as a long-term solution or mediator in a person’s life. Compositional therapy is conducted by the recipient at the help of the therapist as a form of confidence building through teaching. This method is helpful towards people who struggle with self-esteem, are grieving, or have been through a traumatic event. Improvisational therapy is led solely by the recipient as they are given the space to compose music freely. The therapist then analyzes their piece to better understand what the patient is feeling when they struggle to express it themselves or put it into words. Often improvisational therapy is used for patients with depression, and it allows them to be in control of their own way of processing emotion. The last method is re-creative therapy and is a form of mirroring the work created by the therapist where the recipient copies. This form is done on people with developmental issues or with physical disabilities. It has the highest shown results for active and long-lasting effects on its recipients as if often conducted within facilities such as hospitals or privately.
Effects on Different Mental Disorders
Patients with differing mental disorders have corresponding differing results, while undergoing their therapeutic methods. Attention disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD) have characteristics in short attention spans and constant need for various stimuli. Since indulging in listening or playing music activates cognitive areas of your brain and stimulates sensory reactors, the dopamine released can assist focus and processing skills (Blasco-Fontecilla, 2023). Music Therapy in regard to patients with attention disorders is proven to be effective in their short term and long-term results. Patients struggling with anxiety or depression have less research and less results in long term successes in patient health and wellbeing. Patients with anxiety may experience relief or reduction in anxiousness when in the active or immediately after the process of music therapy but have little results of reduction continually. The goal of music therapy for people with anxiety is mainly to allows for strategies to cope with one’s anxious tendencies or sense of imminent danger and there have been successes in this matter and cases that have not helped at all (Cruz, 2021). Music therapy can also be beneficial for exterior contributors to ones anxiety like improving sleep quality or quantity, not directly a factor in reducing anxiety but can contribute to its betterment long-term. Depression often stems from trauma and can manifest itself and polar ways varying from patient to patient; some may experience entire denial and continue with their life at a lower level of energy than most, while others may experience total inability to complete simple tasks and are consumed by their disorder (Hartmann, 2022). Because of this, the effects music therapy can have on people with depression are entirely inconsistent and many patients may have lessened symptoms during the therapeutic process and others may heighten as it brings back memories or feelings. However, the therapist may be able to analyze what their patient is feeling even if they have little ability to express it verbally. It is seen to provide another way for patients to understand and express their own emotions (Erkkilä, 2018) Other mental disorders that have stronger physical or developmental characteristics have stronger results as there in a layer of added affect as you learn to interact with music and stimulate mobility. Overall, many of the results are inconsistent especially in their long-term effects on various mental disorders.
Gaps in the Research
Research in current methods of music therapy have vastly positive information about methods conducted and little negative impacts since it is unlikely for a non-invasive procedure to have directly harmful effects on its recipients. However, this does not mean that it can’t have negative impacts or has an exceptionally high rate of successes in its patients. It also has a larger quantity of research on methods that have has positive and successful impacts on its patients like those with attention disorders or physical and developmental disorders. There is much for music therapy to evolve and implement in order to achieve higher success rates and longer lasting effects in patients’ lives with anxiety and depression. Anxiety, like depression can be a chronic feeling for a period of time or certain situations but can be debilitating if you are not taught how to cope, process, and respond to their effects on you. It is important that we further develop music therapy to have stronger long-lasting results for recipients with anxiety and depression. Looking into the understanding of how sound effects the brain through current and past knowledge, we can try and get a better understanding of how we can alter current methods of music therapy to improve its long-term effects on recipients with anxiety and depression.
Sound and its Effects on the Body
Music and sound are variables that enhance neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that are necessary when treating recent or past trauma. As we know, sound and music release endorphins that have many physiological functions relating to emotions, mood, focus, pain, or stress levels. Simply listening to music can stimulate the limbic system responsible for clarifying emotions and guiding memory (Pfizer, 2023). Music can have a very strong connection to memory and thus the mood or feelings we associate with this song or artist or style. Whether it be your wedding song, the album helping you through a breakup, style you listen to while you run, or your mother’s favourite musician, your brain remembers the feeling you have towards this scenario and adjusts your mood accordingly. This connection is strong and cannot be easily changed, there have been studies done on patients with damage in the memory quadrant of their brains that still release dopamine when listening to a song they once had a memory associated with but can no longer remember. This technique can be helpful while undergoing therapy for people who struggle with moments of happiness and make those who are reluctant, more receptive to the idea of therapy in general as it is a mood booster. Sounds and music also have relationships with pain and stress relief. The idea behind these theories and studies is that it acts as a mental distraction from the ongoing problem (Pfizer, 2023). Sound is essentially vibrational frequencies that are deciphered in our heads, but our bodies can also receive treatment from these vibrations, there are existing vibroacoustic therapies to stimulate muscle or tissue healing. But these vibrational frequencies can do so much more in the brain, we have only understood its possibilities minimally.
