Since addiction is now proven to be a disease that affects the brain, Wellness Retreat Recovery believes in utilizing methods in addiction treatment that take the brain into account. If we do not know how addiction is affecting the brain, how will we know how to treat it? The brain accounts for over 20% of the body’s used energy daily and is held accountable for mood regulation, appetite, sleep, muscle function, body temperature, and much more. We may never understand completely how the brain works, but if we can identify how to manage symptoms of addiction in the brain, we can be closer to coming up with a successful addiction treatment plan that works more often than not. Biofeedback techniques in addiction treatment are beginning to show unlimited potential for helping individuals who are seeking drug or alcohol addiction recovery, and it is because they help to identify how the brain responds to addiction.

What are Biofeedback Techniques?

Biofeedback is basically the monitoring of bodily functions as they happen. It is the feedback of our biology. Biofeedback is used to regulate and monitor bodily temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration rates, and tension in muscles. The idea behind biofeedback techniques is that if a patient can identify bodily functions, they are better able to control them. Responses of the body that were once automatic can eventually be trained to respond when the patient wants the control that is gained with biofeedback therapy. Biofeedback techniques have been compared to meditation as patients utilize relaxation, breathing, and concentration to gain further control over their body. Biofeedback has been used to help with a number of ailments including:

● High blood pressure
● Migraines
● Chronic pain
● Muscle spasms
● Insomnia
● Incontinence
● Anxiety
● Depression
● Injury
● ADHD

Addiction can cause physical and mental impairments that biofeedback techniques can be used to treat. Additionally, many individuals that have an addiction have previous physical and psychological ailments that should be addressed throughout treatment. Biofeedback therapy provides an alternative healing option for those that are struggling with the issues listed above during drug and alcohol abuse treatment.

Neurofeedback for Addiction Treatment

The type of biofeedback that is most successful in addicted individuals seeking recovery is neurofeedback. This therapy involved monitoring a recovering individual’s brainwaves as the patient responds to certain stimulus. This provides detailed information on how the addiction is affecting the way that the patient thinks. This, in turn, is caused to how the patient responds in terms of behavior to addiction. Some sort of self-medication usually causes addictions. Individual addicted to a substance are likely to feel sad, depressed, angry, shameful, or guilty. These emotions are extremely dangerous in recovery because they can lead an individual to revert to addictive behaviors and self-medicate. Neurofeedback therapy is used to retrain the brain as it responds to these emotions so that the patient is better prepared to deal with situations once treatment concludes.

The Science Behind Neurofeedback Therapy

Neurofeedback uses technology that configures around a patient’s head that is used to monitor all areas of the brain simultaneously. This monitoring creates a brain map of the patient’s brain activity and pinpoints certain areas of the brain that may be malfunctioning. These areas of malfunction are what is focused upon so that the individual can be trained to regulate their own sleep, moods, impulses, and more. Training of the areas of the brain that are either over or under responding to stimulus involves interactive games and tests shown on a screen.

Utilizing Biofeedback Techniques for Yourself

There are no known side effects of biofeedback techniques. In fact, studies have proven that individuals that are exposed to biofeedback techniques in drug or alcohol addiction treatment have a higher chance of long-term recovery success than those who are not. Although these methods may not completely heal addiction on their own, they are a useful tool that can help a person, if nothing else, regulate areas in their life they were previously incapable of being in control of. If you are interested in learning more about biofeedback therapy for addiction or would like to get started with recovery today, please reach out to us for help! Our admissions team can help address any question or concern you may have with no obligation! Call us today so that we can help you live a life free from the grasp of addiction at 1-855-762-3797.