Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health illnesses in the United States. In fact, it’s estimated that nearly 40 million people in the United States are currently living with anxiety disorder. If it’s not treated on time, it can change and shrink the part of your brain which is responsible for regulating rational thinking and cognitive function. Moreover, anxiety can make your brain hold onto negative memories and make your brain overly reactive to threats.
Luckily, neurofeedback training from Grey Matters of Carmel can help mitigate the symptoms of both depression and anxiety. Through qEEG brain maps, we can pinpoint areas of the brain that are causing the anxiety and then tailor training to meet the specific needs of our patients.
What is Neurofeedback?
Neurofeedback training (NFT) is a medication-free approach to mitigating the symptoms of brain-based conditions such as ADHD, depression, anxiety and PTSD. NFT works by encouraging the brain to produce healthy patterns of activity. NFT aims to change your feelings and thoughts using the power of your own brain. Training relies on real-time EEG data from the brain, and sessions are administered in a quiet, calm setting. Overall, neurofeedback teaches the brain to regulate itself, leading to better impulse control, executive function, and focus.
Anxiety & Neurofeedback
Constant worrying and anxiety causes imbalance in the brain waves. This imbalance is often referred to as a chemical imbalance, and triggers the fight or flight repsonse. The more the brain struggles to find balance, the longer the fight-or-flight response is triggered. People often experience tight chests, sweaty palms, a knot in the stomach, or chronic headaches – All of which are related to anxiety brought on by the brain wave irregularities.
Additionally, people who suffer from anxiety tend to have negative thoughts repetitively which also may lead to a chronic state of dread or fear. Neurofeedback training is a natural process which creates long-term changes in the functioning of the brain. These changes target the source of anxiety from within the brain. By utilizing audio and visual feedback, NFT brings the brain back to a calm, normal state.
Depression & Neurofeedback
Depression is more than just feeling lost and down: it can physically change the structure of your brain. The brain can also experience a higher-than-normal level of inflammation when depressed. This inflammation can lead to dysfunctions in brain development, learning, memory, and mood.
Depression happens for many reasons but research suggests that depression occurs due to an imbalance in serotonin. People experiencing depression tend to have slow brainwave activity in the left frontal lobe which eventually triggers symptoms like lack of motivation, loss of interest in daily life activities and fatigue. Neurofeedback activates the left frontal lobe and helps in boosting self-esteem.
Take Back Control Over Your Mind
Negative thoughts and emotions are part of life. They are not easily avoidable, and sometimes they even take over, causing us to fall into a deep state of anxiety and depression. With neurofeedback training from Grey Matters, you can learn to manage your negative thoughts and emotions instead of letting them control you! So, whether you’re living with anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADD/ADHD, or migraines, we have a solution for you! Contact us today for a free consultation.
Photo by whoislimos on Unsplash
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
