When the world breaks, music holds us together

Source: Nida Al Watan

In times of war and crises, and the anxiety and psychological pressure that accompany them, many people seek ways to help them maintain their inner balance amid a turbulent reality. In this context, music stands out as more than just an art form or a means of entertainment; it can become therapy, a space of calm, and a language for expressing emotions when words fail.

Comfort and reassurance

In this regard, composer and poet Joseph Mourad says that “music gains special importance in times of war and crisis because it helps individuals restore their inner balance.” He explains in an interview with Nidaa Al Watan that melodies “speak to both the brain and the emotions at the same time, and studies have shown that music reduces stress levels and helps the body release hormones associated with comfort and reassurance.”

According to Mourad, “simple human experience confirms this effect; when a person hears a beautiful melody, the world feels less harsh, and in times of anxiety, a tune can become a small safe space for the soul.” He points out that “the brain responds directly to rhythm and melody, as music can stimulate both memory and emotion at once. Sometimes, a simple melody can take a person back to a beautiful memory or a moment of peace they had forgotten.”

Mourad also notes that music has accompanied humanity since the earliest days of nature, explaining that “it existed within nature before humans learned to produce it. People experienced music through the rustling of leaves, the flow of water, the singing of birds, and the sound of the wind.”

He adds that “modern medicine is now able to measure its effects on humans, and the physiological changes resulting from listening to music can be observed through heart, brain, breathing, and blood pressure monitoring. It also plays a role in certain therapeutic cases, as it does not pass only through the ear, but through memory and the heart as well.”

For Mourad, “music gives people an alternative language to express their emotions. A person may sometimes be unable to express themselves in words, but through melody, they can say what the tongue cannot.”

The composer and poet Joseph Mourad concludes by emphasizing that “music in times of crisis is not a luxury, but a means of preserving our humanity,” noting that “art may not change reality, but it gives people moments of meaning and beauty; every beautiful melody is a small declaration that life is stronger than fear.”

A safe space

Psychologist and music therapist Lina Riachi explains, for her part, that “in times of war and crisis, a person enters a state of neurological alert due to the activation of the survival nervous system.” She tells Nidaa Al Watan that “music can regulate this state because it directly affects the autonomic nervous system. Regular rhythm and sound harmony help the body gradually transition from a fight-or-flight state to a state of calm and stability. Therefore, music can offer a safe space where a person feels contained and regains a sense of inner stability amid external chaos.”

Riachi adds that “the effect of music is not limited to the emotional aspect alone; it extends to neurological and physiological effects on the body. It stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with pleasure and comfort, and it also helps reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, as well as adrenaline resulting from a state of alertness. Thus, music does not operate only on the emotional level, but also helps regulate heart rate and breathing, restoring balance to the body.”

Regarding music therapy, Riachi says that “this field relies on multiple techniques to help people suffering from anxiety or trauma. Treatment may involve musical improvisation using simple instruments to express emotions, or rhythmic regulation that helps the body restore the rhythm of breathing and heartbeat and return to the present after trauma. It can also include guided listening to carefully selected music to promote relaxation and evoke positive emotions, in addition to group singing, which enhances a sense of belonging and reduces isolation.”

According to Riachi, “music may also help in dealing with the effects of trauma stored in the body. Trauma is not stored only in conscious thought but also in bodily memory, and music, as a non-verbal language, allows access to these deep layers of the unconscious, helping the person gradually reorganize the traumatic experience and regain a sense of control.”

Riachi notes that “people’s responses to music differ from one person to another depending on age, cultural background, and the memories associated with songs,” and therefore “treatment is chosen according to each individual’s musical identity.”

In summary, “music is not merely a means of entertainment; it has become a supportive tool for mental health, offering people a space to express themselves, breathe, and find hope even in the most difficult circumstances,” as psychologist and music therapist Lina Riachi explains.

In times of war, then, music may not change the harsh reality, but it gives people the ability to endure and a space to catch their breath amid the noise. Between science, which confirms its effects on the mind and body, and art and personal experience felt by anyone who listens to a melody that touches the heart, music remains a universal language that reminds us that human beings are capable of holding on to hope even in the darkest moments.