Have you ever noticed how sound impacts your mind and overall mood? For some people, turning on loud music to study for a college final makes the most sense. For others, stepping out into the quiet of nature clears their mind. But what does it mean to heal through sound?
What Is Sound Therapy?
Sound therapy, sometimes called audio therapy, focuses on how your body and mind respond to specific sounds. More specifically, it utilizes the vibrations in various sounds to adjust and improve your feelings of safety, calm, and well-being. Adjusting sound vibrations may help change the way your mind works, impacting the function of the brain and repairing damage caused by addiction.
One note to consider is that sound therapy isn’t a specific process or treatment. It can take many forms and be applied in various ways to help each person achieve their goals. Sound therapy can, in a way, be similar to music therapy, but sound therapy focuses on how your body reacts to sound vibration specifically.
Here are some characteristics of sound therapy for addiction:
- It is a holistic, noninvasive method for improving your well-being and mental health during addiction recovery.
- It uses sound waves and vibration energy to enhance natural, biological systems at a cellular level.
- It could restore peace, balance energy in your body, and dispel many of the negative thoughts and feelings you have
The goal of sound therapy is to restore balance and promote health through the use of sound. For those facing addiction’s demands on their mind and body, sound therapy can be a peaceful, relaxing way to see improvement.
How Sound Therapy Is Used in Addiction Recovery
With a great deal of flexibility in its actual application, sound therapy can be used in a variety of ways and for numerous reasons. In addiction recovery, sound therapy may be used for specific goals:
- Focus
- Improving creativity
- Emotional release
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Mindfulness
There’s science behind this. For example, when a person completes detox treatment, they tend to have an imbalance of types of brain waves: too much beta wave activity and not enough alpha, theta, and delta wave activity. This is what makes it difficult to focus, relax, and sleep in early recovery. Sound therapy can help increase the alpha, theta, and delta waves and bring the brain waves into balance.
What Sounds Can Be Therapeutic in Addiction Recovery
When you move through a sound therapy session, a significant focus will be on understanding the specific sounds that make you feel best. Many types of therapies are used, and each practitioner may have their own recommendations. However, most practitioners will use tuning fork therapy as a way to generate sound vibrations that prompt a healing response in the body and brain.
Different types of sounds can create different benefits. For example, singing bowls, gongs, and rain sticks are often sought after because of their calming nature.
Audio brainwave entrainment, or ABE, is another method that some practitioners use. It focuses on stimulating a very specific sound to alter the brainwaves, which could trigger brain waves that encourage calm and peace.
Who Should Consider Sound Therapy?
As you work towards improving your mental and physical health, consider embracing sound therapy as a way to bring calm and peace to your mind. There are several reasons to consider doing so:
- To mitigate stress. Stress is a big trigger in addiction recovery, so any healthy method of stress reduction can support your journey.
- To explore holistic recovery. Holistic recovery gives equal attention to mind, body, and spirit. Iron Bridge Recovery Center utilizes a wide range of holistic therapies.
- To support co-occurring disorders. If you are struggling with mental health concerns as well as addiction, dual diagnosis treatment could include sound therapy.
Work With a Team Who Will Create a Comprehensive Plan for Your Well-being
At Iron Bridge Recovery Center, our team will help you build a healthy future using holistic and scientific methods. Turn to our team today to learn more about the services we can offer to support your long-term recovery and peace of mind. Contact us now.
