Note: I am not a licensed therapist (or anything); I am simply sharing this for my readers to understand.
- What it is: Neurofeedback is a specialized form of biofeedback that monitors your brain's electrical activity (brainwaves) using sensors placed on your scalp (an EEG).
- How it works: Think of it like playing a video game or watching a movie with your mind.
- The sensors read your brainwaves in real-time and display this information on a screen.
- When your brain produces desired, healthier patterns (e.g., those associated with focus or calmness), the game progresses smoothly, the screen brightens, or you hear pleasant music (a reward).
- When your brain produces unhelpful patterns (e.g., those linked to anxiety or inattention), the feedback stops, the screen dims, or the sound fades (negative feedback).
- The Goal: Over multiple sessions, your brain, without conscious effort on your part, learns from this immediate feedback to produce more of the "rewarded" brainwave patterns. This process, called operant conditioning, leverages the brain's natural ability to change and adapt (neuroplasticity) to create lasting, healthier habits and neural pathways.
- The Benefits: By teaching the brain to self-regulate, neurofeedback can help improve symptoms related to conditions like ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, migraines, and sleep disorders. It can also enhance focus, emotional regulation, and overall cognitive performance.
- In short, it gives you a "mirror" of your brain's activity so it can learn to correct and balance itself, much like using a mirror to correct your form during a workout.
If you are reading this, you will most likely know I struggle with depression and slight anxiety.Neurofeedback for anxiety and depression typically focuses on training the brain to regulate specific brainwave patterns that are imbalanced in these conditions.For AnxietyAnxiety is often associated with a state of hyperarousal. Neurofeedback protocols aim to reduce "overactive" brainwaves and increase "calmer" ones:- Decreasing High Beta waves: Individuals with anxiety often exhibit excessive high-frequency Beta wave activity, which is associated with active thinking, worry, hyperalertness, and a constant "on-edge" feeling. The training works to inhibit these waves.
- Increasing Alpha waves: The goal is to encourage the production of Alpha waves, which are linked to a state of calm alertness, relaxation, and peacefulness.
- Alpha-Theta training: This protocol helps access a deeply relaxed, meditative state, which aids in reducing general anxiety and processing trauma.
- SMR (Sensorimotor Rhythm) training: This protocol, often done at the central cortex, helps to improve physical relaxation and mental alertness, reducing general anxiety symptoms.
For DepressionDepression is often linked to underactivity in certain brain regions, particularly the left prefrontal cortex, or an imbalance between brain hemispheres. Protocols aim to normalize activity:- Balancing Alpha and Theta waves: Neurofeedback works to balance the ratio of Alpha and Theta brain waves, which are often imbalanced in individuals with depression.
- Normalizing Frontal Alpha Asymmetry: A common finding in depression is an imbalance where there is more alpha (slow) activity in the left frontal lobe than the right. Training focuses on reducing this excessive left frontal alpha activity and sometimes increasing mid-beta activity to promote a more positive mood balance and engagement.
- Increasing activity in underactive areas: Sessions may aim to stimulate underactive regions, often in the left hemisphere, which are associated with positive emotions and executive function.
The specific protocols are highly personalized and determined by a qualified professional after an initial brain mapping (qEEG) to identify an individual's unique brainwave patterns.
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