Neurofeedback
What is neurofeedback?
Neurofeedback is an effective, non-invasive technique of enhancing the capabilities of the brain, first applied in the 1960"s. The main objective of neurofeedback is to train your brain into adjusting itself so that it works more harmoniously and efficiently.
What happens at a neurofeedback session?
Your therapist will place one or more electrodes on your scalp and on your ear lobes. The placement of the electrodes depends on which training protocol has been chosen. The electrodes work simply as sensors - they pick up the information about the electrical activity in your brain and feed it into a computer program. The neurofeedback technique is completely harmless - there is no electrical current running through your scalp. Your brainwave pattern can then be analyzed in real time. You will be given an audio-visual feedback of your results. This comes in the form of a computer game.
You play the game using only your brain (using no keyboard or joystick). Every time your brainwave pattern gets close to the target pattern, you will score. You won’t score if your brainwave activity differs from the target pattern. As such your brain learns how to adjust its activity, so that you receive a reward. One session typically consists of 10 - 15 short rounds.
A sample training procedure (training SMR - Sensory Motor Rhythm - which helps to increase the ability to focus and suppress hyperactivity):
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SMR comes randomly as other rhythms, but it is the only one that is rewarded...
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Who can benefit from neurofeedback?
Every neurofeedback session is tailored to your individual needs, your age and the type of issue you have. It has proved effective in 80 - 95% of people, depending on how complex your case is and how much motivation you have.
How can you benefit from neurofeedback?
The benefits of neurofeedback are:
- increasing the pace of learning,
- enhancing memory,
- increasing the ability to focus,
- better stress management and overcoming the fear of failure,
- better results in sports or artistic activities,
- better results at work or managing a business.
The majority of cases of neurological, psychological or developmental conditions result from disharmonious and inefficient brain activity. Therefore neurofeedback can be helpful to improve a wide range of issues.
These include:
- learning difficulties (low level of achievements, dyslexia etc.),
- attention deficit disorder (ADD),
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), problems with self-control,
- aggression and apathy,
- insomnia,
- anxiety and panic attacks,
- depression,
- low self-esteem,
- poor stress management,
- addictions,
- anorexia and bulimia,
- weariness,
- migraine and long term headaches,
- pre menstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopause,
- light mental deficiency,
- cerebral palsy,
- autism, Asperger syndrome,
- memory deficiency,
- epilepsy,
- twitches,
- post-traumatic disorders (PTSD).
There are many different types of training protocols available. Your therapist will chose the protocol which is most suited to your needs. A thorough assessment will be carried out to decide which protocol will be used. This may include an interview, psychological tests or EEG (electroencephalogram) tests.
How often should the training be performed?
Neurofeedback is a way of gradual learning. A few sessions are usually required before you notice any significant progress. In many cases around 10 sessions is usually enough.
More serious issues will require more training sessions. This could mean 20 or more sessions.
The effectiveness of this technique also depends on your own motivation to complete the training.
In the early stages of training, sometimes called the initial phase, it is advised that around 2-3 sessions per week are carried out. The number of sessions will reduce as you progress in your training. But it is likely you will carry out at least one session per week.
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