Many different therapies have been used for depression in the last century. Music Therapy for Depression has been reintroduced lately and presented enormous positive results. It has been used since the inception of human civilization on earth.
Everyone enjoys listening to music, and music has the power to cure any illness. So, In this article, we will discuss how music therapy can be beneficial in coping with and beating down your depression.
What is Depression?
Depression is nothing but, it is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It is also known as a major depressive disorder (MDD) or clinical depression.
Depression affects your thinking and changes your behavior. Many physical and emotional problems may cause by it. You may find it difficult to carry out your regular daily tasks, and you might occasionally think life isn’t worth living.
6 Common types of Depression Human Experience
To choose the best types of therapy for depression, you must know the different types of depression.
1. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
MDD can be distributed into mild, moderate, or severe depression stages.
When the illness is in a mild stage, it has slightly interfered with your social or professional life.
If there are additional symptoms and it substantially causes more negativity, then it is an MDD stage. It may be quite frustrating and stressful. It may cause serious problems in your relationships, job, and everyday life.
- Symptoms:
Low mood, Lack of interest in activities, Weight loss, Fatigue, Suicidal thoughts
2. Dysthymia
It is also known as a persistent depressive disorder. Dysthymia is a moderate and long-lasting type of depression.
Symptoms of dysthymia are lesser than those of MDD symptoms. The main difference is that these symptoms remain for at least two years longer in depressed people. Dysthymia causes a constant state of being “low.”
Dysthymia can be treated with a combination of Psychotherapy, TMS treatment, Antidepressant medication, and Lifestyle changes, like improved diet, regular exercise, and restful sleep.
3. Bipolar Disorder
It is a disease in which a person changes their mood at the starting period, and later on, they may go into depression.
When the stage is in a higher position, it’s called hypermania. It can sometimes make you need to go to the hospital and compromise your ability to stay grounded.
- Symptoms:
Loss of energy, Wild ideas, Ambitious plans
4. Psychotic Depression
When a person is depressed and additionally suffers from psychosis, this is called psychotic depression. Losing awareness of reality is a symptom of psychosis.
Antidepressant and antipsychotic medicines are frequently used in combination to treat psychotic depression (neuroleptics). Aripiprazole (Abilify®) and quetiapine (Seroquel®) are examples of common psychotic depression.
- Symptoms:
Delusions, Anxiety, Confusion, Disorganized thoughts and speech, and Paranoia.
5. Postpartum Depression
It is also known as the “Baby Blues” effect. You can see this type of depression in mothers after childbirth. The change in the hormones during pregnancy cause this depression.
After giving birth, levels of estrogen and progesterone rapidly drop. As a result, they may have severe mood shifts and changes the brain function.
When caring for newborns, many mothers frequently experience sleep loss, which can make the symptoms of depression worse.
6. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
It is a kind of depression that is changing with the seasons. Most people face SAD in Winter, which it’s also called “winter depression.” Some individuals experience normally in wintertime & depressive feelings in the summer.
Light therapy may help some SAD patients feel better by easing their symptoms. Sitting beside a lightbox, a unique type of lamp is a requirement for light therapy. It promotes the synthesis of vitamin D3.
Common Symptoms of Depression
Depression may affect your body, thoughts, and emotions. Some symptoms of depression are:
- Feeling sad and helpless.
- Not taking pleasure in activities that once give you happiness.
- Being easily annoyed or frustrated.
- Eating too little or too much.
- Don’t take sleep properly
- Have trouble focusing or recalling information.
- Try injuring or killing yourself.
Suffering from bodily issues including a headache, a stomachache, or sexual dysfunction.
Impact of Depression
Depression is a major concern in today’s world. As we have seen above, sadness, lack of interest, disturbance in sleep, etc are the major symptoms of depression.
Depression’s effects can be long-lasting or repeating. And it can have a significant impact on a person’s capacity to work and live a successful life.
Here are some statistics based on research that highlights the rate of depression in today’s world.
• An estimated 3.8% (280 M) of the population is affected by depression. Among them, 5% of teens and 5.7% of adults suffer from it.
• Every year, around 7,00,000 individuals die by suicide because of depression.
