Music has become an outlet for not only students but people all around to help cope with emotions. An LSU Professor of Music Therapy, Dr. Austin, shares her knowledge on how people’s brain chemistry is altered by music.

“It is one of the very few stimuli that affects every single part of the brain, and so that means that we can access a lot of things with music.”

“Whether that’s talking about someone’s speech, whether that’s helping someone calm down or utilize emotion regulation.” Dr. Austin shares.

She shares how people’s memories help build those emotional connections. People are more likely to listen to music that has a great impact on them, whether it is good or bad. Music is a lot more emotional when a person can relate to the lyrics.

For example, if someone’s parents listened to country music and shared their music taste with their child, they are more likely to build that emotional bond.

It also comes down to the hormones that regulate the body’s emotions and motor skills. The hormones create chemical messengers that are released throughout the body.

“So dopamine, being that it gives us a reward and makes us feel good because we’re doing something that motivates us and that excites us.” Dr. Austin shares.

“ And serotonin, which is often called the happy transmitter, and to some degree, that’s true, but more often than not, it’s actually more focused on stabilizing our mood.” Dr. Austin Shares.

“So serotonin, when everyone is listening to music and engaging in a musical activity that we enjoy, it gives us the opportunity to stabilize and have more of that serotonin production.” Dr. Austin shares.

With the pressure of exams, LSU students have used music to study and lessen their stress levels. It has shown an immense impact on their mental health, especially.

Students share that it can range from music, starting from brown noise to pop, classical, rap, etc. LSU student, Helen Edmonds, shares her relationship with music.

“I know for me at least that’s what I listen to, to calm myself down, or really just all the time
of the day, I really love music, so u know it’s like a therapy for me.” Helen Edmonds says.

As people worldwide continue to use music, more of them are healing and helping themselves regulate their own emotions.