Music + Neuroplasticity:
Rewiring the Adolescent Brain to Treat Mental Health Disorders
Mental Health Disorders
Mental health disorders affect your mood, behaviour and thinking. They can cause a huge amount of distress and reduce your ability to function properly in everyday life situations, from school to work and relationships. Sometimes they can lead to suicide.
• Mental illness usually begins during adolescence and young adulthood.
• It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental health disorder.
• In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for Canadians between the ages of 10 and 24.
• Strong scientific evidence supports the huge mental health benefits of music therapy.
Mental health disorders are very common!
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, by age 40, half of us will either have—or have had—a mental illness! Mental health disorders do not discriminate, they affect people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures. They are caused by a complex interaction between genetic, biological, personality, and environmental factors. Stressful or traumatic life events can also play an important part.
Sadly, 49% of those who suffer from disorders such as anxiety or depression will never visit a doctor for treatment. This is because there is a negative stigma attached to mental illnesses, making it difficult to be vulnerable and open up about them. Many feel ashamed or worried about being accepted or understood by friends and family members. It is important to know though that mental health disorders can be treated very effectively!
There are various types of treatment available, including psychotherapy (talk-based, e.g. cognitive behaviour therapy), medication, exercise, and alternative methods such as meditation or music therapy. There is a huge body of scientific evidence that supports the mental health benefits of music therapy.
For my MYP project, I focused on how music therapy can be an effective tool to treat anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, as these illnesses are considered to be among the most common mental health disorders affecting teenagers.
Anxiety
About 6% of youth will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point in their young lives. Feeling anxious, fearful or nervous about something can be a normal, healthy reaction and help you stay out of danger by paying better attention. However, if your anxiety, fear or stress level is completely out of proportion to a situation, or if it stands in the way of your ability to function properly, then we speak of an anxiety disorder. There are a variety of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.
How can music therapy provide relief?
Music has the ability to distract you from thinking about a stressful situation and shift your focus to something enjoyable or comforting. It can also affect various physiological factors in your body, for instance lower your heart rate and blood pressure, suppress your sympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for your body's 'fight-or-flight' reaction), or lower your levels of adrenaline and cortisol (your body's stress hormones), all of which are linked to your level of anxiety or fear. Music can stimulate your brain to release dopamine (your body's feel-good neurochemical) as well as endorphins (another feel-good chemical or natural opioid which reduces your perception of pain and gives you a sense of ecstasy), both of which will make you feel more relaxed and happier! And this brings us to the fact that using the principles of neuroplasticity, music therapists can help you rewire your brain by strengthening or building new "pathways" that will lead to positive changes in your thought processes and behaviour.
Depression
It is normal to feel moody or sad from time to time, for instance when you lose a family member or move to another city. However, when you feel no more pleasure in life, no interest in activities, or are unusually sad for more than 2 weeks, and it starts to interfere with your ability to function properly, you are likely suffering from depression. About 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth, age 12 to 19, have experienced a major depressive episode. Luckily, when treated, 80% of those dealing with depression are able to make a significant recovery!
How can music therapy provide relief?
Music has the ability to lift your spirits, especially upbeat music or songs you associate with feeling good about life. Sometimes words are difficult to find, while emotions are easier to access. By actively creating music, you're able to let your emotions and experiences guide you as you play, and express yourself. Emotion, tone, and rhythm, as well as improvising, singing or moving (dancing, drumming, tapping or clapping) to music allow you to release emotional pain or sadness. Note that actively engaging with music is considered more effective than passive listening. Lastly, using the principles of neuroplasticity, music therapists are able to help you reprogram your brain by strengthening or building new "pathways" that will lead to positive changes in your behaviour and healing.
Eating Disorders
People who suffer from an eating disorder have a distorted, negative body image, resulting in harmful behaviour in terms of managing their nutrition and body weight. In cases of anorexia nervosa, they severely limit their food intake out of an intense fear of gaining weight, while those dealing with bulimia nervosa will binge-eat large amounts of food and then will either force themselves to vomit, exercise too much, or use medicines--such as laxatives--to prevent weight gain. Some people simply over-eat (binge-eating disorder) and are not able to control how much they eat. Having an eating disorder makes it super difficult to nourish yourself properly, which is why eating disorders can lead to such serious health problems, including heart conditions, kidney failure, and even death.
It is important to note that eating disorders are not just about food. They are often a way to deal with difficult problems or regain a sense of control. They are complicated illnesses that affect a person’s sense of identity, worth, and self-esteem. Approximately 1.1% of young women aged 15-24 suffers from anorexia, while bulimia affects up to 3% of youth in Canada. Even though eating disorders are more common among women than men, the numbers for men are growing, as they are becoming more inclined to seek help.
How can music therapy provide relief?
Considering the fact that weight gain and mealtimes cause a lot of distress and fear if you're suffering from an eating disorder, it comes as no surprise that music's ability to reduce fear and anxiety would be super beneficial! Music can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, suppress your sympathetic nervous system (your body's 'fight-or-flight' reaction), and lower your levels of adrenaline and cortisol (your body's stress hormones). Music also stimulates your brain to release dopamine and endorphins (your body's feel-good neurochemicals), which will result in you feeling more relaxed and happier. That leads us to the principles of neuroplasticity, which music therapists can use to help you rewire your brain by strengthening or building new "pathways" that will lead to positive changes in your behaviour and thought processes related to food, body weight, and body image. Additionally, music therapy can increase your sense of empowerment, self-confidence, and motivation for recovery, as well as distract you from negative self-talk.