Music therapy aims to heal negative emotions in people experiencing mental health disorders and other health conditions.
It is commonly used to treat drug and alcohol addiction, as well as autism, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and sleep disorders.
In a music therapy session, you can find a patient creating music, listening to music, or doing both. The majority of patients will spend time doing a wide range of activities, as this tends to increase the effectiveness of music therapy.
Some examples of therapy techniques that music therapists often introduce are:
Music therapy for addiction is intended to promote emotional release, so there will be plenty of discussion about how different music makes them feel, and how they relate to music.
This can provide the therapist with information about the client’s addiction experience, which informs them on how to further personalise the music therapy sessions.
Patients are often given creative control in music therapy sessions, which may involve choosing songs to listen to, improvising when playing an instrument, or writing their own lyrics.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
For more information, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 140 4690.
Many people with a substance use disorder are already familiar with the idea of music being therapeutic. When we are experiencing high-stress levels, engaging with music can create a relaxation response and cause us to feel more content.
This is both a physical and mental phenomenon. When you listen to music, you can have a reduced heart rate, relaxed muscles, and lower blood pressure, which makes it much easier for you to feel mentally stable.
There are many different scientific theories that try to explain how music therapy works.
Neuroscientist Stefan Koelsch argues that there are five key reasons for the success of this therapeutic model, which are:
These five modulations are all closely linked to addiction; people with addiction often struggle with attention, emotional regulation, cognitive functions, behaviour, and communication.
When they attend music therapy, where all of these areas are prioritised, they often notice significant changes in their symptoms of addiction.
Firstly, if a patient already loves music, they will look forward to going to music therapy regularly. This means it is more likely that they’ll attend therapy consistently, which is important for a successful recovery from addiction.
What’s more, when they are in the session, they may feel inspired to engage with all of the activities, which helps them to benefit from all of the unique aspects of music therapy.
Secondly, music therapy is something that is transferable outside the classroom. This does not mean that listening to music on your own is the same as going to music therapy at rehab.
However, it means that patients can take the activities they do at music therapy, and continue to practise them at home.
The same cannot be said about every form of therapy, as it is often difficult to replicate therapeutic activities at home.
Finally, it is proven that music therapy can help with a range of mental health issues, including addiction. The fact that this therapy is based on scientific evidence means that we know exactly how it could help different clients, and we know which clients it is suitable for.
For example, music therapy can be used to reduce withdrawal symptoms when a patient is detoxing from drugs or alcohol.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
For more information, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 140 4690.
The majority of people with addiction would benefit from music therapy; it is rare that we would advise someone to avoid this therapy, as it does not come with many disadvantages.
However, just like any therapy, there are a few potential downsides that must be considered.
Firstly, music is closely tied to memory. This is often a positive element of music therapy, as patients can experience nostalgia, and dwell on positive times with loved ones.
However, it is possible that music therapy could bring up negative memories for patients. If they are not ready to face these memories, the result could be overwhelming.
This is mostly a risk for patients with PTSD, as they are more likely to have traumatic memories, and they may not be emotionally prepared to deal with them during music therapy.
Secondly, patients listen to a range of types of music in music therapy, and not all music is created equal.
This means they could end up engaging with music that is either ineffective for them in terms of addiction recovery, or music that is triggering.
Therapists are aware of this, so they will avoid exposing the patient to music that could set them back in their recovery from substance use. For example, if a song is particularly negative, and the patient is not ready for this yet, the therapist may focus on more uplifting music.
Finally, some people do not respond well to the energetic nature of music therapy. They may be overstimulated in sessions, which could cause them to shut down emotionally.
This is the opposite of what addiction therapy should do, as it prevents the patient from working through their addiction issues.
It is more common for people with autism or ADHD to experience this sensory overload, but it can affect anyone (1).
Not everyone will find that music therapy helps them to deal with their addiction. This is why it’s important for inpatients at rehab to be introduced to different types of therapy, rather than committing to one therapeutic model that may not produce positive results.
It is difficult to know whether you would thrive in music therapy until you try it. If you go to drug and alcohol rehab, music therapy may be included in your treatment programme, or you could ask for it to be included.
There are also private therapists who offer music therapy to individuals and groups. If you get a private therapist, make sure you find a licensed music therapist.
Below, we have answered some common questions about music therapy and addiction treatment:
Yes, you can go to music therapy if you do not sing or play an instrument. It is preferred that you enjoy listening to music, but you may find that music therapy is effective even if you don’t frequently engage with music.
As there are different types of music therapy, some people choose to learn an instrument for the first time, and others simply listen to music in their sessions. This will be discussed beforehand, so you will not be expected to play an instrument if you do not want to.
Yes, music therapy can prevent relapse. To lower the risk of relapse significantly, it must be combined with other types of addiction treatment, such as detoxing, other evidence-based therapies, and potentially holistic therapies.
When patients who are tempted to relapse go to music therapy, they may find that they feel more motivated to stay sober, due to the inspiring effect of music. They may also have an easier time regulating their emotions, which can reduce feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness.
Music therapy can be delivered to individuals or groups. When you have individual music therapy, you will have plenty of time to explore different themes that affect you, which can teach you a lot about how you experience addiction.
In groups, music therapy is a great tool for people to develop self-expression, and to help patients feel part of a wider community that values openness. When there is a culture of openness in addiction recovery, individuals are more likely to lean on others for support, which can help them to avoid relapse.
Yes, you can. In fact, music therapy is one of the best therapies for people who struggle with verbal communication. Music therapy sessions do not have to involve talking, so patients can connect with therapists simply through reacting to the music they hear, and creating music themselves.
Sometimes, communication skills can be improved with music therapy, which is why it is often recommended for people with dementia.
Many different genres of music are used in music therapy. The most important thing is that the patient responds well to the music, so there is no need to have a set genre for all patients.
If you are making music in your sessions, you will have complete freedom in terms of what your music sounds like, and what your lyrics are. Your therapist will be interested in hearing what you come up with nature, rather than what you produce when you feel pressured to stick to a specific genre.
Yes, music therapy is frequently combined with other therapies, particularly holistic therapies. For example, a patient could paint a picture while listening to music (art therapy), or practise mindfulness techniques while listening to music.
This can encourage the patient to get in touch with their emotions, as they are not only responding to the music they are hearing, but they are also acting on it based on how it makes them feel.
We do not recommend going to music therapy as an alternative to drug and alcohol rehab. It would be much more effective to complete a comprehensive treatment programme, that offers a wide range of therapies.
Most people in therapy only have sessions on a weekly basis, and this would not provide you with enough support to get sober. For most people, it is necessary to live in a treatment centre, where there is no availability of substances.
What’s more, though there are many benefits of music therapy, it would be limiting for this to be your only experience with addiction therapy. By going to rehab and trying out different therapy models, you would learn diverse techniques for battling substance use disorder.
At Rehab 4 Addiction, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard it can be to change your relationship with addiction.
For more information, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 140 4690.
To get music therapy at residential rehab or at an outpatient centre, call Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690. If you decide to go to inpatient rehab, music therapy will form part of a personalised 28-day substance abuse treatment plan.
By the end of this plan, it is expected that you will have recovered enough to be able to stay sober on your own. However, there will still be lots of support provided by the treatment centre to make the transition to sobriety as easy as possible.
[1] What to know about sensory overload https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sensory-overload
