Massage Therapy and Mental Health
Mental Illness Awareness Week
October 4th - 11th, 2020
October 4th to 10th is Mental Illness Awareness Week by the Canadian Mental Health Association, which is dedicated to providing education and resources for Canadians to better understand Mental Illness. I want to take a moment during this week and shed some light on how Massage Therapy can be a great addition to your current mental illness treatment plan and/or journey.
I want to preface this by saying that Massage Therapy is not a substitute treatment plan, and counselling on mental illness is out of the scope of practice for Massage Therapists. It is always optimal to discuss medication, counselling and any other treatment options with your physician, psychotherapist or psychologist directly. As these are the key players in your treatment plan and journey. Which is why we specifically say Massage Therapy is a COMPLEMENTARY modality to your current treatment plan.
Massage Therapy is a good complementary treatment as it has been proven to have great effect on decreasing the firing of your sympathetic nervous system (good ol’ fight or flight system), which in turn reduces or slows the production of the stress hormone, cortisol. As well a 2005 meta analysis found that there was an increase in serotonin and dopamine levels post massage therapy treatment. Anywhere between 13-25%, depending on demographic and mental illness reviewed. The take away from this is that there is a low percentage of positive change, and therefore massage therapy should not substitute medication/counselling etc, but should be used as a complementary method it can support other treatment plans without adverse effects.
Some mental illness can come about from physical, emotional and mental trauma experienced by individuals at some point in their lives. These can lead to Post Traumatic Symptom Disorder, Body Dysmorphia, Eating Disorders, Postpartum Depression, Pain Syndromes and more. Massage Therapy and it’s therapists can support these patients by providing an atmosphere of acceptance of all bodies and minds, through environment and language. Allowing patients to show up exactly how they are that day and catering treatments based on information from that day, can demonstrate to patients that therapists are creating a welcoming space. Which can ease any discomfort or anxieties felt regarding treatment.
Massage Therapy can also be a tool used to help learn/re-learn what positive, non-sexual touch is for children and adults alike. Using full communication and thorough boundaries with draping, or with the patient fully clothed can all be ways Massage Therapy can help reduce the stress that can arise with touch for those with PTSD.
If you are interested in learning more regarding Mental Illness please head over to the Canadian Mental Health Association website. If you would like to know how Massage Therapy can complement your current treatment plan please feel free to reach out to me, riversrmt@gmail.com