Re: How playing an instrument benefits your brain
Very fascinating video. I personally count my interest in music and the playing and creating of it to be what keeps me (mostly) emotionally healthy, as well. Lots of mental illness in my extended family, and I'm saner than a...church mouse? We don't have a go-to stereotype for someone mentally "together" but we have a million words for crazy. Saner than a Zen monk? Okay, I'm weird, but no depression or mental illness. (Knock on wood--again, lots of it in the family, and we all gots issues, and I'm here if you need me, brother. Or sister. But not you, Great Auntie Bates from Topeka! How's the son, Norm, and that hotel you're running?)
As I mentioned in other posts, learning music theory and then Japanese were two very mind-expanding moments in my life, where I really felt like a "switch" was turned on in my brain, after flooding it with so much new stuff for so long until it finally burns itself in and just clicks!
I'm getting there inch by inch on the Stick. Burning the neurons! Since I'm not pickling them with alcohol anymore.