What Is Depression?

Everyone experiences occasional feelings of sadness or being “blue.” However, Major Depression is the most common mental disorder in the country, characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in daily activities. Those suffering from a major depressive episode often struggle to maintain their usual routines. According to the NIMH, over 16 million American adults (6.7 percent of the adult population) experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year. Depression often begins in adolescence or early adulthood but can affect individuals of any age. For some, it becomes chronic, leading to a diagnosis of Persistent Depressive Disorder. This pervasive feeling can severely impact one’s ability to enjoy life, family, and friends.

What Causes Depression?

Depression can have many underlying causes, some of them psychological and some physiological. Research shows us that despite the cause, in most cases, depression results in an imbalance of alpha brainwaves in the brain with more alpha appearing on the left side than the right side. Often this imbalance can be improved with neurofeedback, resulting in a considerable reduction of symptoms without medication. Helping the brain learn better ways to regulate its own mood is one of the goals of neurofeedback treatment.

Rediscover Your Zest for Living

Depression is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States (NIMH). This mental health illness is marked by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and disinterest in usual hobbies, activities and relationships with friends and family. Without treatment, it can lead some to deep despair. However, many patients have found relief from depression through neurofeedback, rediscovering their joy in life.

How Does Neurofeedback Training Improve Depression?

Neurofeedback therapy helps the brain rebuild healthy neural connections and correct alpha brainwave asymmetry to bring it into balance. During training, the brain learns to create new neural pathways, resulting in better mood regulation. The best part is that neurofeedback doesn’t have the side effects associated with antidepressants and the benefits are long lasting, much like learning a new skill that stays with you for life, such as riding a bike. Neurotherapy begins by observing and analyzing your brainwaves with a Brain Map or qEEG (Quantitative Electroencephalogram). With this data, we’ll use neurofeedback training to retrain your brain and restore its healthy, balanced function. Neurofeedback can provide a permanent, natural solution for depression and its crippling symptoms.

What Results Have Patients with Depression Seen Using Neurofeedback?

Some clients with depression notice improvement in only a few sessions, though most require several sessions to see the full benefits. As your neurofeedback training progresses, your brain adopts healthier patterns of brainwave activity. These new patterns replace those associated with depression, naturally alleviating symptoms without medications.