My husband and son are currently receiving neurofeedback (NFB) treatments for their ADHD. We live in the boonies and couldn't find a professional NFB trainer within 300 miles so we rented a home machine for $800 a month. Some insurance providers will cover the cost. Renting is actually much cheaper when you consider how many treatments a family can do in one month as opposed to $80+ per treatment from a professional.
Results?
After treatments I see a pretty dramatic change in my son's attitude. He focuses better, he is more cooperative, and he's willing to eat a larger variety of foods. However, the results are very short lived....only a few hours. But this is how I understand the treatments work. The results in the beginning are very brief. The results lasts longer and longer with each treatment until they finally run together and become permanent. He's had about 20 treatments so far and they've been kind of sporadic because he's spent a total of four weeks at camp this summer, off and on. I'm very hopeful, though.
My husband works such long hours and I have such little contact with him it's hard to see any results, if there are any. He also does his treatments at night, right before bed. So if there are short term results at this point, I think he's sleeping through them. I have had some conversations with him where he seemed more in tune with me. Once again, I'm very hopeful.
Im also trying to get them both to improve their diets and take supplements such as healthy oils for their brain. This is much easier said than done. But I think it can improve the potential benefits of the NFB treatments.
Interesting
Submitted by kellyj on
I haven't heard of this but, I have used biofeedback as a means to control my body for sports ( breathing, heart rate, muscle tension). I didn't know what it was called actually until recently when I looked it up and realized this is what I have been doing for years (in swimming for competition). The problem with anything like this (running and especially swimming for example)...is that when you start to get tired your stroke and breathing start to fall apart which slows you down. In order to push the performance level up and still maintain your efficiency (and to simply breathe....breathing is timed in between strokes and there is little you can do in working around that).
In order to maintain and co-ordinate all of this while at the same time...staying in form....you have to learned to adjust your breathing and stay relaxed at the same time that you are experiencing more and more discomfort, fatigue and loss of control and co-ordination and tightening up of your muscles. It's kind of like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time. It teaches you to control two different things at the same time that seem to be competing against one another putting it another way. You're cognitively stepping in and circumventing what your body or brain would be doing other wise.
I could see this working if you stayed with it long enough. It took me years to learn to do this very well and it kind of happened all at once after practicing at it for that long. I guess at that point you are creating new pathways (or reinforcing and strengthening the ones that are already there) to the point that you gain this kind of control. For me it just happened without this being the goal. It was a side benefit of using this technique out of necessity in swimming for the reasons I said already.
I can see where Yoga and meditation could get you to the same kind of place if you used these at the same time in the same way...possibly? Like anything else like this.....I suspect you would see an initial benefit at first and then having this taper off after a while and then plateau To get to the next level, you would need to increase the intensity and the time you would put in the same as going to the gym and lifting weights I think.
Lifting weights for the mind perhaps? Same thing happens with blood vessels in your muscles.....(growing new capillaries to bring in more oxygen that is needed to feed the muscles that are growing and expanding) I can't see why this would be any different if you think about it? That's why I am speculating that it might take a consistent amount of time and input to really see the results(lasting or more permanent?) I could also see if this is true that it would fade over time and revert back but be easier to get back again if it's the same in that regard as well? I'm just speculating of course but it does seem to make sense? Sounds good based on what I already said. I think this really has made a difference for me in helping control impulses, hyperfocus and emotions (especially anger)...arresting and overriding it.
More control is more better.....mo' betta:) lol
J
Neurofeedback is used to
Submitted by Hopeful Heart on
Neurofeedback is used to treat many different problems and is also used for peak performance in sports. I'm not sure if your experience is the same as what we are doing. Basically, you are hooked up to electrodes on your head while listening to music, watching a movie or playing a video game. The software sends subtle messages to your brain during the activities to awaken different pathways in you brain. I'm not sure if this is an exactly accurate scientific explanation, but it is how I understand. If you get results, they are supposed to be permanent with a booster treatment needed occasionally.
the system that we have rented is a "black box", "plug and play", "one size fits all" system. I'm beginning to get the sense that we will need more specialized training after we have reached the limits of this system. I'm researching another home system that does brain scans and you are given a training plan from professionals based on the brain scans. Of course this is much more complicated and someone in the home must learn to use the system and administer the training. A lot of people train themselves. However, in my home I'm certain that I would be the one that would take the initiative to purchase the components, build the system, and learn to use it.
