Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback (NFB), also called neurotherapy or neurobiofeedback, is a type of biofeedback that uses real-time displays of brain activity—most commonly electroencephalography (EEG), to teach self-regulation of brain function. Typically, sensors are placed on the scalp to measure activity, with measurements displayed using video displays or sound.
Juli - when i reinstated from cold turkey but was feeling like crap for 8 weeks i started neurofeedback and it really helped. it seemed to get my brain back on track and helped with the nausea and anxiety. might be worth a try.
ThisMoment - Taking your temperature with a thermometer is a form of biofeedback. You can listen to your heartbeat via a stethoscope and actually cause it to slow down- that's an example of neurofeedback.
Neurofeedback or neurobiofeedback- There is a "normal" pattern of brain activity for a person's gender and age. There are a number of different EEG brain signatures for depression, ADD, and anxiety (for example), and your EEG is compared to those-- this is called a Quantitative Electroencephalogram or QEEG. Then it's determined what type of neurofeedback therapy would benefit you most. You are hooked up to the machine via scalp probes, and on a screen you view brainwave representative patterns with which you interface and alter directly. Do it enough (practice) and your brain changes.
This technology has supporters and critics. I don't know enough about it to offer criticism of the service, but I do think that when you include the whole body and all of your senses in real situations when training your brain, the result is always authentic, profound, and long-lasting.
Xanaxul - This is basically what neurofeedback does: to use the "gates" to our brain, that our senses are, to try the reshaping of discrete regions thus "normalizing" brain functions.
In my opinion, despite the "scientific apparel" it is clothed (EEG responses to the positive or negative stimuli, pinpointing of the brain areas...) it has not much advantages, over any other empirical methods (including the century old ones) that may be used to influence brainwave entrainment, brain connections reshaping or the volume and density of brain areas involved in cognition, mood and emotion processing.
But again, this is just my opinion.
We know so little about how our brain works, that I guess for the moment: "if it makes you feel better do it" has to be the motto.
ThisMoment - Here's a concern: The process of discontinuation will change your brain, and some of the progress achieved via the neurofeedback may be lost (or irrelevant) due to the changing landscape of your brain. Perhaps consider reducing or stopping the neurofeedback sessions until you are free and clear of the re-construction project in your brain. Then go back in with a more stable platform.
Greenpurple - You are right- Neurofeedback is so expensive! I am blessed to be able to afford some of it. And so is Cymbalta/Duloxetine. No wonder folks are so mad!!
Now that I've begun the neurofeedback road, I am so excited to see what is possible getting off my medsor reducing. I'm curious if I've been experiencing some of the side effects you all have been experiencing without knowing it. I've already forked out quite a bit of money (inheritance) and so can't afford unlimited neurofeedback but want to go off Cymbalta sloooooooowly, like everyone here has recommended. I went down from 90
To 60mg, no prob. Then started pellet counting as so many have recommended. I've cut down 10% each month (very sloooowwwww). Now I am down to 153 pellets and am quite proud of that! And I'm feeling great.
I think I may be cutting down too slowly if I am doing neurofeedback. At this rate, it would take me 360 more sessions (neurofeedback 2x per week and cutting 10% each month)!!!! That is absolutely impossible financially. Even twice as fast isn't a possibility (180 sessions)!
Does anyone have an idea how quickly I could cut down with minimal withdrawals while doing neurofeedback???
Geff - I have to say the Neurofeedback made a HUGE change in my outlook! I am FINALLY able to concentrate and focus (which is important as I'm a computer programmer).
Just in case you (or anyone else reading your blog) isn't familiar with Neurofeedback, here's a quick description:
My therapist hooks up some sensors to my head and a computer program reads the electrical signals my brain is producing. It does NOT send any signals, shocks, etc.... just reads what my brain is doing. When my brain produces signals that are good, the computer goes *BING*. I guess my brain likes that because it starts trying to make it go *BING* more. The end result is that my brain is "trained" to work the way it should.
