According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression. This makes it one of the leading causes of disability globally. The statistics reveal that depression affects around 5% of the world's adult population at any given time, and it impacts 2.8% of adolescents aged 15-19. Depression puts a heavy burden on the healthcare system with the rising costs it takes to care for individuals with depression. The healthcare industry can effectively integrate music therapy to support patients with depression by incorporating structured, personalized music interventions into treatment plans, helping to alleviate symptoms, enhance mood, and foster resilience, while offering a non-invasive, accessible tool that complements traditional therapies in both clinical and outpatient settings.
We all know that good music can reduce stress and alleviate symptoms of depression. But what if healthcare professionals, particularly nurses and doctors in operating rooms, incorporated classical music to facilitate smooth transitions between different stages of surgery? Is music therapy a more effective approach than music medicine? What advantages does music medicine offer over music therapy when it comes to evaluating the efficacy of music? Additionally, how can music help young adults combat the overstimulation that contributes to their depressive symptoms? By closely examining the roles of music therapy and music medicine in addressing depression, we can better understand alternative methods of mental health care.
Music medicine can have distinct advantages over music therapy, primarily because it utilizes pre-recorded music. This means it doesn’t rely on variables such as the timing or availability of a trained music therapist. When patients depend on a specialist for support, their sense of self-empowerment may diminish, which in turn affects their overall quality of life. However, many people still prefer music therapy because the relationship developed between the therapist and the patient can lead to lasting positive changes. I believe both music therapy and music medicine have essential roles in various fields of medicine, and finding the right balance between these therapeutic interventions is crucial for patient well-being.
In my search for literature on this topic, I found a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the influence of music therapy on heart rate, anxiety, and depression in mothers of preterm infants. This study showed that music therapy interventions reduced stress and fostered feelings of safety among the mothers. Those in the experimental group who listened to music reported significantly less stress than those in the control group. Similarly, hemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease experienced a notable reduction in depressive symptoms after receiving music intervention following their surgery, leading to a significant improvement in their quality of life.
Another study examined the relationship between extended music therapy interventions and the severity of depressive symptoms and anxiety in adults. The findings indicated that adults who participated in music therapy experienced significant reductions in their depression levels.
These three studies are just a few examples of numerous investigations that demonstrate a consistent conclusion: hospitalized patients diagnosed with clinical depression benefit from music therapy interventions, experiencing decreased symptoms and improved quality of life in the long term—provided that the study methods and designs are sound. While there are fewer studies exploring the benefits of music medicine compared to music therapy, early evidence suggests that music medicine can also have a positive impact, although the extent of its effectiveness relative to music therapy remains unclear.
In another scenario, young adults who engage in rumination—overthinking—while feeling depressed may find that listening to sad music exacerbates their symptoms. Interestingly, individuals without clinical depression who engage in healthy rumination and enjoy sad music report little disturbance. Conversely, those who fall outside of these groups often feel uplifted by listening to sad music. However, the sample sizes and methodologies of these studies varied, leading to potential biases in the findings.
Music therapy offers a promising avenue for reducing depressive symptoms and fostering alternative coping mechanisms, such as playing an instrument. Engaging actively with music can empower young people to overcome their feelings of depression. By learning music fundamentals—such as scales, pitches, phrasing, and timbre—individuals can experience a significant boost in self-efficacy. To maximize these benefits, music therapists have a responsibility to make music practice more accessible, particularly for young adults who are at greater risk of depression.
Sources
Hagemann, Paula de Marchi Scarpin. The effect of music therapy on hemodialysis patients' quality of life and depression symptoms. Brazilian Nephrology Society (BNS). January 08, 2018.
Ribiero, Matara. Music Therapy Intervention in cardiac autonomic modulation, anxiety and depression in mothers of preterms: randomized control trial. BMC Psychology. 2018; 6:57
Aalbers, Sonja et al. (2017). Music therapy for depression. Cochrane Database Systematic Review. (11):CD004517.
Garrido, Sandra. Schubert, Emery. Music and People with Tendencies to Depression. Music and Tendencies to Depression. 313-321.
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