Quote Originally Posted by Omegstrat6 View Post
Learning an instrument can be a bit frustrating at times (getting that first Barre F chord on a guitar with a high action or trying to co-ordinate left and right hands when learning keyboard ! &#128513 but, ultimately, is rewarding, enjoyable and, yes, therapeutic. Lots of research around it being good for your brain and my understanding is that, although he eventually succumbed to the illness, playing guitar and singing helped Glen Campbell keep his Alzheimer's disease at bay for a while. How much of this was a kind of "muscle memory" I don't know but playing music did seem to offer some benefit.
The best thing anyone can do first is get the guitar “set up” before you even think of playing. It can be the difference between success and failure. A really comfortable action cuts the frustration down considerably. I know it takes a few things to manage mental health, but music or art and dance are all good somatic helps for contributing to getting through the day. If I spend 10 hours on a music project it helps fill in a lot of time and puts me in a safe place but I can still feel flat (no pun intended) after that. It does really help though.