All the Good Things in the World Worth Believing

Among those good things are the therapeutic power of kindness and the healing effects of music.

By Paul Cerrato, MA, senior research analyst and communications specialist, Mayo Clinic Platform, and John Halamka, M.D., Diercks President, Mayo Clinic Platform.

Most of our blogs in the Digital Health series have focused on the transformative impact of AI-based algorithms, but we have never lost sight of the fact that these are only tools, a means to an end, namely better patient outcomes. These digital tools would have little value if they were not aligned with the basic values that serve as Mayo Clinic’s foundation.

Kindness is certainly one of these values. This deep concern for the long-term welfare of others pushes us forward to seek more cures and better diagnostic methods. But kindness also benefits those who practice it by improving their physical and mental health. The American Psychiatric Association points out that acts of kindness may reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, for example. In one experiment, patients were asked to either display acts of kindness, participate in social activities, or undergo a short course of cognitive behavioral therapy. While all three interventions benefited patients, acts of kindness had the most impact. 

APA also cites evidence to suggest that “kindness can increase happiness and self-esteem, while decreasing stress and emotional reactivity. People may limit their acts of kindness because they underestimate the value, according to a recent study. Researchers found that while a giver looked at the value of the item or action, the receiver saw greater value in the warmth of the gesture and the positive social interaction. Another feature of acts of kindness, supported by research, is that it can be contagious. People who received acts of kindness were more likely to be more generous themselves.”

One way to express kindness toward others is by sharing the music that moves you. Speaking from personal experience (paulcerrato.com/music), there is no better feeling than watching someone respond to your performance by smiling, crying, or getting up to dance. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, a highly respected source of medical evidence, did an exhaustive analysis of the medical literature to evaluate the effects of music therapy of patients with depression, comparing it to the usual therapeutic options. It concluded: “Findings of the present meta-analysis indicate that music therapy provides short-term beneficial effects for people with depression. Music therapy added to treatment as usual [TAU] seems to improve depressive symptoms compared with TAU alone.”

There’s also good reason to believe that music benefits patients with dementia, including those with Alzheimer’s disease. There have been cases in which Alzheimer’s patients were uncommunicative until they heard a favorite piece of music and then suddenly came to life. Anecdotes like this are consistent with systematic reviews of the medical literature. A detailed analysis of 142 studies and 38 systematic reviews found that music therapy was effective for reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

In the stressful, polarizing times we live in, it’s easy to forget that humanity is still a family. We may not always get along with our siblings, aunts, and uncles, but they nonetheless deserve our respect and kindness. Add a little music to the mix and you may discover you have more in common than you expected.