I’m saying it a little louder for the people who missed it! It is absolutely okay to let your hair down, unwind, and let the music play! I, for one, understand the importance of music as a form of therapy. Have you ever been driving and you heard that certain song on the radio, and out of nowhere, you found yourself singing along? For those few minutes, you were able to take your mind off the stress of your busy day and just be in the moment. It is amazing how music can actually take you back to a time and place when your life was less complicated.
Since the beginning of civilization, when words failed us, music was used as a tool to restore physical and spiritual health. In today’s society, anxiety and depression are continuing to be experienced by people around the globe. Although I am a strong believer in getting the professional help needed when something is causing mental distress, music can also be added to give individuals even more relief. Aalbers et al. (2017) suggested that when music therapy is added to treatment as usual (TAU), individuals report having fewer depressive symptoms compared to when using only TAU. In addition, music can also improve an individual’s quality of life, self-esteem, and overall functioning.
Whether an individual is seeking professional help for depression, or they are experiencing increased stress, music can help elevate mood and offer needed relief. Personally, the 90’s music will be my top choice for listening pleasure; however, I don’t discriminate….Lol! If I were to ask my mom, I’m sure she would prefer praise/worship music or she may take me back to the Motown days. If I were to ask my kids about their choice of music, who knows what they would say? Thankfully, researchers further contend that the music genre is less important because the act of listening to music is what counts. So, what music are you listening to today?
If listening to music is not enough and you find that you are continuing to have feelings of depression, we got you. If you are living with depression or any other mental health illness and feel that you need help, we are here for you. Renewed Mental Health wants you to feel free to reach out to us at 678-582-8947, in order to schedule a consultation. FYI, being that we are practicing social distancing, due to COVID-19, telehealth services are available.
Until next time, live on purpose.
VaVa
Aalbers S, Fusar‐Poli L, Freeman RE, Spreen M, Ket JCF, Vink AC, Maratos A, Crawford M, Chen XJ, Gold C. Music therapy for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD004517. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004517.pub3.
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