Neurofeedback training and technology promised to be the future of brain health-related technology. Have they delivered the mental health revolution the field has been promising for decades? 

The bottom line is that no experiments with proper double-blind controls have been convincing, and positive results obtained in less rigorous experiments with small numbers of subjects could be due to placebo effects. This should be taken with a grain of salt, as the methodology used from doctor to doctor can vary drastically.

Proper double-blind experiments are extraordinarily difficult to use in neurofeedback training programs. Not only are different methodologies used based on the needs of a patient, but different technology is also used.

Neurofeedback Technology Trends

Somehow, neurofeedback is still not accepted as a mainstream treatment within mental health circles.

A lot of this is due to individuals using neurofeedback therapy in bad faith–overpromising and underdelivering their training programs. As with any new technology, neurofeedback therapy is difficult to use–which is why only trusted doctors and programs should be used.

Neurofeedback devices and applications on the internet won’t help the vast majority of people. Every successful neurofeedback program needs to be overseen by a doctor. It’s not easy to develop and oversee a program for training your brain!

What Neurofeedback Therapy Helps With

Practitioners across the country use neurofeedback to treat conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, epilepsy and traumatic brain injuries. The Food and Drug Administration has cleared a wide range of neurofeedback devices to treat these and other conditions, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list it as an option in cases of ADHD in children, though they stop short of endorsing it.

Robert Thibault, a postdoctoral scholar at the Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford University, notes that neurofeedback advocates point to peer-reviewed research that has “impressive results,” but needs better controls when it comes to reviewing research and studies. 

Neurofeedback Training at NHA

Here at Neurohealth Associates, we specialize in Neurofeedback training. Neurofeedback may be helpful for training your mind, especially if you are unsure about putting yourself or your child on medication. 

This easy, noninvasive training can painlessly improve your mental health condition and outlook on life. Schedule a consultation with NeuroHealth Associates today and find out how we can help you.

Original article published by the New York Times.