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Music Therapy And How Music Is A Positive Non Pharmacological Way Of Coping With Mental Illness Essay

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Abstract Mental health includes our psychological, social, and emotional well-being. It affects how we act, feel, and cope with life. Mental health affects about 26.2% of Americans ages 18 and older or about one in four adults (“The Kim Foundation, 2016”), and approximately 10% of children aged 5-16 years have a recognizable mental disorder (McDougall T, 2011). Music and emotions go hand in hand. When you think of your favorite song, it usually puts a smile on your face. Music is a powerful influence because it helps us experience feelings we might be avoiding or feelings we don’t even know are there. When ignored, our emotional health suffers. It’s hard for some people to express their emotions, especially painful or sad ones. In this paper, I will explore the benefits of music therapy and how music is a positive non-pharmacological way of coping with mental illness.
Introduction
Psychosis is characterized by pivotal changes in thoughts and perceptions as well as one’s emotional and social life (Solli & Rolvsjord, 2015). Although the exact cause of most mental illnesses is not known, it is becoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
Biological factors:
•genetics (heredity)
•certain types of infections
•brain defects or injury
•prenatal damage
•other factor such as poor nutrition, or exposure to toxins such as lead.
Psychological factors:
• Severe psychological

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