Madison Hunt

Professor Cassel

Eng 1201

7 April 2019

Research Paper

Have you ever had a rough day, and turned on some music to help calm yourself?

With my own personal experience, i’ve used music multiple times when i’m having a

rough day or need something to help soothe my troubles. I have been diagnosed with

depression and anxiety in the past, and one of the only things that helps me feel better

sometimes is music. I thought it would be a really interesting topic to delve into, and

figure out why certain music helps individuals cope with their issues. I think this topic

will allow people to realize how important music is to the world, and why we need to

appreciate it more.

As I researched the topic, I learned more and more about something I had thought I

already knew a lot about. Doing research on this topic allowed me to open up my eyes,

and understand why music is so crucial to the world we live in today. So many people

living in our world struggle deeply with mental health, and many of them prefer to not

take medication as well. Perhaps music therapy could help those who either don’t want

to take medication, or need extra help, even with being on medicine. In general, I think

music therapy could help everyone, mental health issues or not. There is so much

proof that goes into the extremely positive effects of music, and the changes it brings to

our moods. If we could all just open our eyes, we would see how truly beautiful music
is, and why we need to appreciate it more. Music helps people everyday with their

mental health issues, and allows some to heal from their situations.

Throughout many studies that have been performed, and a lot of people's’ personal

experience as well, it has been proven that music therapy is an effective way for people

to deal with their mental health issues. In one particular study performed in 2013, it was

found that those who would listen to happy music would be able to become happier

within two weeks. As stated in an article called “How Does Music Affect Your Mood?”,

“A 2013 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that people who listened to

upbeat music could improve their moods and boost their happiness in just two weeks.”

(Boothby, 2017). In another study written about by Boothby, music therapy allowed for

people’s depression and anxiety to be treated. “After reviewing 25 trials, the

researchers concluded that music a valid therapy to potentially reduce depression and

anxiety, as well as to improve mood, self-esteem, and the quality of life. They also

noted that no negative side effects were reported in any of the trials, making music a

low-risk treatment.” (Boothby, 2017). The evidence found within these two experiments

show that music therapy is a useful, powerful tactic, that has the capability to treat those

with mental health issues the same way medicine would treat them.

While music therapy is incredibly useful for mental health issues, it also has a strong

effect on memorization, and physical health issues. With discussing memorization, one

specific study showed that those who were trying to learn a new language had an easier

time learning the words to things if they were sang. As said in an article titled, “The

Surprising Psychological Benefits of Music”, “Another study found that participants

learning a new language showed improvement in their knowledge and abilities when
they practiced singing new words and phrases versus just regular speaking or rhythmic

speaking.” (Cherry/Gans, 2018). Music therapy is also very beneficial to those with

physical pain, or health issues. In a particular study, fibromyalgia patients were put into

two different groups. One group were able to listen to music once a day for four weeks,

while another group was not able to listen to music at all. “In the study, patients with

fibromyalgia were assigned to either an experimental group that listened to music once

a day for four weeks or a control group that received no treatment. At the end of the

four-week period, those who had listened to music each day experienced significant

reductions in feelings of pain and depression. Such results suggest that music therapy

could be an important tool in the treatment of chronic pain.” (Cherry/Gans, 2018).

These studies both show that music therapy not only provides healing for mental health

patients, but also gives help to those with physical issues, and memorization issues.

A girl sits with her head in her arms, holding her guitar. She clearly looks distressed.
 With looking more into the scientific reasonings behind the effect music has on our

mental health, and more specifically, our brains, a doctor by the name of Dr. Collins who

belongs to the National Institutes of Health, explained the main reason as to why our

brain operates the way it does around music. “ ‘ We’ve seen when you sing or play an

instrument, it doesn’t just activate one part of your brain,’ said Dr. Collins of the National

Institutes of Health. ‘A whole constellation of brain areas becomes active. Our

response to music is separate from other interventions such as asking people to recall

memories or listen to another language.’ “ (Hollow, 2019). Dr. Collins also works with

an artistic director for the Kennedy Center, by the name of Renee Fleming. Their main

goal is to get people to accept music therapy, and understand the effects it can have. “

‘The first goal is to move music therapy forward as a discipline… the second is to

educate the public and enlighten people about the power of the music to heal.’ “

(Hollow, 2019). When examining the findings of Dr. Collins and Renee Fleming, it is

clear to see that music therapy is beneficial, and does have many positive

reinforcements.

