Biofeedback for Anxiety
In American society, anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions suffered by our population (Brauer, 1999). Though the criteria and classifications of anxiety has changed significantly over the decades, excessive emotional fear and physiological hyperarousal are still the condition’s most recognized attributes (1999). These are also the qualities that biofeedback practitioners target to help patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In fact, biofeedback is a top contending therapy for triggers of anticipated fear. Regardless of whether the type of anxiety is chronic or episodic, biofeedback can provide a patient-specific nonpharmaceutical treatment option for reducing a multitude of symptoms and improving quality of life. Depending on the severity of the particular condition, most patients also see significant improvement of symptoms within six to twelve sessions (1999).
Because of its additional ability to amplify therapeutic results without worry of contraindication, biofeedback is often used in coordination with relaxation training, cognitive therapies, and behavioral fear reduction techniques (such …show more content…
Thirty-seven participants were given sixteen training sessions (at 20 minutes each) over the course of eleven weeks (1983). Irrespective of the order in which they were administered, all treatment methods yielded significant improvement across all measures within all groups and became increasingly homogeneous over time. The groups were equally effective at improving temperature and EMG response, and the data indicated no connection between frontalis EMG and hand temperatures
In American society, anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions suffered by our population (Brauer, 1999). Though the criteria and classifications of anxiety has changed significantly over the decades, excessive emotional fear and physiological hyperarousal are still the condition’s most recognized attributes (1999). These are also the qualities that biofeedback practitioners target to help patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In fact, biofeedback is a top contending therapy for triggers of anticipated fear. Regardless of whether the type of anxiety is chronic or episodic, biofeedback can provide a patient-specific nonpharmaceutical treatment option for reducing a multitude of symptoms and improving quality of life. Depending on the severity of the particular condition, most patients also see significant improvement of symptoms within six to twelve sessions (1999).
Because of its additional ability to amplify therapeutic results without worry of contraindication, biofeedback is often used in coordination with relaxation training, cognitive therapies, and behavioral fear reduction techniques (such …show more content…
Thirty-seven participants were given sixteen training sessions (at 20 minutes each) over the course of eleven weeks (1983). Irrespective of the order in which they were administered, all treatment methods yielded significant improvement across all measures within all groups and became increasingly homogeneous over time. The groups were equally effective at improving temperature and EMG response, and the data indicated no connection between frontalis EMG and hand temperatures