Music Therapy: effect of music on autism, depression and schizophrenia
Bedotroyee Sarkar
WB SET, MA in Instrumental Music (Sitar) – Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, West Bengal.
Email: amar.kotha2011@gmail.com
Abstract
A melodious sound that soothes the mind and body is termed as music. Music is that medicine through which mind can be healed and mental problems can be cured. Music therapy can be termed as a progressive approach in the treatment of mental disorders. In many cases, music therapy has shown positive results in treating mental disorders like autism, depression, schizophrenia and many more. Music, as a therapeutic approach, has paved the way for mental as well as physical healing through various processes such as lifting of moods and self-confidence in case of depression. Listening to music is much helpful for children with autism as it can stimulate cognitive functioning and patients with schizophrenia can have motivated thoughts and improved clinical symptoms. This paper discusses about the effects of music therapy on autism, depression and schizophrenia, how it can be treated through music and how this process will help in handling mental disorders in future.
Keywords: Music therapy, effects of therapeutic approach, depression, autism, schizophrenia, mental healing.
Introduction
Therapy is something which is performed with verbal communication and interaction in order to improve mental conditions. Music therapy is that form of mental treatment in which music or musical elements are used to reduce stress and other mental and physical conditions. This research paper explains the motives and benefits of music therapy for autism, depression and schizophrenia.
Music as a therapeutic approach is moving ahead with promising results. A therapist should at first study the mental condition of patient before the commencement of a therapy session. People from any age can get benefitted through music. A therapy can become successful only if there is a good communication between therapist and patient. Therapeutic treatment will fail if there is no cooperation between therapist and patient. The primary stage of a therapy is verbal interaction which will help in understanding the mental condition and whereabouts of the patient.
Autism
In autism, a patient has difficulty in brain development resulting in socially inapplicable behaviors. Some symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder include avoiding eye contact, unresponsiveness and repetitive behavioural patterns. Autism is regarded as a spectrum disorder because it manifests differently in each person, e.g. – some may be non-speaking while some others may not have speech deficiency. Some might have notable abilities including music or artistic production, mathematics etc. Music therapy can have a strong impact on autism as it helps to reduce anxiety, enhances emotional regulation and improves communication barriers.
Depression
In depression, detachment from the society, lack of motivation, hopelessness etc. are some of the most common symptoms. A proper music therapy session would be helpful for patients with depression as it encourages stress reduction, removes anxiety levels, helps in boosting mood and strengthens self-confidence.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia patients suffer from intense delusional imagery which makes it difficult for them to believe the truth often struggling between reality and illusion. Music therapy can be of great help to reduce hallucinations, social withdrawal, improve neural oscillations, sleep disturbances and psychotic symptoms. A therapy can have favorable outcomes if it is done properly under trained professionals who will help in overcoming mental issues through various progressive approaches.
Music provides a positive aura, reduces anxiety, and depression and helps to build cognitive, emotional and physical abilities. With a proper therapeutic approach, a therapy session can produce promising results.
Methodology
Interaction with the patient is important in order to develop the bond which will help in running a therapy session smoothly. The bond which is developed between a therapist and patient must be managed professionally, ethically and sensibly. In this paper, both active and receptive music therapy has been used for patients with autism, depression and schizophrenia for their mental healing.
The first patient was a 14-year-old teenage boy with autism who was behaving violently due to psychological problems. After consulting his parents and doctor, it was revealed that the root of his problem was the psychological change resulting from the adulation period. At first, interacting with him seemed difficult as the boy could not speak and his aggressiveness was much higher. Therapy with music became the best medicine for him which was conducted for 1 month with Hindustani classical instrumental music, i.e. raga Bhoopali in sitar. The soothing nature of raga Bhoopali changed the boy’s mood and he slowly became calm and peaceful after listening to it for one month. This one-month therapy session helped the autistic boy to reduce his aggressiveness and increase his gentleness.
Case no.1:
Name: Rishav Roy
Age: 14 years
Disorder: Autism
Symptoms: Violent and aggressive behavior due to psychological changes
Method: Receptive music therapy (Hindustani Instrumental Sitar-raga Bhoopali)
Results: Therapy has helped in overcoming violent behavior after a one month session with Hindustani classical instrumental music and his aggressiveness slowly changed to gentle behavior–(Stated by parents).
