Music therapy is more effective than the medications prescribed for mental health

Music has been around for ages, and was invented for the sole purpose of ‘wooing’ according to Darwin, a British naturalist, biologist, and geologist. Today’s society recognizes music as a great form of communication, enjoyable to listen to, and a therapeutic remedy.

Music has been in my life for over ten years, getting me through concerts, jobs, and through mental illnesses and family illnesses that were unexpected. Through the past couple years, I never passed up an opportunity to teach a prospering student how to play either the violin or piano, no matter the age. I knew through the smiles of a student that could play a song, that a bright mood and a stronger emotion was being bonded towards the music.

Music therapists and psychologists are investigating the use of music in medicine to help patients dealing with pain, depression, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease. Scientific studies have been performed to study the effects of music on a person’s health. Researchers are exploring how music therapy can improve health outcomes among a variety of patient populations, including people with depression and Parkinson’s disease. Doctors in hospitals have noticed a positive change in a patient’s health when they listen to music. It boosts moods, IQ, and the immune system. It improves memory, sleeping disorders, and concentration. It relieves chronic pain.

Mental illnesses, depression and physical health issues are becoming frequent problems amongst society, involving students, adults, and children. Most illnesses are left untreated, and or self-diagnosed, and people may turn to street drugs or alcohol. If they happen to be treated, the patient is given prescriptions, antidepressants, medicine, and or hospitalization.

Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience a mental illness in a given year - 43.8 million (18.5%). Nearly 4000 Canadians die by suicide because of their mental illness each year - that is eleven suicides a day, and over half are from the age of forty five and older. In any given year, 1 in 5 canadians experiences a mental health or addiction problem, by the time Canadians reach 40 years of age, 1 in 2 have - or have had - a mental illness.

Music has the ability to aid most of these mental illness cases. “With proper treatment and support, most people with mental illnesses recover,” (Loewy,7) with music being one of their aids along their journey.

Music can be an aid, a replacement for some prescriptions. It has been stated by most doctors that people with autism show a true liking to music, which can aid them through communication. Patients with dementia have been shown to demonstrate less anger and show calmness when listening to music. Dance is a form of exercise therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease with music as the stimulating cue to improve balance and reduce falls in the patient’s daily life. Music has the ability of an antidepressant for depressed souls. With music on your bedside each night, people with insomnia tend to fall asleep faster, and for longer periods of time. Studies show that lullabies sung by parents improve premature baby’s sleeping and eating patterns, and relieve stress from worried parents.

As health costs continue to rise because of mental and physical health issues, so does the need for medication, prescriptions, and hospitalization. Anything and everything to help with the situation at hand is needed. Music is not a life-curing medicine that has the ability to completely solve all problems, but it is able to aid the situation positively. Music has a strong resemblance as a coping mechanism.

“Music can help prevent adverse effects and interactions associated with some drugs, herbs, and supplements. It is cost-effective and safer for your health and wellness regimen,” (Ulbricht, 1). When music is used within hospitals, it reduces the use of immediate drugs; it aids the patient so less drugs are needed. When a patient with dementia shows anger and rage towards a nurse, music can be used as a way to handle the confusion and or to relax the patient. Less drugs and less nurse’s stress over said patients. If music was used more with anxiety and depression stricken patients, not only would less drugs be used, the suicidal rate could diminish, stress levels could drop for students, perhaps confidence could even rise.

When coming across a difficult stage in your life, it is best to familiarize yourself with the situation and ask which is the more positive answer. Drugs or musical therapy.