Music changes overtime and there have always been discussions of its effects to an individual’s behavior. Until now, it has never been confirmed among common knowledge. There have been people who believe that heavy metal and rap music can trigger a person to depression, sadness and violence. They say that it’s better to listen to a classical music because it can refresh your mind and can make your brain more active. While others say that music can change a person’s mood when they were annoyed and can make it easier for them to relax and fall asleep. But among these influences on behavior acquired from music, the one that caught my attention the most is its power of healing. There have been previous studies that have demonstrated the benefits of music therapy focusing either on improvement of healthy cognitive and social skills or reduction of disturbance among individuals.
Research has shown the profound effect of music on a person’s body and psyche. In fact, there is a growing field of health care known as Music Therapy, which uses music to heal. Music therapy is an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets (physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and aesthetic) to help clients to improve or maintain their health. Music therapy is used with individuals of all ages and with a variety of conditions such as; medical problems, psychiatric disorders, physical impairments, sensory impairments, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, interpersonal problems, and aging. It is also used to improve learning, build self-esteem, reduce stress, support physical exercise, and facilitate a host of other health-related activities.
On the other hand, music therapy is divided in two modes of presentation. One is passive mode of passive form which gives importance to listening, and the other one is active mode or active form which gives importance to participating. The active form of music therapy is effective in neurological problems, like neurological aphasia, receptive aphasia, and expressive aphasia in the segment of alternative medicines to help children reduce their speech problems and enhance speech fluency. It is also effective with hyperactive children to reduce hyper activity. Nevertheless, the passive form of music therapy are helpful in enhancing the concentration and memory, to reduce the stress and strain, to cope up with series of heart problems, like hypertension, in bringing down the blood pressure and normalize the patients.
Music conveys our personality. It describes who we are, what we are, and what we will be. It is up to you to decide what kind of music that can change the way you feel about the world positively. If you’re already thinking a certain way that can reinforce your thoughts into a lighter and happier atmosphere, then you can also achieve the benefits from music on your own which you can use as a tool for stress management in your daily life.
