Are you a music lover? Think good music can cure about anything and cheer you up in the difficult times? Your assessment may not be entirely wrong. According to a latest study, Traditional depression treatments like psychotherapy or medication when complemented with a dose of music therapy could show better results, as compared to those being treated with just traditional medication.
According to the analysis in the Cochrane Library, music could prove to be therapeutic for those struggling with depression. For the study, the team examined data on 421 people who participated in nine previously completed short-term experiments, that tested music's role in easing depression on its own or added to traditional interventions.
The findings revealed that, patients felt less depressed when music was included as part of their treatment regimen. It also played an effective role in cutting down anxiety and improve mental and physical functioning of depressed individuals by a significant margin.
Senior study author Christian Gold of Uni Research Health in Bergen, Norway said that the study was safe and holds across a variety of settings, countries, types of patients, and types of music therapy.
Depression is projected to be the leading cause of disability by 2020. Researchers across the world are finding ways to curb depression and spread maximum awareness. The study mentioned that music therapy could include passive approaches that involve listening, active treatments that involve playing an instrument or singing or participating in a musical performance, or some combination of these approaches. The therapy would be led by person with training in counseling, psychology or treating depression.
In the recent past too, music therapy has gained enough momentum, research to date hasn't offered a clear picture of its benefits. Scientists believe that their findings may help encourage the victims to tend towards their therapy. While they also said that more research is needed, but from now more researchers can employ themselves to discover more specific questions related to music therapy.
Studies included in the current review ranged in duration from six to 12 weeks. The smallest study had just 14 participants, and the largest one included 79 people. The total number of treatment sessions ranged from eight to 48, and the duration of sessions varied from 20 minutes to two hours.
Here's how the researchers tried to explain the mechanism, modern brain imaging studies indicate that music therapy activates regions of the brain that are involved in regulating emotions. Joyful and sad music can have different effects too.
Depression is a serious mental disorder and may require prolonged treatment just like any physical ailment. But there are some natural ways to curb depression. You are what you eat and your diet can play a crucial role in maintaining mental health. Try to include these foods in your daily diet to curb symptoms of depression.
1. Complex carbohydrates: Include foods that are rich in complex carbs in your diet like whole grains and brown rice. A lot of studies have shown that low carb diets have been linked to nervousness, anxiety, decreased concentration and insomnia.
2. Vitamin D: A deficiency of this nutrient if often linked with mood swings and depression. Add natural sources of Vitamin D like mushrooms, eggs and soy milk to your diet.
3. Antioxidants: Antioxidants can help in reducing the oxidative stress on your mental health. Berries and foods like cherries, grapes and dark leafy greens are your best bet.
4. Good quality proteins: Protein rich foods are known to boost alertness. Some of them contain an amino acid called tryptophan which helps your body make the mood boosting brain chemical, serotonin. Peas, beans, soya, lentils and paneer are good options and so are chicken and fish.
These healthy foods can really help in lifting your mood and making you feel better.