06/12/2024
What is neurofeedback and what are the potential side effects?
Neurofeedback therapy aims to help patients “shift” their brains into a healthier functioning pattern needed for concentration and focus. It is an adjunctive treatment, often integrated with psychotherapy.
Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback focusing on brain activity, sometimes referred to as EEG Biofeedback. Electrodes are placed on the scalp to measure brainwaves and display this information on a computer screen in real-time.
Individuals use this feedback to learn how to better control brain activity and achieve a desired state, like relaxation or focus. Neurofeedback works on the principle of operant conditioning. When people produce the desired brainwave pattern, they receive positive feedback through a visual or auditory signal. Over time, they learn to associate this feedback with the desired state and can produce it more easily. It works by rewarding the brain for producing optimal brain wave activity, helping the individual to use optimal brain circuitry to rewire neural pathways.
There are several different types of neurofeedback, including EEG (Electroencephalogram), HEG (Hemoencephalography), fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and more. Each type uses a slightly different technology and measures different aspects of brain activity. Dysregulated brainwave patterns, where certain waves occur at the “wrong” times, can cause problems with memory, follow-through, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and sleep. To understand how this works, consider each brainwave type that contributes to a person’s overall mental health:
• The fastest brainwaves are beta waves. The brain produces these waves during activities that require sustained focus, task completion, and executive functioning. An excess of beta waves can lead to anxiety and sleep disturbances.
• The next highest frequency waves are alpha waves, which are essential for relaxation. They occur at the highest amplitude at the posterior part of the brain during closed-eye meditation.
• Theta waves are lower frequency waves that show up when you are daydreaming or drifting off to sleep.
• Delta waves are the lowest frequency brainwave and occur predominantly during infancy and during deep sleep.
Neurofeedback Therapy Side Effects: Is Neurofeedback Safe?
Neurofeedback therapy is a tool for treating a myriad of disorders that have their roots in brainwave dysregulation. These conditions, including ADHD, autism, depression, stress, anxiety, insomnia, and more, occur when the patient’s brain activity is dysregulated.
Neurofeedback is a safe and effective treatment for a variety of neurophysical disorders, including ADHD, autism, anxiety, stress, insomnia, PTSD, depression, and more. If the neurofeedback therapy is conducted by a well-trained clinical professional, the treatment is safe. Essentially, neurofeedback negative side effects are very infrequent and typically transient.
Neurofeedback therapy is an effective, FDA-approved, safe, non-invasive, and non-pharmacological intervention that should be considered as a type of therapy for mental health struggles, in addition to therapy and medications.
While there are risks and downsides, no research suggests that neurofeedback can cause brain damage or other serious side effects.
WARNING!
Not all practitioners are equally qualified or experienced in providing neurofeedback. To ensure you receive the most effective, safest treatment, it’s important to research and consult with a licensed, certified and experienced practitioner before trying it.
Find a licensed, BCIA-certified provider here:
https://www.bcia.org/consumers-find-a-practitioner
BCIA certifies individuals who meet education and training standards in biofeedback and neurofeedback and progressively recertifies those who advance their knowledge through continuing education.
RECOMMENDED READING:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6404655/ #:~:text=A%20promising%20aspect%20of%20neurofeedback,after%20completion%20of%20neurofeedback%20treatment.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7783691/ #:~:text=Background%3A%20Sham%2Dcontrolled%20neurofeedback%20(,effects%20are%20due%20to%20placebo.
https://brain.ieee.org/topics/neurotherapy-treating-disorders-by-retraining-the-brain/ #:~:text=Neurotherapy%20trains%20a%20patient's%20brain,wave%20activity%20through%20positive%20reinforcement.
