🎶 Music as Medicine – The Mental Health Benefits of Playing an Instrument

Introduction

We often think of music as entertainment—but for many, it’s something far deeper: a form of therapy, a coping mechanism, and a lifeline. Playing an instrument doesn’t just bring joy; it can also help reduce anxiety, lift depression, and foster a stronger sense of identity and connection. In a time when mental health challenges are on the rise across all age groups, learning an instrument is proving to be a powerful tool for emotional wellbeing.

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🌿 Music and the Mind: The Science of Emotional Regulation

Music’s effect on the brain’s emotional centres is profound. Playing an instrument activates the limbic system, which includes the amygdala (processing emotion) and the hippocampus (involved in memory). The act of making music—especially improvisation—stimulates dopamine release, which is linked to pleasure and reward.

According to a 2021 review by the British Journal of Psychiatry, participating in active music-making is consistently associated with:

• Reduced levels of cortisol (the stress hormone)
• Enhanced mood and decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Improved emotional self-awareness and regulation

One study from Finland even used MRI scans to demonstrate that instrumental music-making can downregulate the activity of brain regions linked to rumination in depression.

“Musical engagement supports mental resilience and builds emotional intelligence.”
— Professor Katri Saarikallio, University of Jyväskylä

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🎼 Music as a Daily Mental Health Practice

Much like yoga or mindfulness, playing music can function as a grounding daily habit. It allows the player to:

• Focus attention away from intrusive or distressing thoughts
• Regulate breathing and physical tension through rhythm
• Feel in control of progress and expression
• Experience a sense of “flow,” where worries fade into the background

✅ Real-World Examples

• Nicola Benedetti, Scottish violinist and music education advocate, has spoken about how music supported her through emotionally turbulent periods as a teenager:

“When I played, I felt present. Not stuck in my mind or lost in emotion. It gave me the kind of release I couldn’t find anywhere else.”

• In an NHS-sponsored pilot program in London, young people aged 11–18 participated in 12 weeks of weekly drumming sessions. The results:
  • 87% reported reduced anxiety
  • 73% reported improved social confidence (Youth Music Report, 2020)

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🫂 Connection and Belonging

Mental health is about more than what happens inside our own heads—it’s also deeply tied to how we connect with others. Playing an instrument, especially in a group, fosters:

• Collaboration and shared purpose
• Non-verbal communication and empathy
• A sense of being seen, heard, and valued

Psychologist and cellist Dr. Rosie Perkins at the Royal College of Music has shown that:

“Group music-making has demonstrable social benefits, including reduced loneliness and improved self-esteem, particularly among vulnerable adults.”
– RCM Research Report, 2016

Even playing solo can enhance emotional resilience. Learning a piece requires persistence, emotional expression, and reflection—key traits linked to mental wellbeing.

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🧘 Try It Yourself: Musical Journaling

Exercise:
Choose a simple melody (or even just a few notes) to express how you’re feeling. Play or sing it slowly. Now repeat it with slight variations—change a rhythm, bend a pitch, add silence.

Notice how:

• Your attention shifts inward
• Your breath aligns with the phrasing
• You create space to process emotion without words

This kind of musical self-expression has been likened to journaling for the soul.

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🎬 Watch this!

• 🎵 Interactive tool: Chrome Music Lab – Melody Maker
  Lets students create and express melodies visually and intuitively.

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📚 Cited Sources & Further Reading

• Saarikallio, K. (2021). Music as emotional self-regulation. Journal of Music Therapy.
• Youth Music (2020). The impact of music on mental health: Drumming and wellbeing study.
• Perkins, R. (2016). The impact of group music-making on adult wellbeing. Royal College of Music.
• Benedetti Foundation. (2022). Wellbeing through music learning.
• Bradt, J. et al. (2013). Music interventions for mechanically ventilated patients. Cochrane Review.

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❤️ Final Thoughts

Whether you’re picking up an instrument to process grief, reduce anxiety, or simply reconnect with yourself, the emotional benefits are deeply rooted in science and experience. Music-making is not a luxury—it’s mental healthcare in its most joyful, accessible form.

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Coming Next:

Post 3 – Discipline and Delight: Building Confidence, Focus, and Grit Through Musical Practice