Posted by cubbybear on December 8, 2004, at 6:29:09 [reposted on December 8, 2004, at 23:22:09 | original URL]
In reply to Music and Depression, posted by SDW on December 8, 2004, at 4:25:48
> Very interesting comment about music, Rick.
>
> I have been suffering from dysthymia with anhedonia/apathy for the last 2 years and there was a period of 6-9 months when I didn't/couldn't listen to music. Music that would normally be exciting and pleasurable was either just plain boring or even irritating on occaision.
>
> I also turned to talk/news radio almost entirely, and I didn't turn on my TV for 3 months straight.
>
> There's definately something to this...I think music stimulates the more primitive, emotional parts of the brain, while talk radio is more of a cerebral thing...probably a Dopamine issue.On the one hand, I think that anyone suffering from anhedonia and severe depression would be less incliined to want to listen to music. Yet I studied MUSIC THERAPY for 4 semesters and the profession draws no boundaries as to who can be helped by music. Countless people with ailments of every kind--ranging from toddlers who just had congenital bone deformities corrected, to elderly people in despair, evidenced signs of improved mental functioning when the therapist found just the "right" instrument or song to present. I saw this with my own eyes in field assignments; institutionalized people became more sociable when live music was brought to their bedside.
poster:cubbybear
thread:426510
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20041202/msgs/426511.html