Music Therapy and Eating Disorders

8/11/2019 Music Therapy and Eating Disorders

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Music Therapy

and EatingDisorders

Christie McKernan, MT-BC

Duquesne University


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Eating Disorders:History, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments

McKernan, Duquesne University


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Types of E.D.

Anorexia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge-eating disorder

Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified(EDNOS)

Varies by persondifferent levels, symptoms,and severity.



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History of EatingDisorders

Before the 1970s, most people had not heardof anorexia nervosa

In the Victorian Era, it was seen among themiddle and upper-middle classes

Was known to physicians around the 1870s

Bulimia has been seen since ancientcivilizations, in which people would purgeduring meals in order to consume more


http://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/08/style/anorexia-it-s-not-a-new-disease.html


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Statistics on E.D.

40-60% of elementary school girls areconcerned about their weight

Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of anypsychiatric disorder

Rise in incidences of anorexia in young womenin each decade since 1930

Incidences of bulimia in 10-39 year old womenTRIPLED between 1988 and 1993



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Not a Statistic, but atelling sign



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Symptoms/Consequences of

Bulimia Nervosa

Symptoms

Episodes of bingeing and purging, feeling ofbeing out of control, self-esteem based on body

image, calluses on hands/knuckles from self-induced vomiting, withdrawal from friends

Consequences:

Inflammation of esophagus, tooth decay,electrolyte imbalance leading to irregularheartbeats, possible heart failure, death



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PsychologicalContributors

Low self-esteem

Feelings of inadequacy or lack of control

Depression, anxiety, anger, stress, loneliness



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InterpersonalContributors

Troubled personal relationships

Difficulty expressing emotions or feelings

History of bullying based on weight or size

History of sexual or physical abuse



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Social Contributors

Cultural pressure

Narrow definitions of beauty

Discrimination



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Treatment

Multidisciplinary team

Goals include:

stabilizing medically helping patient to stop destructive behaviors

AND

Addressing and resolving any coexisting mentalhealth problems that could be triggering thebehavior



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What is Music

Therapy?A brief introduction



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History of Music Therapy

Considered as having healingproperties since the beginning of time

Use of music in hospitals during WWI

Eventually led to the creation of theAmerican Music Therapy Association

(AMTA)


Source: History of Music Therapy AMTA website


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World War IIvories

A group of soldiers at varying levelsof injury huddles around a piano in

a hospital.


Source:

http://longstreet.typepad.com/prints_for_paws/2014/02/world-war-i-ivories.html


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In Relation to E.D.

Lucys Story

Applicable to many different levels of care and

recovery Often, people who have failed outpatient

therapy do so because they either cannot usewords, or use words extremely well as a

defensemusic can be used to move pastthese defenses to connect with deeper issuesthrough symbolism and metaphors.



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MTx Interventions

Lyric Analysis

Songwriting

Song Sharing

Guided Imagery

Drumming

Solo Work


R b h Ti


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Remember the TinMan by Tracy Chapman



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So again, why MTx?

Addresses many different psychological,social, and physical needs

Can be used with a variety of mental disorders,which aids in the comorbidity rates of EDs.

Comfortable form of expression

Addresses the earlier stated contributors



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Sources:

Lawson, C. (December 8, 1985). Anorexia: Its nota new disease. The New York Times. Retrievedfromhttp://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/08/style/anorexia-it-s-not-a-new-disease.html

Heiderscheit, A. (August 2009). Music therapy andeating disorders.AMTA-PRO.Podcast retrieved

from http://amtapro.musictherapy.org/?p=252

www.musictherapy.org

www.nationaleatingdisorders.orgMcKernan, Duquesne University

Music Therapy and Eating Disorders

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