Although it may not seem like it, many children have mental health issues, the same

as middle-aged adults, and elders. Many people would like to believe that children do

not suffer from these disorders, as it is a very sad topic. However, with the use of music

therapy, children are able to cope with their issues, and sometimes heal. In a specific

study performed on children, music therapists worked to help the children address their

goals, and see the effects music therapy can have on children. “The primary purpose of

this study was to survey music therapists working in inpatient adolescent mental health

treatment regarding their clinical practice to 1) identify goals addressed in music therapy
sessions and 2) examine music therapy interventions utilized in adolescent inpatient

mental health units.” (Johnson/Heiderscheit, 2018). The study concluded with several

different goals that were addressed, and many things that were talked about during the

sessions. “The most commonly addressed goals were to improve self-expression,

improve self-esteem, increase positive socialization, and increase knowledge and use

of coping skills. The most commonly utilized interventions included song discussion,

followed by lyric analysis, and songwriting/song composition. In clinical practice, music

therapists utilize many different interventions to address a wide range of goals. Goals

and interventions utilized are influenced by patient diagnosis, session structure, length

of stay, strength of rapport with patients, and theoretical orientation.”

(Johnson/Heiderscheit, 2018).

Through music therapy, and pretty much anything art related, people are able to

express themselves creatively, which allows for the mind to open up, and release a

settling feeling with what is going on around it. In a study performed on patients with

schizophrenia, music therapy was given to each patient, and several results formed.

“The findings of this study show that patients with severe mental illness have special

difficulties in expression and communication and showed rejection in relationships.

Therefore, in music therapy, patients will be able to be displayed themselves in a

different context… Music, instruments, games of creativity, or expression are the

working tools, working areas of the personality of difficult access with other therapeutic

models. Music therapy allows new partnerships and resources.” (Ramos, 2016). In

another study examined by Ramos, it was found that music therapy was the most useful

method of treating mental health, specifically schizophrenic treatment. “The results

showed that patients who participated in any three types of therapy had benefits in

psychosocial functioning and global functioning but in different proportions. The

psychosocial therapy and music therapy were the most effective and less desertion.

The patients of the control group did not improve.” (Ramos, 2016). The two experiments

examined by Ramos prove that music therapy is useful, if not the most useful remedy

for mental health treatment. In the last study described, the other two forms of therapy

were not as effective as the music therapy was. That alone goes to show that music

therapy has a strong effect on people, and their well beings.

Though some may prefer taking medicine, trained professionals including

pharmacists often recommend music over anything else. Catherine Ulbricht, a

pharmacist, stated, “Being a pharmacist, you may think I would always suggest a bottle

of something for what ails you. However, first and foremost, I believe in the ‘do no

harm’ motto when it comes to healthcare. To me, that means to try the least invasive

route to feeling your best as possible… Because music can have such an impact on a

person’s mindset and well-being, it should come as no surprise that music therapy has

been studied for use in managing numerous medical conditions.” (Ulbricht, 2013).

Another interesting thing Ulbricht believes about music therapy is that listening to music

from your own culture is the most effective. “All forms of music have therapeutic effects,

although music from one’s own culture may be most effective. In Chinese medical

theory, the five internal organ and meridian systems are believed to have corresponding

musical tones, which are used to encourage healing.” (Ulbricht, 2013). Listed by

Ulbricht, several disorders that music therapy is useful in include: autism, dementia,

depression, infant development, sleep quality, and anxiety. This goes to show that
music therapy is not only useful in mental health treatments, but with treatments for

several diseases. Ulbricht states that those with autism are able to develop better

communication skills through music therapy. “People who have autism spectrum

disorders often show a heightened interest and response to music. This may aid in

teaching of verbal and nonverbal communication skills and in establishing normal

developmental processes.” (Ulbricht, 2013). For people with dementia, music therapy

helps decrease the common symptoms, while also improving the moods of the patients.

