Many people confuse sadness with depression. Feeling sad is a common human emotion, we all experience it from time to time. Depression, however, is something concerning since it is classified as a mood disorder that can have long-lasting effects on the patient.
It can lead to burnout, decreased interest in things that once excited you, prolonged sadness, and grief.
Research has shown that approximately 280 million people are living with depression globally; remember these are only stats of people that have been diagnosed.
A large number might still exist that are hesitant to receive treatment due to societal pressure or are doubtful about the effectiveness of various treatments for this disorder. There is a possibility they haven’t even acknowledged this state of depression consuming them.
Are you one of them? Seeking help but not wanting to indulge in the complex medication processes that make your stomach yelp for help?
Well, think no more!
A new and innovative technique called “Neurofeedback or Neurotherapy” reinforces healthy brain function through operant conditioning and helps the brain increase efficiency and reorganize function. It has acted as a beacon of light for individuals fleeing from high-dose medications.
How Neurofeedback Helps Treat Depression
Depression occurs due to an imbalanced activity between the left and right frontal lobes of the brain. Generally, patients suffering from depression have a lower activity of the left lobe, which triggers the symptoms like fatigue, lack of motivation, anxiety, panic attacks, while the hyperactivity of the right lobe leads to sadness and feeling isolated. Your brain will want to stay balanced so your emotions are managed properly.
In Neurofeedback sessions, a neuro therapist can target the left lobe and train it to escalate its activity to come at par with the right lobe. In this way, your brain will return to its normal calm state, ultimately causing you to experience a more positive mood.
With each neurofeedback session, you will begin to teach your brain to consciously switch to a normal brain activity whenever depression is triggered. This proves that neurofeedback can help you fight depression in the long run instead of showing effects for a short duration of time only.
The Success of Neurofeedback
According to clinicians and scientific research, the success rate of the neurofeedback mechanism is reported to be 75-80%. Among the various advantages of neurofeedback are:
- Compatibility with medications
- Brief duration with high effectiveness
- A technique for achieving self-control for people dealing with substance abuse
The Takeaway
Neurofeedback provides a non-medication approach to gaining self-control, calmness, executive function to patients suffering from mental disorders.
Neurofeedback can help a wide range of problems – any condition which is the result of brain patterns functioning inefficiently. These include depression, anxiety, sleep issues, chronic pain, concussion/head injuries, learning difficulties, dyslexia, autism, and ADHD, among others.
At Alquimedez Mental Health Counselling, our mental health consultants in Bronx, New York, provide effective treatment to individuals dealing with a range of disorders and guide how neurofeedback can prove to be effective in curing depression.