Anxiety

Anxiety

Google any definition of anxiety and you will find a description similar to the one below:

anx•i•e•ty
/aNG'zīǝdē/
noun
a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
"he felt a surge of anxiety"
synonyms: worry, concern, apprehension, apprehensiveness, uneasiness, unease, fearfulness, fear, disquiet, disquietude, inquietude, perturbation, agitation, angst, misgiving, nervousness, nerves, tension, tenseness;

Anxiety disorders are some of the most common psychological problems that we treat with both Biofeedback and Neurofeedback. Research demonstrates that anxiety feelings have neural correlates that are intimately related with the function of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which is the balance between "Fight and Flight" vs "Rest and Digest" experiences. Individuals who do Biofeedback and Neurofeedback training for anxiety symptoms typically report a greater sense of well-being, more contentment, better quality sleep and less preoccupation and obsession.

Bio- and Neurofeedback Training for Anxiety

We use both a "top down" and "bottom up" training approach to ease the thinking and feeling patterns that are associated with anxiety disorders. Biofeedback is used as the he "bottom up" approach, also known as Heart Rate Variability Training. Breathing rate and amplitude are recorded with a strain gauge that fits around the waist.The patient reclines in a comfortable chair and watches his or her breathing pattern on a large screen monitor. The patient is coached throughout the training period to transfer the breathing action from the upper chest to the abdomen to facilitate Diaphragmatic Breathing. The rate of breathing is slowed to an optimal level that supports ANS balance at the level of the heart.

Neurofeedback is the "top down" training approach. Electroencephalographic (EEG) sensors are comfortably attached to the scalp at locations that are implicated in the generation of anxiety in the brain. We use the results of a Quantitative EEG (QEEG) Brain Mapping procedure to determine the locations. The patient receives real-time feedback about brain activity using videos, video games and music. This protocol encourages a variety of new EEG patterns that reflect rest, relaxation and a quiet mind.