How Does Anxiety Affect You?
In an information driven society, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. It’s no surprise that 40 million Americans deal with anxiety on a regular basis. Anxiety begins in the amygdala, which is the emotional/fear center of the brain (aada.org). Anxiety causes you to begin to sweat, your heart races, energy surges, and blood pressure increases.
This emotional disorder can make it difficult to enjoy life to the fullest. Untreated anxiety can lead to a plethora of long term consequences, including depression, headaches and irritability. Neurofeedback can help you retrain your brain to reduce symptoms of anxiety and handle situations in a more relaxed manner.
What is Neurofeedback?
Neurofeedback, or electroencephalography (EEG) biofeedback, is a type of brain training therapy. It is essentially biofeedback for the brain. Electrical activity from the brain is collected via sensors placed on the scalp. Once your clinician gets an initial reading of your brain’s condition, you will be offered various types of neurofeedback solutions to treat your condition. Unlike medication, this therapeutic treatment is a completely natural and non-invasive way to address the imbalances occurring in the brain.
Neurofeedback uses real-time displays of your brainwave activity to help teach self-regulation. To fully understand how neurofeedback works and why it's so beneficial, we first need a clear understanding of how brain waves work.
Brain waves are the electrical impulses that are produced when your brain cells communicate with one another. They are the root of all emotions, thoughts and behaviors. When someone is experiencing anxiety or depression, it will be evident in their brain wave activity.
There are five different types of brain waves:
1). Gamma waves (>40 Hz): These are the fastest moving brain waves. They relate to exceptionally high mental activity, consciousness, and spiritual emergence.
2). Beta waves (13-39 Hz): These waves relate to active thinking, processing, concentration, and cognition.
3). Alpha waves (7-13 Hz): These brain waves reflect a relaxed, but alert state.
4). Theta waves (4-7 Hz): Deep meditation or relaxation, also found in REM sleep.
5). Delta waves (<4 Hz): Deep and dreamless sleep, loss of all body awareness.
In a healthy and balanced brain, all of your brain waves would fall within those normal ranges. But, an anxiety disorder will cause an imbalance.
Anxiousness is associated with decreased alpha waves, increased beta waves, and can be affected by low delta and theta waves (neuroscienceinc.com) They can be chemically driven states from an imbalanced and poorly regulated brain. But neurofeedback can help rebalance the brain by regulating the brain waves through real time feedback.
Neurofeedback in Denver is designed to help:
- Improve focus, clarity and memory.
- Reduce hyperactivity, anxiety and impulse decision making.
- Decrease symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.
- Minimize noise, sound and texture distractions.
- Provide a safe, medication-free solution that's noninvasive.
- Diminish or eliminate the need for medication altogether.
This noninvasive treatment will help improve your brain waves without the negative side effects of pharmaceuticals. This way, you can maintain a healthy mind and enjoy your life more fully.
Make an Appointment for Neurofeedback in Denver
Don’t allow anxiety to take over your life! Not only are there virtually no side effects, but neurofeedback can also lead to long-lasting relief. Here at McWhorter CNR, we can help you reduce your anxiety to live more openly and fearlessly.
Contact us today to set up your appointment for neurofeedback in Denver.