“In older adults with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other mental disorders, music therapy

has been found to reduce aggressive or agitated behavior, reduce symptoms of

dementia, improve mood, and improve cooperation with daily tasks, such as bathing.

Music therapy may also decrease the risk of heart or brain diseases in elderly dementia

patients.” (Ulbricht, 2013). While we have already looked at many of the reasons why

music therapy is helpful to someone suffering from depression, Ulbricht also lists

several interesting effects music therapy can have on a depressed individual. “There is

evidence that music therapy may increase responsiveness to antidepressant

medications… In depressed adult women, music therapy may lead to reductions in

heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and depressed mood.” (Ulbricht, 2013). For

infant development, babies who listen to music while in the womb have been proven to

have a better response to music after being born. “There is evidence that music played

to the womb during late pregnancy may lead to children being more responsive to music

after birth… Preterm newborns exposed to music may have increased feeding rates,

reduced days to discharge, increase weight gain, and increase tolerance of stimulation.

They may also have reduced heart rates and a deeper sleep after therapy.” (Ulbricht,
2013). For those battling with insomnia, music therapy has been shown to help those

suffering to sleep easier, longer, and deeper. “In older adults, music may result in

significantly better sleep quality as well as longer sleep duration, greater sleep

efficiency, shorter time needed to fall asleep, less sleep disturbance, and less daytime

dysfunction.” (Ulbricht, 2013). All of the examples listed above prove that music therapy

is a strong, effective way to help people with whatever disorder they are dealing with.

Throughout the entirety of this essay, we have focused only on the facts, and studies

done by professions to gather our thoughts about music therapy. When taking a look at

a more personal experience, it is easy to be touched and find a connection with those

explaining their situation. In a blog post titled, “The Impact of Music Therapy on Mental

Health”, written by Molly Warren, the topic of music therapy is discussed, and Warren

shares her own personal stories about the way it has affected her. Being a music

therapist, Warren has a close up view of the way music helps people, and gets to see

the bad times and the good times of those suffering from certain disorders. “I’ve been

lucky to serve many children and adults in various mental health settings as a music

therapist. I’ve heard stories of resilience, strength, and adversity. I’ve worked with

individuals who have experienced trauma, depression, grief, addiction, and more.

These individuals have not come to me in their finest hour, but despite feeling lost or

broken, music provided them with the opportunity for expression and for experiencing

safety, peace, and comfort.” (Warren, 2016). Warren explains the disorders she helped

to treat, which included depression, trauma, and schizophrenia. “Research shows the

benefits of music therapy for various mental health conditions, including depression,

trauma, and schizophrenia (to name a few). Music acts as a medium for processing
emotions, trauma, and grief- but music can also be utilized as a regulating or calming

agent for anxiety or for dysregulation.” (Warren, 2016). As the blog post continues,

Warren begins to list out the several major interventions music therapy involves. These

include: lyric analysis, improvisation music playing, active music listening, and

songwriting. Using lyric analysis allows for patients to provide insight on their own

issues by explaining simple song lyrics. “While talk therapy allows a person to speak

about topics that may be difficult to discuss, lyric analysis introduces a novel and less

threatening approach to process emotions, thoughts and experiences. A person

receiving music therapy is encouraged to offer insight, alternative lyrics and tangible

tools or themes from lyrics that can apply to obstacles in their life and their treatment…

lyric analysis provides an opportunity for an individual to identify song lyrics that may

correlate with their experience.” (Warren, 2016). Improvisation music playing allows for

patients to express their emotions and bond together as a group. “Playing instruments

can encourage emotional expression, socialization and exploration of various

therapeutic themes (i.e. conflict, communication, grief, etc.). For example, a group can

create a ‘storm’ by playing drums, rain sticks, thunder tubes, and other percussion

