Music Therapy: Harnessing the Power of Song in Recovery

Welcome to another episode of Recovery Dialogues and Sober Stories, where we explore the many paths to addiction recovery and the inspiring stories of those who have walked them. In this episode, we will dive into the transformative power of music as entertainment and creative expression and music as therapy. Before introducing this week's guest, I'd like to comment on music and music therapy and how they can help individuals on their journey to recovery. Music therapy is a form of therapy that uses music to address individuals' physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. It is a professional practice that involves trained and certified music therapists who use music interventions to achieve therapeutic goals. Music therapists utilize musical composition, analysis, and theory to assist patients in overcoming psychological barriers during recovery. Patients are encouraged to express themselves through various musical activities such as listening to music, singing, playing instruments, drumming, clapping, creating music, and sometimes dancing. Combining music therapy with psychotherapy and medication has proven to be an effective treatment method. Music therapy can help patients achieve self-awareness and improve emotional regulation by aiding in emotional processing. Music's impact on a person's emotional state may be more profound than even drugs or alcohol. The therapeutic benefits of music, however, are not limited to professional settings. For example, individuals can informally experience music's healing effects outside of a clinical environment with streaming platforms and radio. Have you ever considered that the term drug can describe any substance that affects the body's physiology upon ingestion or introduction? Surprisingly, music can fall under this category. Recent research studies have shown that music can have therapeutic effects on the body, acting as an intoxicant, stabilizing mood, relieving pain, and more. Music can uniquely reveal hidden messages and stir emotions we may not have known existed. Whether through lyrics or melodies, a song can be a powerful form of self-expression, particularly when words fail us. Despite its impartiality, music can evoke both happiness and sadness in us. Familiar tunes can bring up positive and negative memories from our past. For those in recovery, music can be a trigger for old habits and painful memories. Music can be a potent instrument for mending emotional wounds and facing one's past. It can motivate individuals to acknowledge and own up to their personal history. McGill University in Montreal found that listening to music can boost cognitive function, while another study discovered that dopamine levels increase by 9% when listening to one's favorite songs. The physiological reaction such as this is usually only observed during activities with a clear outcome, such as sex, drug use, or receiving money. Additionally, participants in the study reported feeling less pain after listening to their favorite tunes. In today's episode, we are joined by a very special guest who has bravely chosen to share her story of recovery from stimulant use disorder. While she prefers to remain anonymous, she is here to discuss music therapy's decisive role in her journey towards sobriety and well-being. I'm honored to have her on the show to share her insights and experiences as we explore the transformative power of music and music therapy in addiction recovery. Let's get started. Can you describe music's overall role in your recovery journey?

Let me first say that I agree with what she said about music being an intoxicant. It's been a mood stabilizer, stimulant, and so much more for me. I love all genres of music. Nothing is off limits. For the last 3 years, I've compiled a playlist of the most motivating and empowering songs I enjoy. I've played them on repeat and not listened to anything but these songs. I know it might sound a little, you know, a little weird, but I listen to them all day and they have such a positive effect on me. These songs give me the strength to go through my day, even when it's a rough one. So that's kind of been, you know, music's overall role. In my recovery lately.

Is there a specific song or musical experience that profoundly resonates with you and has helped you on your path to recovery?

Like I said, I have a playlist. It consists of about 32 or 33 songs, I think, and like I said, I play them on repeat every day. They're songs I can sing to and dance to, and I feel as if I can conquer the world world, or at the very least, the day when I listen to them, especially so when it comes to my sobriety, you know, it just kind of just strengthens me and gives me the encouragement I need to remember, hey, these are my goals. This is what I decided I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and it keeps me going.

How has music helped you to find a sense of community and connection with others in recovery?

[Speaker:ANTONIO_MATTA] So I belong to a peer group. There's activities that go on every week that this group does, and some of those activities involve concerts at the park, and that serves as a great sense of community to be together at these concerts with our peers who are in recovery finding joy and entertainment. And music together.

In your opinion, what practical ways can music therapy be integrated into addiction treatment programs?

So music therapy in addiction treatment might not be, you know, traditional or conventional, but I think it definitely has a place there. But When I think about it, I at least, I don't know exactly how it would fit in into a treatment program, but what I can definitely say is that one practical way to incorporate music in general into treatment could be, you know, in groups to have maybe, you know, the group select the theme song, you know, maybe group members can elect a song that could be like an anthem for the group and the group members. And at the start of the group, the song is played, like how back in school we used to say the Pledge of Allegiance and everything. So you can have this song to get everybody together and focused on what we're doing at the group that day. And it could be a good you know, a good way to incorporate music, like I said, and instill hope and positivity into the group of people in recovery.

What do you think it is about music that makes it such a powerful tool for promoting healing and fostering meaningful connections?

I'm sure you would agree that music has a way of speaking to the soul. Of a person, whether there are lyrics in the song or not. They say music is a universal language. I believe our soul has a language of its own that interprets music differently than maybe our ears or our brains. Music transcends normal language and expression and has the power to reach parts of us you know, I feel that we sometimes run away from or repress, and it can strengthen the parts of us that may be a little weak.

So far, we've looked at the positive side of music in recovery. But for many people, music can also be a trigger. During your recovery, have there been any times when hearing a particular song, for example, has reminded you of your past substance use or possibly led to a relapse?

There have been many times I've heard certain songs that remind me of my past substance use. You know, I could be outside, you know, going to the store or something or whatever, and I'll hear a song and it'll immediately, you know, immediately take me back to a period, you know, maybe a specific incident or just in general, just where I was at during that time of my life. And these songs will remind me of people and, like I said, certain times in my life that may have been dark. Then naturally, when going to these places in my mind, I may start to think about getting high again and I might start contemplating on, whether it would be all right if I went and got some drugs or something. But that's when I use my coping skills. I wouldn't let a moment like that derail me. I would direct my attention to the present moment and remind myself of how far I've come in my recovery. I may even, as a countermeasure, You know, play a song, you know, put my AirPods in and play a song from my playlist or something. Whatever I can do to boost myself and prevent a relapse.

Lastly, for someone struggling with addiction, how might they begin to use music as a tool for recovery? What advice would you offer?

I've heard of certain studies where music has helped plants grow beautifully or other organisms react positively to certain songs. And so I guess I would advise someone to find a song or several songs that resonate with them and remind them of their strength and of their beauty. And then I would encourage them to listen to the song or the songs every day and tap into that inner strength they have to continue being the best person they can be and living their sober life.

I want to give a big thank you to our guest for sharing her inspiring story of recovery with us today. Her bravery and vulnerability will undoubtedly inspire others on their journey toward healing. I also want to thank our sponsor, Wish Recovery, for supporting this show. At Wish Recovery, they believe in treating the whole person—mind, body, and soul—and their dedication to providing comprehensive luxury rehab services is genuinely remarkable. Please subscribe to this show and stay tuned for more from Recovery Dialogues and Sober Stories.