Extensive research has shown that music can be a powerful therapeutic tool during addiction treatment. Indeed, we can all attest to the power of music. Have you ever suddenly heard a song that drew you back to a significant moment in your life? Or the music calmed you, made you happy, or even sad? That’s how compelling music can be. Due to this penetrating ability of musical sounds, there are many benefits of using music therapy for the treatment of addiction.

Music therapy does much to help with addiction treatment. Indeed, many people in recovery who underwent musical therapy during their addiction treatment can attest to its healing power. Therefore, it is perfectly understandable that addiction treatment centres in Vancouver now include music therapy in their programs. As you will come to learn in this blog post, the healing qualities of music therapy for addiction recovery are numerous. 

Music therapy is way more than listening to music. Instead, it uses music as a means to help people in treatment achieve their goals. Sadly, a lot of people do not fully understand the process. If you fall into this category, you certainly should not stop reading now. In this article, we will help you to see how music therapy may be beneficial for you or loved ones struggling with an addiction.

Read further to find out what music therapy is and the benefits of using it for addiction treatment.

Music Therapy in Addiction Treatment: What Does It Mean?

First off, music therapy in itself is evidence-based. So, it should not be confused with music medicine. While medical professionals perform music medicine, music therapy is administered by certified and trained music therapists. This goes to show that the benefits of music therapy for addiction treatment are more apparent when carried out by an expert.

Music therapy is an evidence-based clinical use of musical intervention to improve the quality of life of patients under treatment. It offers a step-by-step approach to therapy where a therapist will use feelings and experiences revolving around music to promote positive change. In simpler terms, music therapy uses musical sounds to address your physical, emotional, cognitive, and social during addiction treatment.

The process does much to help with addiction treatment because music lights up the whole brain. So, when it does, the therapist can then ‘access’ the emotional areas and initiate healing or otherwise help express difficult emotions. During the treatment, the therapist may have you create, listen to, move to or sing along with a musical selection. Over time, your participation within this therapeutic setting can strengthen your ability to cope with cravings, manage stress better or even make critical decisions.

Music therapy may not cure addiction on its own, but it can be a handy tool to help you find the path to recovery. It is no surprise that addiction treatment facilities in Vancouver now use music therapy to aid recovery. Let us look at the healing qualities of music therapy for addiction recovery.

Benefits of Undergoing Music Therapy during Addiction Treatment

Now that you have the general picture of how music therapy works,  let us look at how it can help you on your journey to freedom from addiction. Read further to discover the various benefits of music therapy for addiction treatment.

It helps with communication

Communication is a vital aspect of addiction treatment. The only way your therapist can get at the underlying issues behind your addiction is if you communicate in some way. Music therapy is one advantageous way of encouraging that. It provides a means of communication for people who have trouble using words to pass information. If you also find it difficult to express yourself or connect with others, music therapy may be your best option.

It Improves the ability to recognize and accept emotions

Most people who struggle with one substance addiction or the other build mental defence mechanisms to help them continue their behaviour. Some of these mechanisms include denial, rationalization, and lying. One of the most challenging parts of addiction treatment is coming to terms with these emotions. However, music therapy can smoothen the process. The creative nature of music therapy poses a sharp contrast to rigid thinking patterns.

Therefore, music therapy can be very useful in helping you break through the mental defences that you have set. Furthermore, music has a powerful impact on our emotional states. So, it can serve as an indirect route to recognize and accept your different emotions. This way, you can safely explore your feelings and control them.

Related article: Top Signs You Need Professional Addiction Treatment Help

It motivates you to go through with treatment

One of the vital benefits of using music therapy for addiction treatment is that it can motivate you to keep going. Music therapy can help you create positive emotions, thereby promoting a desire to participate in addiction treatment willingly. By listening to fast-paced songs, you can derive motivation to move or even focus better on the activities at hand. However, it does not necessarily have to do with the pace of the song. Sometimes, lyrics or even the type of music does much to help with addiction treatment.

It promotes self-awareness and self-expression

Some of the crucial characteristics you must possess for long-term recovery are self-expression and self-awareness. Making music, writing songs or listening to music – which are all part of music therapy – can help you express your emotions better. Instead of trying to escape or suppress your feelings, music therapy can help you express them. This is one of the critical healing qualities of music therapy for addiction recovery.

Having an avenue of expressing your emotions will then help you develop self-awareness. Therefore, you can understand how addiction has affected you and what you need to do to aid your recovery.

It helps to release stress

You may already know that music is a powerful tool to help you relax. However, what you may not know is that it has a significant impact on addiction treatment. Music therapy involves activities that can have a calming effect on you! 

Stress is one of the worst enemies of addiction treatment and recovery. Indeed poor stress management and coping skills are why some people turn to drugs in the first place. In light of this, addiction centres in Vancouver do all they can to reduce stress in their patients. One of the most effective ways to do this is through music therapy.

It improves physical rehabilitation

Lastly, music therapy has shown a lot of advantages in aiding physical recovery. Research has shown that therapy through music can help with pain management. Also, it encourages physical movement and motion to help improve physical health. So you see, there is a world of benefits that you stand to gain from including music therapy in your addiction recovery process.

Final Take

Studies show that music therapy can be very beneficial in helping people with substance-abuse disorders get their lives back on track. Also, many people have used it to get through their addiction and achieve long-term recovery. 

Hopefully, this article on the benefits of music therapy for addiction treatment will help you decide. If you’d like to explore different techniques to help you reach addiction recovery, contact Inspire Change Drug Rehab in Vancouver for addiction treatment programs. Our experts can help you develop a personalized treatment plan based on your unique needs. Call 888 5089 802 to speak with an expert today!