| If you struggle with increasing anxiety or severe panic | | | | a patient's life, the problem must be treated by |
| attacks, you already know how debilitating these things | | | | changing the way the brain works. |
| can be to your life. Physicians and therapists have tried | | | | Neurofeedback therapy may do just that. You may be |
| for years to help patients cope with problems like | | | | somewhat familiar with other types of biofeedback, |
| anxiety and panic attacks, but they have not found a | | | | which uses feedback to improve a person's overall |
| way to actually cure their patients. | | | | physical health by alerting the brain when the body is |
| In the past, physicians and therapists have treated | | | | suffering from an imbalance. Biofeedback has been |
| these patients with prescription medications such as | | | | used to treat conditions like asthma, epilepsy, and hot |
| Valium and Xanax. These drugs work well for most | | | | flashes. Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that |
| patients, but still, they do not treat the underlying cause | | | | uses the brain to treat itself, and may reduce problems |
| of the panic attacks and anxiety; they only mask the | | | | such as panic attacks and chronic anxiety. |
| symptoms. Once the drugs are gone, the symptoms | | | | During a neurofeedback session, the therapist will |
| return, so patients may have to continue taking the | | | | comfortably attach thin leads to your scalp. These |
| medications for the rest of their lives. | | | | leads are connected to an EEG machine that can |
| Other forms of therapy are currently available that do | | | | read and respond to the signals that your brain |
| not involve medication. There are several | | | | transmits. The therapist then helps your brain to "read" |
| behavioral-type therapies, including cognitive behavioral | | | | its own signals by assigning it an activity, such as using |
| therapy, breathing techniques, energy psychology, and | | | | its own brain waves to move an object on a |
| visualization. These treatments can offer some relief | | | | computer screen or to make an auditory signal |
| on their own, or when used in conjunction with | | | | become louder. In order to complete these activities, |
| medication to teach patients to keep their anxiety and | | | | the brain must stay within the desired frequencies. |
| panic attacks under control. Still, these treatments may | | | | When the brain experiences this positive feedback |
| not resolve the underlying neurological problem. | | | | from using these different brainwaves, it may begin to |
| Neurofeedback therapy, on the other hand, may | | | | use these brainwaves out of habit. When dealing with |
| address the problem at its source. Like many common | | | | panic attacks and anxiety, a therapist will help you to |
| disorders, anxiety and panic attacks originate in the | | | | steer your brain away from harmful, panic-inducing |
| brain. Hormone imbalances in the brain and body can | | | | brainwave patterns toward the patterns that help you |
| cause emotions to run amok, and these imbalances | | | | stay calm. When your neurofeedback sessions are |
| inevitably begin and end with brain function. To put | | | | complete, the changes may be long lasting, leaving you |
| these systems back in order and restore normality to | | | | free panic attacks and anxiety for the long haul. |