Neurofeedback therapy is based on the results of several scientific studies about the relationship between brain wave patterns and behavior. Neurofeedback is also known as neurotherapy or neurofeedback. It is sometimes used interchangeably with EEG Biofeedback therapy, a kind of biofeedback designed to help individuals control muscle tension or stress. In recent years, neurofeedback has been applied to a variety of medical conditions, from ADD/ADHD to pain management and anxiety.
Neurofeedback is based on the results of several scientific studies about the relationship between brain wave patterns and behavior. It has been found that certain brain waves produce certain effects in our bodies. For example, when we are thinking, our brain produces gamma waves, which are thought to promote relaxation. Similarly, when we are angry, the dominant brainwave pattern is alpha, which is thought to reduce anger. Neurofeedback therapy applies this same concept to a wide range of disorders, using an EEG instrument to monitor and record brain wave patterns while the patient performs a specific clinical task.
While some forms of biofeedback are available at spas and health clubs across the country, more advanced techniques are now available for home use. Neurofeedback can be performed by both medical professionals and home practitioners. Home neurofeedback treatments include the application of soothing music or sounds, biofeedback exercise programs, or the “feed back” itself. All of these approaches are designed to increase awareness and provide relief from a wide variety of mental disorders. These include depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit disorder, and ADD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) to name a few.
There are many people who have achieved remarkable results with neurofeedback therapy, including athletes, boxers, dancers, painters, writers, and musicians. In fact, many biofeedback courses are now being offered in schools to teach students how to perform biofeedback on their own. The benefits of biofeedback treatment are not limited to the ability to treat a patient’s specific symptoms. Over time, biofeedback appears to be highly effective in reducing a person’s stress levels, improving his or her alertness and concentration, and boosting his or her self-esteem.
As neurofeedback therapy has become more established, research is examining its potential as a treatment for a wide variety of other conditions. One such condition is alcoholism. In many instances, withdrawal from alcohol is associated with severe physiological effects. Biofeedback provides the means for a recovering alcoholic to accurately gauge his or her body’s alcohol cravings and can therefore be very helpful in helping alcoholics break through “the glass” and stop drinking. More generally, neurofeedback has been used to treat a variety of conditions and is currently being studied for use in a wide variety of different situations. (There are no clinical studies currently comparing neurofeedback to medication.)
Although neurofeedback is considered safe, it is important for the patient to remember that this form of therapy is not “treatable” in the same way that conventional medicine is. It cannot cure an individual, and nor should it be used to cure a disease. Neurofeedback therapy is simply a tool which can provide another tool – a tool which allows the patient to focus his or her mind on something other than the symptoms of a particular disease or disorder. By using neurofeedback therapy regularly, the patient can free his or her mind to deal with the everyday problems that arise and can begin to truly recover.
Leave a Reply