Religion, Literature, Medicine and Music as Therapies of Depression and Mood Disorders in the United Republic of Tanzania: A Psycho-Ethical Reflection

Abstract

This study focuses most especially on two age groups: i) children ages 8-18, and youth ages 18-28. The most common types of mood disorders among children and youth are major depression, dysthymia (dysthymic disorder), bipolar disorder, mood disorder due to a general medical condition, and substance-induced mood disorder. Dysthymia is a milder, but long-lasting form of depression. It is also called persistent depressive disorder. There is no clear cause of dysthymia disorder, but mental health professionals think it is a result of chemical imbalances in the brain. Some types of depression seem to run in families, but no genes have yet been linked to depression. There is no clear cause of mood disorders. Rapid changes in health care technology are advancing mental health care. Religion and medicine in the form of live interactive music has demonstrated its ability to improve access to high-quality mental health care, specifically in the therapy of patients with depression and mood disorders. The objectives of this study are four-fold: i) To review the advances in religion, literature, medicine, and music in the therapy of depression and mood disorders among children and youth. ii) to examine the evolving and innovative models of care, iii) to synthesize literature, music, poetry and lessons learned about mental health, and iv) to examine current and future pediatric and adolescent pragmatic implications for the treatment of depression and mood disorders in various clinical settings. Religion, literature, medicine and music have important and expanding roles in addressing the pediatric and adolescent mental health burdens of depression and mood disorders.  Qualitative research methods are employed in this study. Theories used are Religious Therapy (RT), Literature Therapy Theory (LTT) Well-Being-Theories (WBT), Logotherapy (LT) and Music-Therapy Theory (MTT) in the context of gestalt integrated therapy. The American Psychiatric Association defines dysthymia as depressed mood most of the time for at least two years, along with at least two of the following symptoms: poor appetite or overeating; insomnia or excessive sleep; low energy or fatigue; low self-esteem; poor concentration or indecisiveness; and hopelessness. The study concludes that religion, literature, medicine and music hold promise on the treatment and therapy of depression and mood disorders.