Every region of the world has its own appreciation of music, yet this universal language translates across borders and geographies. Through music, people understand each other better. In the same ways, music therapy helps you understand yourself more and get in touch with pieces of yourself that you lost to addiction. Through this addiction therapy service, you grow in ways that help you nurture a better life in recovery.
Would you like to know more about this or other effective addiction therapy programs? Call us today at 866.262.0531.
How Can Music be Therapy?
Call it what you want — music heals. Whether you call it therapy or not, the therapeutic value of music can make a real difference in a person’s life. Music therapy is an evidence-based method used to build new connections, heal, and achieve recovery goals. Expressive therapies like art and music differ in format from standard talk therapies. However, these subtle differences make a significant impact on your healing and growth.
Therapeutic music involves listening to music or creating sound. In the process of either of these, you connect your physical self to the sounds. You also make emotional, mental, social, and spiritual connections to music.
Think about your favorite song and how it affects you when you hear it on the radio or television. It makes you feel connected and brings up deep emotions, memories, or thoughts. Maybe your song inspires you to go forward in your life. In music therapy, you learn to take these reactions and use them for real change where you need it.
This therapy uses two key forms. Those include active and passive therapy styles. In an active music approach, you participate in using instruments, your voice, or other objects to create music. In passive therapy using music, you relax while listening to music.
Research proves many types of music lower heart rate and improves mental well-being. You do not need any talent to use and benefit from music in therapy. You do not even need to be able to sing.
Benefits of Music as Therapy
Music goes back to the origins of human existence. The reason why people still engage with music is simple. That is, we benefit from this form of expression.
Benefits you can expect from your music therapy program at an addiction treatment center include:
- Lower stress and anxiety
- Reduced depression symptoms
- Increased natural feel-good brain chemicals
- Brain stimulation
- Greater self-awareness and self-esteem
- Identification of emotions
- Reduced heart rate and blood pressure
In more than 600 studies into music as a type of therapy, sound and music have dramatic effects on how quickly and completely people recover. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation compiled these studies into one report in 2004. Since that time, more and more addiction treatment centers are using music as part of addiction recovery programs.
Music Therapy for Mental Health Treatment and Addiction Treatment
When you suffer from addiction or other mental health disorders, you isolate yourself from the world. You find yourself living in hiding, so you can pursue your drug or alcohol use without others interfering. However, through music, you connect with others in residential and inpatient treatment. Furthermore, this starts pulling you out of your isolation and helps you gain relationship-building skills.
At first, you may feel fearful of how a music therapy program works. However, usually by session two or three, you start opening up and seeing your own emotions more clearly. You may also start looking forward to your music therapy program as you grow and gain a better connection to yourself.
Mental Health Treatment and Addiction Treatment Music Therapy in Oregon
In Portland, Oregon, Crestview Recovery uses music in group therapy or individual therapy. After all, music helps you open up in many ways other therapies do not. Furthermore, you also need a mix of individual, group, and behavioral therapies to form a solid foundation for recovery success.
Therapies and programs of Crestview Recovery include:
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP): This is the highest level of care we offer. You live at home and come to our center for treatment during the day.
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): You live at home and come to our center for treatment a few days each week.
- Outpatient drug rehab: Ideal for those who don’t need a high lever of supervision and have a stable home environment for support.
- Rehab aftercare: You have completed one of our programs and want to stay connected with us and other alumni to help you stay on track.
- Trauma therapy: We offer specialized therapy for those who have experienced trauma. This can include EMDR and CBT.
- Exercise therapy program: We offer an exercise program to help you stay healthy and fit during the recovery process.
Finally, if you need to find addiction treatment or other mental health treatment for yourself or your loved one, call Crestview Recovery now at 866.262.0531. Ask about individualized treatment planning and the therapies that will change your life.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.