You might be wondering what to expect from Neurofeedback therapy for ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Neurofeedback is an excellent treatment and helps you function at a higher level. This improves self esteem and self worth.
ADHD usually starts in childhood and persists into adulthood. It causes inattention and/or hyperactivity, which impairs your daily functioning. ADHD results in mistakes at school, work and at home, since it is so hard to finish things and have any kind of sustained focus.
You might easily loose things, and struggle with time management. Sometimes people feel restless, talk too much and without a filter and frequently interrupt others. Or you might ‘space out’.
Neurofeedback Therapy For ADHD
Neurofeedback therapy for ADHD is a promising treatment. Research recently proved that 30 to 60 sessions of neurofeedback treatment could be as effective as popular stimulants in reducing ADHD symptoms. Neurofeedback therapy can reduce or eliminate the need for medication.
Neurofeedback is brain training therapy for ADHD. It trains your brain for increased focus, better impulse control and executive function. With frequent practice, we can change our brain waves. Over time, due to the neuroplasticity of the brain, we are able to help the brain transform.
During a neurofeedback training session, I monitor your brain waves by placing four sensors on your scalp. I use a water soluble paste to keep the sensors on your head so I can monitor your brain waves to find the optimal level for you. The goal is to get the brain to practice creating the optimal brain wave for you by repeating it until it becomes second nature.
Neurofeedback and Medication
Neurofeedback can not only potentially replace medication. It can also help resolve issues that the medication isn’t addressing, or help deal with its side effects. This might include palpitations, bed wetting, teeth grinding, scary dreams, head ache, stomach pain, anxiety, depression, or even conduct problems.
Every person is unique, so we find the right protocol for you. That way, Neurofeedback results in you having enhanced self-regulation. You become more thoughtful, calmer, and more regulated on weekends without medication. You become less frustrated and angry, more flexible, and less anxious. As you are more relaxed in your life, you feel better in general.
This works wonders on your self esteem. A disregulated nervous system makes it difficult to function. It can be hard to fit in, and you have to work so much harder to be able to keep up in school. This can cause anxiety, body tension and obsessive worries. This really effects how you feel about yourself.
Neurofeedback Therapy For ADHD When There Is Trauma
If you have a complicated history with trauma and/or addictive behaviors and your core self-regulation and sense of safety is deficient, it’s so hard to feel safe and comfortable in the world. Fear puts the brain into emergency mode, creating hypervigilence, emotional reactivity, anxiety and panic.This can further exacerbate ADHD issues.
Neurofeedback therapy can really help. You will feel calmer, more relaxed and like you can handle the every day ups and downs of life with more ease and resiliency.
The Two Subtypes of Neurofeedback Therapy For ADHD
In order to create the best neurofeeback protocol for you, I divide ADHD into two subtypes. The simple subtype and the complicated subtype.
The Simple ADHD Subtype
You have the simple ADHD subtype if you are either inattentive and distractible or impulsive and hyperactive. The part of your brain we work with is the left prefrontal, on the forehead, and the right parietal on the back of the head.
The left prefrontal cortex is the executive control system. It controls attention, planning, reasoning and judgment. This part of the brain involves decision-making, planning, executing and achieving goals. The left prefrontal area of the brain promotes good self-regulation by allowing you to consider options and choose the right course of action.
It helps you take actions to achieve goals and to consider all the possibilities before making a decision. If you don’t have appropriate prefrontal control, it will be hard for you complete tasks and accomplish long term goals. You might not realize how you are unaware of your own behavior and how it doesn’t serve you.
This can even make it difficult when you are reporting back to me how the Neurofeedback affected you. Sometimes I have to rely on family members, a spouse or friend for feedback on how you are improving.
The right parietal cortex helps you realize where your body is in space. It helps you control your body movements. Hyperactivity is a break down of the this part of the brain. It also relaxes the body, thus calming anxiety.
The Complicated ADHD Subtype
The complicated subtype of ADHD includes what we just talked about, with the addition of some physical and emotional symptoms. These include oppositional or aggressive behavior, headaches and mood swings. I often add placements right above the left and right ears, on the temporal lobe, for stabilization.
The complicated subtype involves a sensitive nervous system. The good part is that there are often many symptoms to track and report on so we more easily know if you’re improving or not. This is very helpful as we find the optimal protocol for you.
While medication takes effect right away, it also wears off completely in a few hours. With the right protocol and number of sessions, Neurofeedback effects can last forever. If you want to feel better over the long term, Neurofeedback is a good solution.
What To Expect From Neurofeedback Therapy For ADHD
With Neurofeedback, you become more self-regulated and your function will improve. You will be more resilient and able to handle the stresses of life. It will improve your executive function and help you be more aware of what is happening in the world around you. That, in turn, helps you make better decisions, which improves self-esteem.
If you would like to consider Neurofeedback therapy for ADHD, feel free to contact me. My email is mindy@mftherapy.com and my phone number is 310-314-6933.
