Can Music Heal Depression

Depression is a prevalent issue that results in mood fluctuations, a loss of interest, and a lack of enjoyment. Through the expression of emotions, music therapy, a treatment that entails frequent sessions with a licensed music therapist, may help lift spirits. This systematic review sought to compare the efficacy of music therapy for depression to psychological or standard treatment (TAU). It found 9 studies with 421 participants ranging in age from adolescents to seniors. It was discovered that adding music therapy to TAU made it more successful than TAU by itself. It appears that music therapy lessens anxiety and depression symptoms and enhances functioning (e.g., maintaining involvement in jobs, activities, and relationships). Whether music therapy is superior to psychological treatment is up for debate. Future trials should examine depression in kids and teens, and future trial reports should go into great detail on music therapy interventions, other interventions, and the people who give them.

The idea is by no means original. A rising amount of research shows that music therapy can be a valuable addition to conventional treatment, just as the ancient Greeks are reported to have utilized it for therapeutic purposes. The use of music therapy, commonly referred to as active music therapy or passive music therapy, has demonstrated potential for enhancing function, fostering creativity, and even enhancing interactions between patients and caregivers.

In an active session, the client and/or the therapist are free to compose music on the spot. In order to get insight into thoughts and actions, the patient is assisted in discussing thoughts and feelings that surface. In passive treatment, patients meditate or contemplate while listening to music. The memories and feelings the music stir up can then be discussed between the patient and the therapist.

Science says that music affects every part of the brain and that it can stimulate parts of the brain that might not otherwise be accessible. The brain appears to be strengthened and improved by music, resulting in improved cognition, communication, and motor function. It has been demonstrated that using music therapy, with or without psychopharmacological support, significantly improves the effectiveness of conventional psychiatric treatments. Connect with a skilled expert if you're experiencing mental health issues, and don't forget to add some music!

Does Climate Change Impacts Mental Health?

 

Changes in air quality caused by greenhouse gas emissions show how the environment and one's mental well-being are closely intertwined. Pollutants in the air have a direct impact on both physical and mental health. According to research published in February 2022, exposure to air pollution is linked to a higher degree of mental symptoms in male veterans. Children who grow up in areas where air pollution has been present for a long time are at a higher risk of developing abnormally.

According to psychiatry, extreme weather occurrences and climate-related calamities may leave an indelible impression on a child's development and are best classed as unfavourable childhood experiences. Research on the impacts of climate change on human development will be accelerated as a result of this awareness. It is long past time for medical personnel to learn about the consequences of climate change on physical and mental health, and it will improve the treatment they deliver.

Of course, mental illness is caused by a variety of factors, including climate change. Mental disease has a multifaceted aetiology, involving genetic, epigenetic, and social factors. However, ignoring mounting evidence that climate-related events set the stage for personal trauma is shortsighted, and assuming that the increased demand for mental health services can be met in the future with more psychiatrists or behavioural health providers is foolish in our already overburdened system.

Climate change and its ramifications—flooding, wildfires, heat, and so on—pose a serious threat not just to the planet but also to the mental well-being of those who live on it. It's past time for mental health consequences to being recognised as a fundamental driver of the policy change and climate action, rather than an afterthought.