Im really trying to exhaust all possibilities before we turn to meds. Watching my husband on a daily basis manage the cyclone that he has built is like watching a performer juggling machetes while balancing on a basketball. I'm really afraid that if he suddenly alters his brain chemically, he'll catch a machete by the blade and then everything he has built will fall apart. If that happens we'll be worse off than we are now. If the meds would help him to rationally and gradually back out of some of his business obligations, that would be great! I just have my doubts that it would work that way.
This Part Sounds the Same....
Submitted by kellyj on
The software sends subtle messages to your brain during the activities to awaken different pathways in you brain.
In it's essence.....this is the same thing as biofeedback from what I read at least the last part of what you said. I do believe this is what I did from my description without that intention....awakening pathways as being demanded by (or stimulated) by an activity? A very repetitive one that I did everyday for hours over many years.
Necessity is the mother of invention right? The human body is very adaptable. I can totally see this working. My T told me once that unless these parts of your brain are completely missing or damaged in an accident.....they're still there even if they are lethargic or atrophied. You can wake them up and get them going again with consistent input in a dedicated way. Makes sense to me? I'd like to hear more about the results of this myself. I can also see where this would really be a really great tool for your son while he is still developing. I can't say (or don't know) if this is exactly the same thing I am talking about either....but in thinking about the end result as gaining more control and overriding other impulses ( and lesson the need to hyper focus ...if you can call it a need.....less of a choice in my mind ).....I'm thinking possibly just the opposite would happen of what your fears are and it would only improve on his ability to focus not lesson it. The big one that I noticed after going on meds was a significant drop in my impulsiveness which only increased my ability to focus and not get distracted......not get pulled away or distracted by other things. The focus I already had was not affected or changed....just utilized better without other things pulling at me.
All good news
Submitted by Emily1997 on
Thanks for the information. I was so curious about this.
We took yoga for awhile 3x week and I did notice my husband calmer, sleep machine-calmer, easier to fall asleep, Sonic Aid cd's worked, relaxing music-good (esp. after outburst). We even went as far as noise cancelling headphones for when out running errands (not driving) and earphones when watching TV. Also exercise class and diet effect mood. I'm all for any tools we can get to deal w/ this situation.
I recently listened to Dr. Amen on YouTube and he mentions many options and uses brain scans. I am also curious about this.
I wanted to give an update on
Submitted by Hopeful Heart on
I wanted to give an update on our progress with neurofeedback.
Son - My son has ADHD and ODD. His ADHD was so bad that I've had to homeschool him for the last 5 years. He couldn't function in a classroom setting. His behavior seemed to be improving after doing NFB last summer so he started attending public school this year. He Is a freshman at the local public high school. Amazingly, he just completed his second six weeks and made the A Honor Roll both times. He tells me on a regular basis how well he's doing in his classes. I hear comments like, "My English teacher used my paragraph as an example in class because mine was the best." " I made the highest grade on my Biology test." "I think I'm the smartest person in my Algebra class." This is a vast improvement from his previous experience in a conventional school. He is struggling with keeping track of his assignments and getting them all turned in. I've started using a new kind of NFB that targets blood flow to the pre frontal cortex and is supposed to help with executive function skills. The main problem with these new treatments is that they aren't easy and he hates them. So I get a lot of resistance from him, but I'm not going to give up.
Husband - Not surprisingly, my husband has not had the same drastic improvements as my son. However, I do believe that he has improved. He has been able to change his behavior. I don't think he's a new person, but he's is aware enough of his actions that he's been able to consciously change his behavior in many situations.
So currently we are using two different types of NFB and I am very pleased with the results.
More Info on NFB
Submitted by ADHD_Highway_to... on
Can you give more info on the place you're renting the NFB from? I am interested myself. . . . how long does each treatment last? Is it really just hooking up stuff up to your head "and wait"? Thanks