30 Days of Self Healing – Day 26
And I believe that creativity can work in a similar way for all of us. A good example is depression. When we’re depressed, we tend to withdraw and get lost in the sadness. But if we get involved in something artistic, it takes us away from the sadness and puts our focus on an activity with the potential to bring joy.
Art has enormous healing power and is effective in treating trauma. Art therapists have helped combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as trauma victims of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
There’s even more. Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia found that women with cancer who sculpted or sketched experienced less pain, insomnia, and overall stress during their treatment. And researchers at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital discovered that art therapy reduced fatigue and pain, and boosted appetite among a group of 50 cancer patients.
Music is also a powerful healing instrument, extensively reached for its benefits. Music therapy:
- Reduces pain intensity in various types of chronic pain, including fibromyalgia
- Controls lower-back pain
- Distracts patients from pain and other symptoms of illnesses
- Improves mood
- Relieves stress
One of the most powerful effects of music therapy has been found in the treatment of Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers at Dartmouth College discovered that a part of the brain called the rostromedial prefrontal cortex responds to specific keys in a melody. This part of the brain also happens to help us retrieve memories and emotions connected to those memories. When a music therapist played a song recognizable to an Alzheimer’s patient, an emotional connection was forged. The patient was able to retrieve memories, better organize thoughts, and connect to the present. Additional studies suggest that when Alzheimer’s patients take part in music therapy, melatonin levels in their blood start to surge. Melatonin is a soothing chemical in the body. As this natural chemical increases, patients become less aggressive and agitated.