It was so cool the first session when she hooked me up and told me what she was seeing (I have a screen, too, to see what the program is reading). She was able to compare my brain activity to that of a "normal" brain and describe why I felt so down and had so much trouble focusing.
The only side-effects I've had are:
1. a very slight headache that goes away shortly after the treatment
2. better mood
3. better concentration
4. better productivity
Juli - I just wanted to add that I found neurofeedback to be super helpful when I was going through withdrawl. I went twice a week and it kind of "fixed my brain" a bit and helped a lot with the anxiety. I ended up needing 28 sessions.
Biofeedback
Guest_crushynn - A couple weeks after starting Cymbalta I started seeing a nutritionist & biofeedback person which has helped me soooo much as far as energy, focus, digestion, mood & weight. I noticed the Cymbalta wasn't working as well after a couple months & since I was doing so well with biofeedback & supplements, I decided to wean off Cymbalta about 3 weeks ago. I was only taking 30mg/ day to begin with so the withdrawals are amazing to me.
Imdone - In the meanwhile, consider meditation to give you control over anxiety. Biofeedback (covered by insurance) is another way to control anxiety.
Research
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/29432505
Psychiatr Pol. 2017 Dec 30;51(6):1095-1106. doi: 10.12740/PP/68919. Epub 2017 Dec 30.
The use of EEG Biofeedback/Neurofeedback in psychiatric rehabilitation.
Its psychiatric applications for clinically diagnosed disorders include treatmentof depression, anorexia, dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia, abuse of substances, neuroses, PTSD, and Alzheimer's disease. Research results imply that the neuromodulating effect of the therapy positively influences cognitive processes, mood, and anxiety levels. Positive effects of EEG Biofeedback confirm usefulness of this method as a main or auxiliary method in treatment of people with mental disorders. On the basis of conducted studies, it is worthwhile to consider inclusion of this method into the comprehensive neurorehabilitation activities.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28236680
Behav Res Ther. 2017 May;92:32-40. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2017.02.002. Epub 2017 Feb 20.
Frontal alpha asymmetry neurofeedback for the reduction of negative affect and anxiety.
The asymmetry group showed an increase in alpha asymmetry driven by higher alpha at the right site (p < 0.001), as well as a coherent reduction in both negative affect and anxiety symptoms (ps < 0.05), from pre-to post-training. No training-specific modulation emerged for positive affect and depressive symptoms. These findings provide a strong rationale for the use of frontal alpha asymmetry neurofeedback for the reduction of negative affect and anxiety in clinical settings.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25411662
Neurofeedback and Biofeedback for Mood and Anxiety Disorders: A Review of the Clinical Evidence and Guidelines – An Update [Internet].
Source
Ottawa (ON): Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; 2014 Aug.
CADTH Rapid Response Reports.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DECISION OR POLICY MAKING
Similar to the original CADTH review, evidence regarding the use of biofeedback for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder or depression came mostly from pilot and exploratory studies with preliminary analyses ranging in size from 11 to 100 participants. HRV biofeedback was commonly evaluated in the newer clinical trials, and it was found to be associated with improvement in PTSD symptoms and depression symptoms: in one systematic review of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, HRV biofeedback therapy was not shown to be better than unspecified usual treatment, but in an observational study of depressive patients, it had statistically significant benefit over usual care (such as morning exercise and social activities). One RCT implied the possible clinical benefits of HRV biofeedback therapy over a sham control in patients with depression; however a statistically significant between-group difference was not detected in this small patient group. Furthermore, the clinical relevance of an observed between-group difference was uncertain due to the lack of minimal clinically important difference for the employed clinical scales. No evidence on the use of biofeedback or neurofeedback in patients with generalized anxiety disorder was identified. Compelling evidence from larger scale randomized controlled trials with alternative therapies as the comparator is still needed to confirm the potential of biofeedback and neurofeedback, and to develop guidelines regarding the use of these non-pharmacological and non-invasive modalities for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders.
Several more research articles exist. Most are of small small size and conflicting results.
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I don’t want to blame it on Zoloft, but seems like it. When I reduced the dosage the symptoms diminished a bit.
