For More Than ADHDBiofeedback can treat more then just ADHD. It can help a variety of conditions like PTSD, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, panic disorders and other stress related disorders or diseases.
Dr. Beth Davis with the US Military utilizes biofeedback to help soldiers recover from post dramatic stress disorder. She uses biofeedback to get an idea of what is happening with her patient. It helps her and them to understand their physiological response to stress and anxiety. With this knowledge they can now make the changes to their heart rate, skin temperature or breathing.
Utilizing biofeedback they learn to recognize the signs and take the appropriate steps to counter the anxiety that they are currently feeling. This is effective when the pressure is mounting on expeditions while on deployment overseas.The biofeedback in use by Dr. Davis is not the same type of system used for ADHD and other disorders. Her system focuses on the responses that can be measured through breath, heart rate, perspiration, and muscle tension. Biofeedback for ADHD uses a type of system that registered brain wave activity on the head. Many more sensors are required to pick up activity happening in different parts of the brain. In ADHD, the goal of biofeedback is to learn to concentrate in a certain way and hold that concentration for extended periods of time without succumbing to distractions.
The military is increasing it's use of biofeedback to help combat veterans return to a normal social life back at home. In many cases soldiers are experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, and utilizing biofeedback helps more then medication or other techniques.
In addition to biofeedback for PTSD and like ADHD in it's treatment plan, this military doctor combines the biofeedback treatment with therapy. Therapy types like cognitive behavioral therapy, prolonged exposure therapy and virtual reality therapy help reduce anxiety which is a major symptom of having PTSD.