The second patient was a 55 years old man suffering from depression. The patient’s family members revealed that after the untimely demise of his wife due to cancer the man drowned into deep depression. Gathering some information’s related to his suffering, it was found that the man was unable to eat and communicate. He neither went out in fresh air nor communicated and was fixed to his bed lying there the whole day staring at the ceiling. The first day of the therapy session started with raga bhairavi in sarod but the patient seemed to be unresponsive towards the approach. After doing therapy session for two weeks with instrumental music the condition of the patient didn’t improve. Then another therapy session was done with a famous Hindi song of legendary singer Kishore Kumar –“Ruk jana nahi tu kahi harke”. This particular song helped the patient to cope up with his condition because he started responding positively after listening to that song and started to communicate slowly after a long three months therapy session. At present the mental condition of the man is much better and stable than his previous form. Now he regularly listens to music and has been leading a normal life since then.
Case no.2:
Name: Dibakar Ghosh
Age: 55 years
Disorder: Depression
Symptoms: Problem in communication due to mental shock
Method: Receptive music therapy (Hindi Song-“Ruk jana nahi” by Kishore Kumar)
Results: Session helped him to cope up with his condition as he responded positively towards the approach and was able to come out of depression after a long therapy session for three months. He has started interacting again and is now in a much better mental state than the previous one– (Stated by family members).
Another case was of a 36 years old woman with schizophrenia. This case was a little bit sensitive as some information revealed that the patient has been a victim of an unfortunate incident which happened to her during her college days and since then she has isolated herself from the world. Her condition was so worse that she never asked for food and water until and unless it was offered to her and always sat beside the window staring outside for long hours without any movement rubbing her forehead. After consulting her doctor and family members, it was known that she used to learn music and loves to sing rabindra sangeet but it was stopped in the mid part due to her mental condition. The therapy session took place in her house in front of her family members and doctor with active music therapy. The patient’s favorite Rabindra Sangeet was-“Jagate anondojogye” which was used during the therapy session. During the first week of the session, she had a slight response as playing of that song made her to look up at everybody without any expression but it lasted for a short time because her response was limited to the time span of the song. Whenever the song got finished she used to put back her eyes towards the floor like her previous form rubbing her forehead. After two months, she seemed to be relaxed while listening to that song and was starting to enjoy the therapy session. After six months, she started to smile while looking up at her family members with the help of that song. During the ninth month of the session, she started singing that song perfectly surprising every family members. Her session continued for three more months and with the help of this one year long session she is now able to communicate with her family members about her problems. She now practices music every day and even has started interacting socially.
Case no.3:
Name: Piyali Kar
Age: 36 years
Disorder: Schizophrenia
Symptoms: Problem in communication, isolation from society and family members
Method: Active music therapy (Rabindra Sangeet-“Jagate anandojogye”)
Results: Therapeutic session with Rabindra Sangeet for one year affected positively as it helped her to communicate and encouraged her to lead a normal life. Now she is taking music lessons and is now much better than her previous self– (Stated by doctor and family members).
Results
Musical interventions can improve anxiety levels and also cognitive and physical abilities. Listening to music on a daily basis is good for mental health as music releases dopamine which helps in reducing anxiety, stress, depression etc. Dopamine communicates with brain cells and encourages them to act in a pleasurable way. The stimulative nature of dopamine is the main reason why chemical messenger motivates us. Research has shown that music therapy is helpful in improving speech functions, cognitive and motor skills and is considered to be a natural remedy for boosting the mind. The ultimate aim of therapeutic approach is the betterment of patient’s mind and body.
Discussion
Music therapy has brought a vast change on the mental health of people. It has not only helped in changing the mental issues but also provided positive aura which has proved to be fruitful in many cases. The main purpose of music therapy is to build a connection based on musical elements so that the social, cognitive, physical and emotional needs of an individual are met. The positive effect of music therapy helps in increasing the ability of patients with schizophrenia so that he or she could adapt to the social environment, in depression music therapy can act as a mood lifter providing motivation and encouragement and in autism long term therapeutic approach can provide promising outcomes as it helps in developing cognitive skills. Overall, music therapy is a powerful approach which has provided positive results in healing the mind and body.
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