• 17.3 million American adults, or 7.1% of the population of the United States that is 18 years of age and older, suffer from major depressive disorder each year. (From National Institute of Mental Health “Major Depression”, 2017)
• Women are more likely than males to experience a major depressive disorder. (From Journal of the American Medical Association, 2003; Jun 18; 289(23): 3095-105)
• In youngsters aged 3 to 17, there are 1.9 million cases of depression. (From Centers for Disease Control “Data and Statistics on Children’s Mental Health”, 2018)
• 65 years aged 7 million adults are affected by depression. (Centers for Disease Control, 2009)
• 1 in 6 – full or part-time workers in an American country say they have helped take care of a senior or disabled friend or family member. These adult caregivers were surveyed, and it was shown that between 40% and 70% of them show clinically severe depressive symptoms. (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2006, 2011)
The Importance of Music Therapy For Depression
Does music help with depression and anxiety? Yes. Children and teenagers who are fighting against depression are getting great benefits from cognitive behavioral therapy for depression.
With the help of music therapy like singing, playing an instrument, creating songs, or simply listening to music, a patient may experience less pain, express their feelings, and get relaxation.
The physical, emotional, mental, visual, and spiritual qualities of music help them. In addition to these, well-known and age-old health psychology techniques are enhancing their general well-being.
Depression therapy also reduces their stress and anxiety by,
- Improving respiration
- Lowering blood pressure
- Improving cardiac output
- Reducing heart rate
- Relaxing muscles tension
According to Psychology Today, “Although music belongs to its own culture, it can help people of all genres and heal everyone.”
Music therapy is an excellent technique for assisting children with depression therapy. According to a Northwestern University and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago study, listening to music and audiobooks is a good option to help children feel less pain after surgery.
Suggested: 10 Mindfulness Exercises For Anxiety Relief
How Does Music Therapy Give You Benefits From Depression?
Music therapy is effective in improving productivity, enhancing creativity, and communication between patients and caregivers.
And for this reason, many hospitals, schools, cancer centers, psychiatric wards, rehabilitation centers, etc adopted music therapy for depression to improve individual quality of life.
According to research on music therapy and mental health recovery, dementia patients calm down when they listen to their favorite music. Additionally, research has also shown that music reduces anxiety and speeds up reading and learning capacity.
According to functional MRI scans (fMRI) study, Music affects brainwaves, & interacting with regions of the brain that control focus, foresight, and memory updates.
As we have shown above, The benefits of music therapy for depression and anxiety include decreased blood pressure, discomfort, and anxiety as well as enhanced mood, memory, and quality of sleep.
An ENT specialist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine said that when you listen to music, some of your brain parts may activate effectively. It may keep your brain young. Playing or listening to classical music therapy for depression is a wonderful technique if you want to keep your brain active as you grow. It gives your brain a complete workout.
Hundreds of studies have shown that music may improve one’s motor abilities, cognitive function, social skills, emotional quotient, and overall quality of life.
Children with autism spectrum disorders might benefit from music therapy to enhance their communication skills. Moreover, it can help newborn babies in gaining weight and enhance their sleep habits. Ultimately, music therapy can enhance motor function in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers from Bournemouth University have looked into the benefit of music in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents. The result shows that participants who got music therapy besides talk therapy experienced significantly reduced symptoms of depression and higher self-esteem.
Also Read: How to keep your brain young with Music?
Music Medicine Or Music Therapy For Depression ???
We are all aware that depression affects much of the population globally. There are more nos of medicines available on the market but sometimes may create side effects so you can also choose music therapy or music medicine.
According to American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), “Music therapy is the clinical and proven music treatments given by a trained professional who has completed an authorized music therapy course to achieve individual goals within a therapeutic program.”
And “Music medicine is listening to pre-recorded music given by medical workers or, on rare occasions, live music… aspires to use music as medication.”
The difference is that a trained music therapist has the experience and it can develop a therapeutic relationship with the people. Of the 55 trials reviewed, 38 were for music therapy and 17 were for music medicine. The majority came from Europe and Asia, with sample sizes ranging from 20 to 242, and 16 types of distinct were used to measure depression parameters.
Overall, there was evidence that both music therapy (SMD: -0.66; 95 percent CI -0.86 to -0.46) and music medicine (SMD: -1.33; 95 percent CI -1.96 to -0.70) decreased depression symptoms, with music medicine having a higher impact.
Conclusion
Depression is a widespread problem in today’s modern world, and it harms people’s quality of life. So, if you have a question how to overcome depression? We simply suggest that you should try music therapy for depression.
Because this therapy is attached to the healing power of music. And depression music is the best choice to calm your mind.
We hope this article has provided you with an understanding of some benefits of depression therapy. WellHeal also welcomes your comments and stories of how music therapy has benefited you.
