Biofeedback Training for Agoraphobia

Biofeedback is an alternative approach to therapy for agoraphobia in which you learn to reduce anxiety symptoms in your body by taking conscious control of certain brain activity.

In biofeedback therapy, you will be hooked up to an electroencephalograph (EEG), an electronic monitoring device that measures and monitors brain activity with sensing devices (electrodes) placed on your scalp. The electrodes detect energy flow in your brain and display them as waves on a monitor.

As they appear on the monitor, your brain’s “waves” are transformed to a video format and displayed on a second monitor. You are seated across from this second monitor and are taught how to alter your brain wave patterns. When your brain wave patterns are in a normal rhythm or range, you are reinforced on the monitor by points, colors, or music.

In this way, through operant conditioning (i.e., rehearsal and positive feedback), you can learn to exert conscious control over your brain’s energy. Eventually you learn to apply this skill when you are in normal life settings and not hooked up to an EEG.

After enough biofeedback training, most people are able to learn to lower their anxiety levels by keeping their brain activity in a natural rhythm. When you are able to regulate brain activity, the activity of your central nervous system is also more regulated (including body temperature, heart rate, breathing, etc.)

Biofeedback training is recommended in cases of agoraphobia only in addition to or after cognitive behavioral approaches to therapy have been tried.

Article Source: http://www.agoraphobia.net

Stephen Price is a recovered agoraphobic. Since his recovery, he has devoted himself to the study of agoraphobia and to helping others overcome the disorder. Since his recovery, Stephen has earned masters degrees in psychology and counseling and has published original research on anxiety. Contact: Stephen Price Agoraphobia Resource Center www.agoraphobia.ws 559-322-6898

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