Can Massage Therapy Improve Mental Health?

AMT’s Instagram account features graphic stories on the benefits of massage therapy for a variety of health conditions. We’re mindful of the fact that this blog has published a series of posts about various massage therapy myths so we’d like to balance this out with some evidence-informed stories of the benefits of massage.

Please enjoy our graphic story on the benefits of massage therapy for mental health.

• One in five Australians have had a mental health issue lasting 12 months. Massage therapy can have positive implications for mental health.

• Anxiety reduction is one of the most well-established effects of massage therapy. An evidence review found that a course of massage therapy provided benefits similar in size to psychotherapy, for depression and trait anxiety.

• Massage can also alleviate anxiety, depression, anger and stress in cancer patients. In fact, evidence for the effectiveness of massage therapy crosses multiple populations and contexts.

• Massage is effective in alleviating psychological symptoms and improving quality of life in menopausal women. And it may also improve the quality of life for people with an eating disorder, and alleviate agitation and depression in people with dementia.