Brainwaves, ADHD & Neurofeedback
You probably know that your brain is made up of chemical and electrical activity, or EEG. You probably also know that the presence and re-uptake of neurotransmitters correlates with certain types of mental health concerns. Serotonin reuptake has much to do with depression. Dopamine production and uptake has much to do with AD/HD.
What do Brainwaves have to do with Mental Health?
Did you know that mental health issues also correlate with specific brain wave patterns: Depression correlates with excess Alpha brain wave in the front-left portion of the brain; Anxiety with high Beta wave activity in back right portion of the brain; and AD/HD with low SMR in the mid-right portion of the brain and/or excess Theta in the left front of the brain; . Brainwave signatures for mental health issues are to some degree individual, but these signatures are very common. This is the foundation of the theory behind the therapeutic use of EEG: if we train the brain to produce normative brainwave patterns, we create a cascade effect in which brainwaves and neurotransmitters begin to act in a more typical “healthy” manner. Neurofeedback is the tool we use to do this.
Has Neurofeedback been Proven to be Effective through Research?
When someone is diagnosed with ADHD, Anxiety or Depression, there are several treatment modalities available that have been proven time and again through research to be exceptionally effective: CBT, ERP, medication, and neurofeedback. I know, you have never heard of neurofeedback. But it has been around for a long time in academia. As I mentioned in my blog, “ADHD and OCD Overlap“ neurofeedback has been studied since the 1950s when Dr. Joseph Kamiya studied brainwave training - or neurofeedback - at the University of Chicago and published his results in Psychology Today, and Dr. Barry Sterman, UCLA, used EEG to effectively reduce frequency and intensity of epileptic seizures. In the 1970’s, Dr. Joel Lubar, University of Tennessee, studied neurofeedback in the treatment of ADHD. And since then, neurofeedback has been studied exhaustively and proven effective for the reduction of ADHD symptoms. It is a Tier 1 treatment for ADHD, which means it has met standards for efficacy & safety in studies with large randomized control trials (Please become a member of this website to get links to some of these studies.)
Neurofeedback and My Practice
In my practice, I offer a menu of possible therapies for ADHD: CBT informed by specific techniques relavant to ADHD; Neurofeedback; Assessment with a mini-Q, Referral to a psychiatrist for medication assessment; and support for accommodation requests. But in the first 15 years of my work with clients with AD/HD, working without a mini-Q or neurofeedback, results were frustrating for clients. Too often, they chose not to work and continued to have trouble with focus, despite ADH- informed CBT techniques. Or, if they took their medication, they too often chose to clean the house with amazing outcomes, not really the benefit they were hoping for. Client were disappointed with themselves and the therapy. So, I was looking for something to add to the mix, to make treatment truly effective. Neurofeedback seemed to be the element that was missing. With neurofeedback, my clients seemed to turn a corner: choosing their priority work and focusing on it, especially when taking their medication!
A Word to the Skeptics :)
Now, a word to you skeptics! First, the research on neurofeedback’s safety and efficacy is indisputable, especially for ADHD. Second, find an therapist by choosing one with Board Certification through with BCIA (The Biofeedback Certification International Alliance.) BCIA requires extensive training, working under a supervisor, undergoing neurofeedback treatment for 10 sessions at least, and passing an exam that tests knowledge of pivotal and current research. Obtaining Board Certification from BCIA took me 5 years! And in the meantime, I saw cases under the supervision of my mentor, Kathy Abbott, PsyD. For my ADHD clients, neurofeedback has provided gentle relief from symptoms of AD/HD, with few negative side effects. And, it can be used in tandem with medication and psychotherapy.
Neurfeedback and Anxiety, Depression, TBI & Chemo-Brain
While neurofeedback is a proven, Tier 1 treatment for ADHD, other mental health conditions deserve a quick mention. Anxiety & depression have not been researched as rigorously as ADHD, but that only means that their have been small in scope. Nevertheless, the trials have shown some efficacy. Anecdotally, I have seen some clients whose symptoms have improved markedly with neurofeedback, and some less so or not at all. So, if you are open to it, it is worth trying. Also, Traumatic Brain Injury and Chemo Brain have been researched, though on a smaller scale, shown to be improved with Neurofeedback. In my own course of treatment with neurofeedback, required by BCIA, my EEG indicated that a TBI, probably the result of a car accident in my mid-twenties, had left its mark on my brain. This was a surprise to me since I did not have a concussion from the accident. But this is a common misunderstanding of TBI: you can injure your brain without fracturing your skull. A few sessions of neurofeedback cleared up the problem: not to get too technical, there was a kind of disconnect with the brainwaves. I immediately noticed a difference. It seemed easier to think clearly. But I had not noticed the change because over it had become my new normal for 30 years! Thank you, neurofeedback!