If music be the food of healing: when you feel down, just go with the rhythm

Rithu Dravid

Whether you are on the edge or feel low, just one song can calm you or lift you up. If you have ever let out your stress by dancing around in a room to your favourite tune or enjoyed a good cry with the help of a touchy love song, you know how powerful music can be. That’s why it’s not surprising that we have music therapy.

Like traditional mental health counselling, music therapy is customised to the needs of the client. “I went in feeling really sad and upset, I did not want to talk about anything, I remained silent. As I began humming a tune and drifted away, my therapist picked up the tune and began playing it on his guitar. As I expressed my emotions, I began narrating my pain and this captured the essence of what I was going through”, says Chitra.

Music is an effective tool for relaxation and stress management. Research confirms and shows that blood flows more easily when music is played. Personal experiences with music, indicate that music, up to sixty beats per minute can cause the brain to synchronise with the heart beat thus causing alpha brainwaves. Music can reduce the heart rate, lower blood pressure, and decrease cortisol levels. It also increases serotonin and endorphin levels in the blood that helps elevate mood and boost the brain’s production of the hormone called dopamine.

So, when it comes to your mental health, listening to music can help people understand and process their emotions better.

How do you choose the relaxation music that is best for you? The answer partly rests with you. You must first like the music being played, and it must relax you. Sounds of rain, thunder or any natural sounds may also be relaxing particularly when mixed with other music, such as light jazz, classical or just a tune of the piano.

Music therapists can help you find ways to use music to improve your mental health. These therapists help people understand and process their emotions through music-making and listening.

What happens during music therapy? During music therapy you and the therapist will create or compose music together, sing along or discuss the lyrics and talk about their meaning. Playing instruments like a piano, guitar or the drums can help evaluate the effectiveness of the music therapy session and determine if your goals were met. “We all innately respond to music. Even if it is just a rhythm or a body movement, there are certain things about music which do not let you hold back your feelings. Whether it’s singing or humming a tune, to be able to capture that is most important,” says Suvish, a music therapist and a professional counsellor.

Music therapy is an evidence-based treatment that helps with a variety of disorders, including cardiac conditions, depression, autism, substance abuse and Alzheimer’s disease. It can help with memory loss, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and even improve selfesteem.

Music therapy is a process where one does not necessarily need to talk or interact with the therapist. You are handed over an instrument to play on or just express yourself through music. The notes speak for you. Musical skills or talents are not required to participate in a therapy session.

The best part of music is that it is always available to anyone who needs it.

People who have experienced trauma may find it difficult to express themselves with words. For them music therapy can be an effective non-verbal outlet for emotions.

Music is a personal experience. “When you listen to music, your brain is active and stimulated. This leads to a situation where it creates imagery to express one’s experience. This helps get an idea about what the victim is undergoing or dealing with,” says Kamal Singh, a clinical music therapist.

Music therapy can be interpreted in many ways but the ability to heal wounds effectively is what makes this therapy sought after. “Music as a therapy is a communication tool far more powerful than words. It is faster and easier, makes things simpler with an immediate and efficient outcome”, adds Kamal.