However, music therapy is not just listening to pop songs. Music therapy is a well-recognised profession that makes use of the unique nature of music to promote healing and enhance one's well being. A professionally trained music therapist will assess the needs of individual clients and set tailor-made objectives for therapy. Then he or she would develop a treatment programme that may involve listening to music, playing musical instruments, composing songs, analysing lyrics or dancing to achieve the treatment goals.

Because music itself is not bound by age, culture and language, music therapy can be applied to a wide spectrum of people, regardless of their age and intellectual or musical abilities. The most common use of music therapy is on stress release and balance of emotion. Besides, music therapy can be applied to the physically and mentally disabled. In cases of stroke or neurological problems, music therapy can be used to train the patients to develop their muscle movement by following rhythmic music, which in turn also improves their motor skills. Music therapy is also used as a way of pain management to help ease the suffering of patients with chronic pain problems, like headache or back pain. As regards its application to the mentally disabled, researches have shown the positive effects of music therapy on patients with Schizophrenia, Autism and Depression. A research study conducted by local psychiatrists has proved that a group of chronic schizophrenic patients with social disability showed significant improvement on negative symptoms, like blunted effect and sluggishness after receiving music therapy as an adjunct therapy to medication.

How can we make use of music to help balance the stress of police work? A music therapist has suggested that we could simply spend 20 to 30 minutes everyday on listening to music, preferably with a slow rhythm. It may be more effective if we can practise deep breathing or mental imagery (i.e. creating a peaceful image in our mind) while listening to the music.

Seek advice and help from the Psychological Services Group (PSG) : 2866-6206 (5th floor, 111 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay). PEN:psg-gr@police.gov.hk (All cases will be kept in strict confidence.)