Shanghai pioneers music therapy committee to advance mental health care

In recognition of the healing power of art, the Shanghai Medical Doctor Association has established the country's first music and art therapy committee, aiming to promote the professional development of art therapy.

The initiative was unveiled at a press conference organized by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission with the assistance of the Shanghai Health Promotion Center on Oct 9, ahead of the annual World Mental Health Day.

Experts at the conference highlighted the role of new technologies in advancing music therapy towards personalization, accessibility, and immersive experiences.

Qiao Ying, a chief physician at the Shanghai Mental Health Center, explained that artificial intelligence can analyze an individual's physiological data, music listening history, and real-time emotions to dynamically create personalized "music prescriptions". Additionally, wearable devices can monitor stress levels in real-time and automatically trigger music interventions and visual relaxation processes, enabling self-regulation training.

"Music therapy apps with such digital tools may become clinically validated 'prescriptions', allowing patients to receive AI-assisted, remotely supervised interventions at home, thus enhancing accessibility," Qiao said.

Research has consistently supported the role of music in promoting mental health and well-being. Music therapy is widely employed in clinical settings and can serve as a simple, effective self-care method in daily life, according to experts.

Xie Bin, another chief physician at the Shanghai Mental Health Center, emphasized that music therapy aids in managing depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through improvisational playing or songwriting, patients can express emotions and develop coping strategies, making it a standard supplementary treatment for such disorders.

"In pain management, music helps by diverting attention and inducing relaxation responses. It reduces pain and anxiety in surgical or chronic pain patients, lessens the need for analgesics, and has become a non-pharmacological standard of care in preoperative settings, intensive care units, and wards," Qiao said.