Sadly, every year millions of people experience traumatic events and neurofeedback therapy can help. How does it help PTSD? Keep reading and this article will show you how this safe, effective treatment works.
After experiencing trauma, it’s normal to have problems with memory, sleep, or functioning. When these symptoms persist for weeks or months, it’s an indication that you may have post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can arise weeks or even months after a traumatic event. Veterans are especially susceptible to PTSD.
What Are The Symptoms Of PTSD?
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder affecting people who have experienced trauma from an assault, disaster, combat, or other events. The symptoms of PTSD vary from person to person, but here are the main symptoms reported:
1. Reliving the event
2. Flashbacks
3. Nightmares
4. Triggers, or things that cause a person to relive the event
5. Avoiding reminders of the event
6. Avoiding driving after a car accident
7. Inability to talk about the event
8. Keeping busy as a distraction from the trauma
9. Negative thoughts and feelings
10. Negative feelings about yourself or others
11. Lack of trust in others
12. Feeling detached from others
13. Hyperarousal (feeling keyed up)
14. Angry outbursts
15. Problems with concentrating or sleeping
16. Being easily startled
It’s estimated that 7-8% of the population will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives and that up to 8 million adults in the U.S. will suffer from PTSD in any given year.
How Does Neurofeedback Therapy Help PTSD?
Fortunately, treatments are available for those who have post traumatic stress disorder. One such treatment is neurofeedback therapy. Neurofeedback therapy is non-invasive and safe, and it does not involve medication or surgery. Instead, neurofeedback therapy uses sensors to monitor brainwaves in real-time. Brainwaves show how the brain is working, which indicates how we experience the world.
Using this data, neurofeedback therapy trains the patient to regulate brain activity. By training your brainwaves, neurofeedback therapy improves how we think, feel, and experience the world. This type of treatment effectively treats anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, angry outbursts, and an inability to concentrate. In other words, neurofeedback therapy is effective for the symptoms of PTSD.
Is Neurofeedback Therapy Effective in Treating PTSD?
An emerging body of research shows that neurofeedback therapy is a promising alternative treatment for PTSD. Unlike older treatments for PTSD, neurofeedback therapy works without causing undue distress in the patient.
A pilot study of neurofeedback therapy for PTSD asked whether the treatment could be used for PTSD since it had already proved effective for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This study worked with people who had proved resistant to other PTSD treatments. These participants showed a marked improvement in PTSD symptoms after forty sessions of neurofeedback therapy.
Another study monitored patients through twelve weeks of treatment. After two sessions of neurofeedback therapy per week, those receiving treatment showed a significant reduction in symptoms when compared to the control group. At the end of the study, the treatment group also showed a significant drop in those who met the criteria for PTSD.
A third study of veterans with PTSD showed that after receiving neurofeedback therapy, patients showed a significant reduction in their PTSD severity. In particular, the symptoms of avoidance, hyperarousal, and depression lessened after just three treatment sessions.
As you can see, these studies show that neurofeedback therapy is effective in treating PTSD. Since it does not involve surgery or medication and causes less distress than other treatments, this is good news for those looking for a safe, effective treatment and often permanent for PTSD.
Is This Therapy Right For You?
If you are suffering from any of the symptoms of PTSD, neurofeedback therapy is an effective, safe, and natural treatment option. To make sure it is the right treatment for you, please contact our office to have a free in-office evaluation with the doctor. You can leave your contact information here or schedule right now online at your earliest convenience. Either way, one of our friendly staff members will contact you as soon as possible.
Stop suffering from the symptoms of PTSD. Let us help you get your life back!