Neurofeedback, Neuro Sounds, and Binaural Beats
Neurofeedback is an option when looking at brainwave retraining treatments through visual or audible stimuli, while neuro sounds is specifically the course of treatment involving audible stimuli. The retraining of brain waves to create long term positive outcomes is possible when looking at aggressive cognitive disorders like Alzheimer disease and can be used on smaller scale target like depression. Auditory stimuli influence the interactions of neurons in your brain to interact and communicate with one another to form brainwaves. Brainwaves can be read based on their wavelength and frequency; these differences can be mapped by electroencephalography scanners and correlate to different activities (Team Ultrahuman, 2021). Brainwaves, although they cannot be entirely manipulated, can be influenced to produce certain frequencies, and generate specific reactions. Through binaural beats and frequencies, we can “influence brainwave chemistry to our desired effect. This can be used to achieve better brain health, learning abilities and enhanced cognition,” (Team Ultrahuman, 2021). Binaural beats are secluded vibrations that when applied and utilized in its isolated form can enhance certain brainwaves. This technique has been adapted in other forms of healing, meditation, and diagnoses but yet to reach the direct implementation in music therapy. Scientists have found that different frequencies can reach and produce specific neurotransmitters associated with creativity, relaxation, sleep, increased learning, focus and several other actions that are typically desired. Maintaining and stimulating specific brainwaves will create active change in the human brain simultaneously helping one’s ability to process emotions, memory, or maintain a level or calm. Using this technique while undergoing a more typical course of therapy can help alleviate surrounding stressors and make people more susceptible to therapy altogether. It may also build a more efficient therapy process as the patient may have a higher ability to process their own feelings or the therapists’ analysis and thoughts. The syncing of the brain’s hemispheres also have benefits that extend beyond that which can help patients with anxiety and depression but increase overall cognitive capabilities, mental health, and physical correspondents due to flow of communication (Team Ultrahuman, 2021). With this technique, we could transform current methods of music therapy and their results.
Future Implications in Music Therapy
Since current strategies of music as a therapeutic release have been effective to several mental and physical disorders but lack the research to further develop, new technologies and sciences can further its benefits. The use of binaural beats and frequencies are natural and non-invasive cognition enhancers, directing neurons to reach specific brainwaves will stimulate certain connections or feelings when receiving music therapy and continue the healing process. Essentially altering your brain chemistry naturally or ‘re-wiring’ your brain to accept the music therapy methods and make them more impactful. This technique can be implemented through a smoother transition for receptive methods of Music Therapy or as a separate strategy to be done during typical verbal and non-musical forms of therapy. For receptive methods of music therapy, we can administer binaural beats in the music played for the recipient to achieve certain brainwaves to reach a more relaxed state or to stimulate stress relief for patients with anxiety. For patients suffering from depression, applying binaural frequencies alongside the therapeutic process can lead to a more beneficial and efficient session where the patient can better process traumatic experiences and their complex emotions surrounding it. Since depression manifests in different characteristics that all stem from this debilitatingly negative headspace, a healthy and working therapeutic process can help go through their personal healing process quicker and easier.
Conclusion
The current methods of Music Therapy have strong results and outcomes for patients with attention disorders and physical or developmental disorders. They lack consistent results with patients suffering from anxiety and depression especially in the long run. However, with the implementation of binaural frequencies from the science behind Neurofeedback, Music Therapy could evolve to benefit a wider range of mental disorders and further benefit the disorder it already has a strong grasp on. These additions to our current methodology could develop our current understanding of how music can affect the brain and alter brain chemistry.
References
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About The Author
Hello all, my name is Yvonne Silberman. I study anthropology and political science and am headed into my third year here at UBC. This research was a product of a few inquiry projects I’ve done about the effects frequencies can have on the body/mind and music therapy as a form of mental health aid. I certainly found the process interesting and hope it may spark thought on the topic or at least make a pleasant read.