Music therapy is giving veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder a new way to manage their symptoms. The VA offers a wide range of programs including songwriting, instrument lessons, and sessions with music therapists to help create playlists to cope with everyday emotions.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, roughly 29% of veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have PTSD. Another 11% of non-combat veterans are also dealing with PTSD symptoms from various military traumas. That means roughly 40% of U.S. veterans are dealing with PTSD and need help coping with things they have been through.
VA Case Study
Music therapy is not new at the VA, they started looking into the benefits music can have on veterans back in 2014. Their initial study involved 40 veterans diagnosed with PTSD who they signed up for a 6 week guitar course with Guitars 4 Vets. At the end of the 6 week course exit interviews showed that there was a 21% reduction in PTSD symptoms, a 27% reduction in depression symptoms, and there was a 37% quality of life improvement.
Real Veterans, Real Results
U.S. Air Force veteran Sgt. RaMonica Felton is one of the VA’s most recent music therapy success stories. RaMonica asked the VA for help when she realized PTSD was interfering with her everyday life. Although she wasn’t sure what to think about music therapy, RaMonica agreed to work with a VA music therapists to create personalized playlists for a wide variety of symptoms she was facing. RaMonica said “if my heart is racing, it helps bring me from 100 back down to zero.” The playlists she created are now a part of her daily routine and have helped rebuild relationships with loved ones.
What is Music Therapy
Music therapy looks different for everyone. Neurological Music Therapist, Alicia Chopyk, says “what we look for in music therapy is how do we use music or experience it.” Music therapy isn’t always playing instruments or listening to music, sometimes it is talking about artists veterans find interesting. Pairing music with hard topics that need to be worked through is a great way to process things since music helps decompress the stressors many veterans face.
Options Available
Although findings are promising, the VA cautions that music therapy should not be viewed as a stand alone treatment for PTSD. Behavioral therapy and medications are available to struggling veterans; however, music therapy offers a unique path veterans can take to help regulate their emotions and succeed in recovery. If you or a veteran you know is struggling call 988 option 1 to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Line.
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