Southern Cross University: Music Therapy for Mental Health Report

This report delves into the efficacy of music therapy as a treatment for mental health conditions, particularly anxiety and depression. It begins by outlining the prevalence of these conditions and explores how music can be a non-invasive method to alleviate symptoms, especially in patients suffering from cancer. The report investigates the types of music that are most effective, the causes of stress and anxiety, and how music therapy can reduce risks for patients with heart disease and help mothers with post-delivery depression. Through a survey of patients in a hospital setting, the report highlights the effectiveness of music therapy compared to other treatments, such as medication and other forms of therapy. The methodology used is based on the Phenomenology form of study design and PICO format to understand the patient's perspective. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of music therapy in improving mental health outcomes.

Introduction
A form of therapy where music is used to improve a person’s mental health condition
especially any individual who is suffering from anxiety and depression is known as Music
therapy.
Activity 1.1
It has been seen that various patients who are suffering from cancer are suffering from
anxiety and depression. It has been proved that music has been used a non-invasive method to
reduce the depression among the patients (Jasemi, Aazami, Zabihi, 2016). What is the
percentage of people across the world suffers from anxiety? How listening to music for
atleast 20 mins each day can reduce the stress and anxiety among the population who are
suffering from depression? Why it is important to reduce the depression among patients
specially those who are suffering from cancers? What is the type of music that can actually
help to reduce the depression among patients? What is the main cause of depression, anxiety
and stress among the entire middle aged population across the world? How music therapy can
reduce the risk of a patient who is being suffering from heart diseases? How hospitals across
the world are using the music therapy treatment to reduce the stress and anxiety among
patients? How music therapy can help mothers to cope with the post-delivery depression?
How music therapy is different from other forms of therapy like medications, group therapy,
family therapy, recreational therapy and many more? How this therapy is helping patients to
overcome their stress, anxiety or depression?
Activity 1.2
The questions which has been asked in Activity 1.1 summarizes to one specific question that
how can music therapy reduces the stress and anxiety among individuals. The answer to this
question can be achieved by doing a survey in at least 50 hospitals who are treating their

patients using music therapy. The questions which are being asked are mostly associated with
the Phenomology form of study design. This form of study deals with the structure of one’s
consciousness. It also deals with intellectualism (Merleau-Ponty, 2013). As per the PICO
format the questions can also be structured. P stands for Patient, population or problem
situation, I stands for Intervention, C stands for comparison and O stands for outcome. What
is the percentage of population that are suffering from anxieties, depressions or stress across
the world? (P) What is the effectiveness of this therapy? (I) How music therapy is different
from any other form of therapy like family or recreational therapy? (C) How this therapy is
helpful for the patients in overcoming their stress, anxiety and depression? (O) A survey has
been conducted where 40 patients from a particular hospital who are suffering from anxiety
and depression has been asked that how music therapy is helpful for them. Based on the
feedback it has been seen that music therapy helps the patients to recover more quickly than
other form of treatment.
Conclusion
This report is based on the importance of the music therapy for eradiation of mental
conditions of various individuals. Through questionnaire method it has been seen that Music
therapy is more effective than other therapies to reduce depression.

References
Jasemi, M., Aazami, S., & Zabihi, R. E. (2016). The effects of music therapy on anxiety and
depression of cancer patients. Indian journal of palliative care, 22(4), 455.
Merleau-Ponty, M. (2013). Phenomenology of perception. Routledge.