Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Uskudar University, made evaluations on the topic of “Music, Art, and Psychology” in the program “Door to Reason with Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan,” broadcast on Dost TV and Dost FM. Tarhan stated that new information has recently emerged between music and psychology. Tarhan, stating that music is used in treatment, said; “In science, it is used as rhythm therapy. It is also referred to as holotropic therapy. There is music, as well as movement, rhythm, and verbal repetition. When you use this trio, it becomes a learning model.” Tarhan also pointed out that there is a very close relationship between art and mental health, and used the expression, ‘Art is good for the soul if it is for humanity, not for art's sake.’
“Music has a captivating effect”
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that new information has recently emerged between music and psychology; “With music, the brain also dances. With music, the brain rejoices and is affected. That’s why music has a captivating effect. It varies from person to person. An artist with a beautiful voice, a beautiful melody, a beautiful rhythm, someone who has taken singing lessons, comes out. For example, such a person affects and excites thousands of people simultaneously. They enter the brain frequency of hundreds of thousands of people. In the same way, it severely stimulates the reward system and pleasure system in the brain. It causes the brain to secrete dopamine.” he said.
“The ideal learning environment is a fun and disciplined one”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, drawing attention to two characteristics of dopamine; “Dopamine provides pleasure and increases attention. A person focuses on the subject, and when focused, becomes captivated. It creates a captivating effect, evoking a pleasant enthusiasm. All of these also cause the brain to secrete dopamine. This information is scientifically verified. Dopamine has two features; one focuses, and the second feature gives a feeling of intoxication. Therefore, the brain's ideal learning environment is a fun and disciplined one. When a person does what they love, experiences the flow, and also disciplines themselves, tremendous learning occurs.” he said.
“When you use this trio, it becomes a learning model”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stating that music is used in treatment; “In science, it is used as rhythm therapy. It is also referred to as holotropic therapy. There is music, as well as movement, rhythm, and verbal repetition. When you use this trio, it becomes a learning model. In the Far East, there are words called mantras used during meditation during yoga. The same word is repeated. This has become ‘dhikr’ in our culture. There is movement, a word repetition, and music accompanying it simultaneously. This reminds us of Mevlana and the Sema ceremony. He combined all three. Humanity has found this to be beneficial. He uses these three as a therapy technique. We call it rhythm therapy.” he said.
“There is a very close relationship between art and mental health”
Tarhan emphasized the effect of music on mental health; “These are auxiliary, supportive methods. For example, we have an occupational therapy unit. One of the treatments performed there is music therapy. Besides that, there is painting. Some people express themselves in paintings, in colors. For example, we also do ebru art (marbling). There are those who get an ebru tray for their homes. They get it after discharge. We conducted research on ebru before and after treatment. We look at what they do when they are discharged. The color differences indicate their perspective. When their depression passes, their outlook on life changes, and this is reflected in the colors. There is a very close relationship between art and mental health.” he said.
“Having a mental sanctuary provides an advantage in treatment”
Tarhan stated that the current system teaches to be happy by consuming; “It has been scientifically proven that teaching to be happy by producing and being useful to others is a psychological need. In recent years, after its neural correlates were found in the brain, it has now entered the realm of science. No one can object anymore. There are third-generation psychotherapies, referred to as mindfulness therapy. Conscious awareness therapy. A person feels the need for a mental sanctuary. When people feel bad, when they cannot cope with their traumas, they feel the need to take refuge in a mental sanctuary, to connect to a great power, to be part of a great meaning, to a high value, a value that transcends themselves. Those who grasp this find peace. This feeling exists only in belief systems. Currently, having a mental sanctuary, regardless of which belief system you belong to, provides a tremendous advantage for you in treatment.” he said.
“Sustainable and controllable pleasure is inherent in human pursuit”
Tarhan stated that the brain secretes happiness and pleasure-related hormones with music; “When it secretes them, fear leaves the person, self-confidence, energy, and courage come, and with them, focus occurs, and the person forgets all their problems. In that excitement, they sway, move, and have fun for hours, saying, ‘We got rid of all our troubles and came.’ They say they are relieved, but this time, reward addiction emerges. The meaning they attribute to it is only a material pleasure, a concrete pleasure, and when it ends, they start looking for it again. Because if pleasure is sustainable, it has a lasting effect. If pleasure and delight are sustainable and controllable, they have a lasting effect. Unsustainable and uncontrollable pleasures cause pain to people when they end. For example, you take a pleasure-giving, enjoyable drug, and you want more when its effect wears off. You go to entertainment, you have fun every hour, and then you try to spend your days dreaming about it. Sustainable and controllable pleasure is inherent in human pursuit.” he said.
“Art is an area of self-expression”
Tarhan emphasized that art can express much with few words and that its like cannot be replicated; “Art is an area of self-expression, as well as meeting human psychological needs. For example, cinema is an art, music is an art, caricature is an art. Sometimes you see a caricature that explains a fifteen-page concept. This is what art is. The characteristic of art is to be concise. To be able to express much with few words and for its like not to be replicable. It is referred to as being succinct, a miracle. Its being unique, others being helpless in trying to replicate it. 'Icaz' being a miracle. The other is being succinct with little. Expressing much with little. This is the characteristic of art. It is the same in the art of words, in the art of music, and in painting. Not everyone can achieve these characteristics of art. These move emotions.” he said.
“Art is accepted when it affects people”
Tarhan, speaking about two aspects of art; “Art has a sociological aspect, but it is accepted when it is common to all people, when it affects people. This happens in two ways. Some say ‘Art for art’s sake,’ others say ‘Art for society’s sake.’ In our societies, art has been for people’s ideals and beliefs. We have focused on art in that way. Art is good for the soul if it is for humanity, not for art’s sake. We made charity stones for storks. We expressed art in this way. In our culture, the exterior of mosques is plain, but the interior is colorful and adorned. The exterior of cathedrals is ostentatious, while their interior is very dark and oppressive. That culture does not value the inner world, it values the outer. We value the inner, we value the inner in the mosque. We do not care so much about its exterior. This is also a kind of reflection of culture on the outside. Culturally, we value inner beauty, they value outer beauty.” he said.