A Cincinnati man who lives with schizoaffective disorder has found relief through music.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that is marked by a mix of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression, mania, and a milder form of mania called hypomania.”
For one man, Chaz Walker from Cincinnati, the condition causes him to hear voices and suffer from hallucinations. However, these symptoms seem to disappear when he plays guitar.
While more research is needed, some evidence “suggests that music therapy as an addition to standard care improves the global state, mental state (including negative and general symptoms), social functioning, and quality of life of people with schizophrenia or schizophrenia‐like disorders,” according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine.
This certainly seems to be the case for Walker, who told WCPO 9 News that music helps quiet the voices in his head.
Each month, Walker plays music at the Recovery Center of Hamilton County in Cincinnati, which hosts an open mic event for those living with mental illness.
“Part of [Walker’s] recovery is tied to open mic,” Bill Brown, community engagement director for the recovery center, told WCPO 9 News. “It’s just joyous. It’s a fun time.”
Not only does the event provide a platform for these individuals to channel their creativity, but it also cultivates a strong sense of community—which can reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress associated with mental illness.
For example, another woman at the center writes and presents poetry about her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—something I personally struggle with and also creatively write about. Through my own experience, I can attest that writing poetry has been one of the most healing and self-empowering exercises for me.
“We like to give people back what they lost to their illness,” Brown continued. “And that’s what we do.”
The post Man With Schizoaffective Disorder Stops the Voices With Music appeared first on VICE.
The post Man With Schizoaffective Disorder Stops the Voices With Music appeared first on VICE.
