Guitar Therapy: 8 psychological benefits of playing the guitar

By Aditya Shukla, psychologist and guitarist

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Socializing

Playing the guitar is a social glue for its potential to entertain and form friendships.

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Hobby life

Studies suggest hobbies improve well-being, especially when work stress is high. It also creates a boundary between work life and personal life.

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Cognitive development

Playing the guitar trains attention and thinking skills because it involves contextual analysis and learning.

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Physical engagement

The brain remains healthy when the body is engaged, and music-making is a powerful way to engage your senses and body.

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Meditation

Meditation and mindfulness is all about accepting reality with continuous calm focus. The guitar becomes a meditative practice, which reduces mental health problems.

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Confidence

Learning a skill and executing it is a sure-shot way to improve confidence and self-esteem.

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Discipline

Learning an instrument needs discipline, so adding the guitar to your life can help structure your day, which then improves daily life satisfaction.

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Emotional release

Music mimics emotions, so human emotions can translate into music via fingers as a release. It also distracts from intense emotions and helps regulate them.

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