Music as a therapy: Role in psychiatry

Music is popularly believed to usher in bliss and serenity, and healing is considered its natural quality. It has an emotionally charging charisma of its own, that we all as listeners might have experienced at times. Music has been there with mankind since the beginning of history, but where does it stand as a therapy? Is there any evidence base? How this therapy came into being and how it has evolved, and what the old and current research says about its role in psychiatric disorders. This review tries to explore these questions and arrives at a conclusion that music certainly promises more than just entertainment, and evidence so far suggests music therapy can be beneficial in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, as a cost effective noninvasive adjunct to standard therapy in a variety of settings and patient groups, yet more validated scientific research is still required to establish it as a sole quantified therapy.

► The history and development of music as a therapy are discussed.
► The possible mechanisms and models of music as a therapy are explored.
► Role of music as a therapy in psychiatric disorders is reviewed.
► Music therapy appears promising as an adjunctive therapy for psychiatric disorders.
► More methodically sound research is still required to quantify and validate it.