instruments. The group can note areas of escalation and de-escalation in the

improvisation, and the group can correlate the ‘highs and lows’ of the storm to particular

feelings they may have.” (Warren, 2016). Active music listening is the simplest of all

four of the interventions, but has some of the strongest effects. It allows for patients to

boost their moods, and improve their overall wellbeing. “Music can be utilized to

regulate mood. Because of its rhythmic and repetitive aspects, music engages the

neocortex of our brain, which calms us and reduces impulsivity. We often utilize music
to match or alter our mood… To alter mood states, a music therapist can play music to

match the current mood of the person and then slowly shift to a more positive or calm

state.” (Warren, 2016). The last intervention method is songwriting. Songwriting allows

for the patients to be expressive with their emotions, and reflect on things in a upbeat

way. “Songwriting provides opportunities for expression in a positive and rewarding

way. Anyone can create lyrics that reflect their own thoughts and experiences, and

select instruments and sounds that best reflect the emotion behind the lyrics. This

process can be very validating, and can aid in building self-worth. This intervention can

also instill a sense of pride, as someone listens to their own creation.” (Warren, 2016).

Warren’s blog post and personal experience as a music therapist shows that music

therapy is helping people in big ways.

While some believe medicine is the way to solve all of the world’s medical problems,

others, like myself, believe that a little music can go a long way. Although music

therapy is most commonly used in cases involving mental health disorders, it is also

present in physical health disorders. I believe people often doubt that capabilities of

music therapy, and view it as a practice that works, but doesn’t work the way medicine

does. While there is significant evidence to prove this theory wrong, many people still

believe it. In the future, I would hope that the world will open up to the idea of using

music to help each other heal. Music therapy is much more effective than medicine in

some ways, and provides a more natural attempt to healing. I think that if people

became more educated on all of the things music therapy does for the mind, body, and

soul, we would all appreciate music much more than we do right now. After all, it is the
little things that we always take for granted in life, and sometimes, the things that seem

the littlest, are actual the biggest.

Works Cited

-Boothby, Suzanne. “How Does Music Affect Your Mood and Emotions.” Healthline, Healthline

Media, 13 Apr. 2017, 24 March. 2019 https://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-

listening-to-music-lifts-or-reinforces-mood-051713

-Cherry, Kendra, and Steven Gans. “10 Surprising Psychological Benefits of Music.” Verywell

Mind, Dotdash, 19 Nov. 2018, 24 March. 2019 https://www.verywellmind.com/surprising-

psychological-benefits-of-music-4126866

-Hollow, Michele C. “Fighting the Stigma of Mental Illness Through Music.” The New York

Times, The New York Times, 29 Jan. 2019, 24 March. 2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/well/mind/fighting-the-stigma-of-mental-illness-through-

music.html

-Johnson, Kaylie, and Annie Heiderscheit. “A Survey of Music Therapy Methods on Adolescent

Inpatient Mental Health Units.” Journal Of Music Therapy, vol. 55, no. 4, Dec. 2018, pp. 463–

488. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1093/jmt/thy015. 24 March. 2019

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30339184

-Ramos, Juárez, et al. “Benefits of Using Music Therapy in Mental Disorders.” OMICS

International, OMICS International, 13 July 2016, 24 March. 2019

https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/benefits-of-using-music-therapy-in-mental-disorders-

2090-2719-1000116.php?aid=76546

-Ramsay, Jonathan. “Anxiety and Depression in Music.” Anxiety and Depression in Music, 21

Sept. 2018, nevolume.co.uk/music/features/feature-anxiety-and-depression-in-music/.

http://nevolume.co.uk/music/features/feature-anxiety-and-depression-in-music/

-Ulbircht, Catherine. “Music Therapy for Health and Wellness.” Psychology Today, Sussex

Publishers, 21 June 2013, 24 March. 2019

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/natural-standard/201306/music-therapy-health-and-

wellness

-Warren, Molly. “NAMI.” NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness, 19 Dec. 2016, 24 March.

2019

https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/December-2016/The-Impact-of-Music-Therapy-on-

Mental-Health