How does music on the brain help those in addiction recovery? Think about it. What was the first sound you ever heard? It wasn’t your mom’s voice. It wasn’t your dad’s voice. Nor was it your own voice. While our conscious memories may be different, the first sound we ever hear is our mother’s heartbeat when we’re still in the womb. From there, the sounds we experience in and out of the womb as we grow into adulthood have a tremendous impact on our health.
Whether we’re hearing pleasant sounds like a familiar voice or unpleasant sounds such as an argument or the sounds of heavy traffic, we all have a physical reaction to sound that cues certain emotions. When we’re upset, sick, sad or depressed, music has the healing power to soothe the soul. The effects music has on the brain can improve our quality of life, especially for those in addiction recovery.
The Neuroscience of Music
Addiction creates deficiencies in the brain, but music helps improve overall brain functioning. Music is a natural dopamine booster. Dopamine is the brain’s reward system. Along with pleasure, it also boosts motivation, attention, and concentration. Music influences multiple parts of the brain as it:
- Increases attention and planning in the frontal lobe.
- Stimulates emotions and pleasure in the limbic system.
- Helps improve speech and lyric creation in the temporal lobe.
- Improves memory when playing instruments in the parietal lobe.
- Improves visual coordination and reading music in the occipital lobe.
- Controls rhythm and movement in the cerebellum.
- Improves music memory in the hippocampus
The brain takes all this sensory data and processes it to help you form your own interpretations of music. Made up of vibrating sound waves, we all have a physical reaction to music when music rings through our eardrums. Even those who are deaf can have physical and emotional responses from the vibrations of sound waves.
Our Physical and Emotional Reactions
Since we can actually feel sound from the vibrations of the sound waves, we unconsciously soothe parts of our body other than our ears. When music is played loudly or in an enclosed space like the car, the vibration from from the stereo brings a soothing sensation to our body.
Our emotions are often tied to how we feel physically. When we’re listening, playing or creating music, our emotional response is usually a positive one. While upbeat music can improve mood, sad music can also evoke the same reaction depending on your interpretation of the music and the memories associated with the song. For those in addiction recovery, music therapy in group sessions has proven to reduce rage and anxiety and increase confidence.
Benefits to Addiction Recovery
The use of music as an additional therapeutic approach has proven to help clients cope in early recovery. Music helps clients release pent up emotions and express themselves in an authentic way. According a scientific study, listening to music increases self-efficacy, mood, readiness and reduces isolation through social engagement for those who have had multiple drug addictions.
Through uplifting drum circles, creative lyric writing, expressive song development and professional music recording, clients can change their negative thinking and develop more positive thoughts and energies that improve their overall health.
About SoundPath Recovery
At SoundPath Recovery, our music program is dedicated to helping clients get rid of the broken record of addiction and leave it all behind in song. Here, clients have a safe space to release their emotions, connect with themselves and others, share their struggles, and leave with their experience in hand on a CD.
While working with the client’s primary therapist, we use both a creative and therapeutic approach to helping our clients maintain long-term sobriety. For more information on SoundPath Recovery and how it can help you or your loved one, reach out to The Rehab Center today at 888-388-5756 .