Music therapy is becoming an effective way of mental therapy. It is starting to extinguish the need of going to a physiatrist or talking to someone about your problems. It is effective because there are many different ways ones mind and body can be affected by music. Music can affect your body in many ways. Music can have an affect on your brain waves when you listen to music. It can also alter your breathing and heart rate. Along with those things music can have a big affect on your state of mind when you are listening to music.
The power of music is so strong, even though you don’t notice it, when you listen to music the beat is affecting your brain waves. When you are listening to a song with a strong beat, that beat can stimulate your brain waves to resonate in sync with that beat. Listening to a faster beat can stimulate your brainwaves allowing your brain to have sharper concentration and more alert thinking. A slower tempo has the opposite affect causing a person to become calm and be in a sort of meditative state. You also don’t have to be listening to music in order for it to have effect on your brain. Research has shown that the change in brainwave activity levels that music can bring also allows the brain to shift speeds more easily on it own as needed, which means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind.
Along with your mind, music also affects your breathing and heart rate. Music can increase or decrease ones heart and breathing rate based on the tempo of the music. This change occurs because the tempo affects autonomic nervous system. This information is important because work places can start playing music over their load speaker that can control their workers autonomic system.
Another way music can affect your body is through altering your state of mind. Depending on what type of song a person is listening to it can change the mood someone is in. There are songs out there that can help to keep depression at bay along with reducing stress.
All of this is important because instead of someone going to a person for help when they are having mental issues. They will just plug in their IPod to cheer them up. Before you know it everyone will be using music as a way to escape reality, even if it may be for a brief moment. So next time you are in public and you need a little therapy just turn on your IPod and let your music take you away.
publicandprivatespace
publicandprivatespace 
Michael J Harrington
FIRST!
Intersting points.
But there are some serious problems that could arise from the prolonged use or mainstream integration of this technology. Yes, some people could be helped by this new strategy, but I don’t think you can cure a manic-depressive by telling him to listen to the Beatles…they still need drug intervention or therapy. If this is used with other forms of help, then this could be an amazing breakthrough! But we need to be costantly vigilant that we don’t over estimate the help that this will give people in therapy. I already forsee administrators letting inmates out of the psych ward because they “listened to lots of soothing music.” Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be fine, that music really took the homicidal tendencies right out of them! And honoestly, do we understand our brains enough to be trying to use music to manipulate them? What if these changes are permanent…and not quite beneficial? I love my music, and will never stop listening to it…but that doesn’t mean I consider it therapy. When I go crazy I expect to be put in real therapy with a doctor and plenty of psychoactive drugs.
But still a fantastic post, I just think we need more data before we start to fully utilize this.
Comment by publicandprivatespace — March 11, 2011 @ 2:52 pm |
I agree with your claims and enjoyed reading the blog. I personally love music. One of my favorite things to do is to just sit back and listen to my IPod. I also agree with the statements made about music affecting your mood. I know that certain songs can cheer me up instantly. People also often listen to certain songs to pump them up before a sporting event. Music is one of the most influential things in existence. I believe that psychologists are still needed but I also feel that listening to music can relieve stress significantly and can improve one’s mental health.
Comment By: Kyle Staskey
Comment by publicandprivatespace — March 11, 2011 @ 3:02 pm |
Devina Mehta
I love music and am basically glued to my iPod and iTunes. I agree that music can definitely help people and can be used as a type of therapy, but I am not sure how deep and beneficial it would be for people with severe issues and disorders. Fortunately I do not have any severe issues or disorders so music serves as a way of therapy for me. I also love to listen to music that goes with the mood I am in. When I am happy I will put on a fun pop song, when I am about to go out I will probably put on some Kesha, and when I am depressed or upset I will put on some country//Taylor Swift to drown my sorrows in = ) Whatever I am listening to usually will amplify the type of mood I am in, just as the article states. I also do use music as a way of an escape from reality and as a way of expressing how I am feeling. I always pay special attention to the lyrics because sometimes they can say and express all the thoughts in my mind so eloquently, its amazing.
I thought you had some great points and I definitely can say that I first hand agree with majority of them!
Comment by publicandprivatespace — March 11, 2011 @ 3:05 pm |
Nathan Spruill
This was a very interesting read and something that I relate to strongly. I swim for the University of Cincinnati Swimming Team and have swam for many years before now. I always listen to music at my swim meets because it pumps me up. I have never gone to a swim meet without my ipod and a good pair of headphones. I listen to music on my way to the meet, after warm-ups, and during the meet. And I have found that the kind of music I listen to helps me throughout the meet. On the way there, I listen to something with a slower beat because it is more relaxing and keeps me from getting too nervous, but when I get to the meet it’s always time to turn it up to something loud and fast to get me ready to go. And this is true with all athletes. I have always noticed athletes at sporting events turning to music to help prepare them to perform the best they can. Everyone has their own preferences but it seems that they all think it works because they continue to do it. It truly can change your mindset depending on what you are listening to, and that is why I love music. I have even met with a sports psychologist before who has recommended listening to music that will help set your mood for different portions of your events.
Comment by publicandprivatespace — March 11, 2011 @ 3:30 pm |