Mental Health and Music Therapy
CHIYO BROWN The mental health of young people has been an important topic of discussion in recent years. In 2020, almost 1 in 5 Australians reported having a mental health condition. In the last 12 months, 78% of 4-17 yearolds with mental disorders reported that they needed some form of help, and 25% of these children didn’t have their needs met. A mental illness is a health problem that significantl y affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves, and interacts with other people. They can be treated through various different therapies, medications, and support programs. Some of the most well known types of therapy include ‘Cognitive Behavioural Therapy’, ‘Interpersonal Psychotherapy’ and ‘Dial ectical Beh aviour Therapy’. Therapy methods such as ‘Music Therapy’, ‘Animal-Assisted Therapy’ and ‘Art Therapy’ are also becoming i n c re a s i n g l y p o p ul a r a s m ore research is conducted into those therapy forms. The social stigma around mental illness makes it harder for people, especially adolescents, to actively seek help. For people with mental health issues, the social stigma and discrimination they experience can make their problems worse, making it harder for them to seek and receive help.
s e n s o r i m o t o r, a n d e m o t i o n a l processing. As stated in a paper by S. Koelsch in 2009, “It is likely that the engagement of these processes by music can have beneficial effects on the ps ychological and physiological health of individuals, although the mechanisms underlying such effects are currently not well under s to o d .” A n oth er p a per published in 2019 determined that the use of Musical Attention Control Training (MACT) on ps ychiatric patients was very beneficial to improve their attention skills. Since the development of neuroimaging technology in the 1980s, neuroscientists have been able to provide evidence of musica ll y induced neuroplasticity (the ability of networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganisation). Repeating the actions of practicing and performing music activates many neuronal systems, and gives neuroscientists the perfect area to study neuroplasticity. As seen within this article, mental health is greatly impacted by the e m e r g i n g p r a c t i c e s of m u s i c therapy- combining neuroscience with creativity in order to provide a solution to the all too real ‘crisis’ of menta l hea lth which is ever prominent in our society today.
Listening to, and producing music activates a wide range of brain structures involved in cognitive,
022
features and human interests
