Most insurance plans will cover either all or a portion of the treatment.
Content Reviewed By:
SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- Overview
- What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?
- Types of Neurofeedback Therapy
- What Is the Neurofeedback Process Actually Like?
- What Do Patients Get Out of Neurofeedback Therapy?
- Is Neurofeedback Therapy Safe?
- What Should I Look for In a Neurofeedback Provider?
- Find Rehab Centers That Offer Neurofeedback Therapy
Overview
Neurofeedback is emerging as an increasingly viable bedrock therapy in the treatment of substance use disorder and mental health challenges. It represents a clear and direct way to monitor and regulate the brain activity that controls the mood, impulses, and behaviors that drive continued alcohol and drug addiction.
More and more rehab centers have integrated neurofeedback and other types of brain-activity analysis resources into their treatment offerings to help patients become more knowledgeable and empowered to manage the neurobiological origins of their substance use and addiction. It’s offered as part of an overall treatment program, which includes group therapy, individualized counseling, and other supplemental therapies.
What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?
Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that aims to teach subjects self-control of brain functions by measuring brain waves and providing audio and/or video feedback. Positive or negative feedback is produced for desirable or undesirable brain activities, respectively.
Neurofeedback has proven to be effective in the treatment of a wide array of conditions, including but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury (TBI), age-related cognitive decline, ADHD, and other behavior disorders. Its efficacy in substance use treatment stems largely from its effectiveness in the treatment of co-occurring mental health issues that lead to and sustain drug or alcohol use.
Types of Neurofeedback Therapy
Neurofeedback is generally broken up into seven different types of specialized practice:
- Frequency/Power Neurofeedback
- Slow cortical potential neurofeedback
- Low-energy neurofeedback system (LENS)
- Hemoencephalographic (HEG) neurofeedback
- Live Z-score neurofeedback
- Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORE-TA)
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
Each neurofeedback type targets different areas of the brain and uses different levels of intervention. Not all types may apply to the substance use disorder. Talk to your treatment provider to determine which type of neurofeedback is best for you.
What Is the Neurofeedback Process Actually Like?
Neurofeedback sessions generally last between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on patients’ care needs. A trained and experienced provider begins the session by attaching electrodes to various areas of the scalp, usually via a headset or cap. During the session, patients undergo various exercises in an effort to elicit different kinds of brain activity.
Brain activity is then transmitted through the electrodes to a digital neurofeedback program, which can display it on the screen to give patients and practitioners insights into which exercises trigger which activity. Brainwaves are monitored on the screen as the program steers participants’ brain activity toward more desirable and controlled patterns through visual and auditory signals.
What Do Patients Get Out of Neurofeedback Therapy?
Patients receive immediate feedback from the program as their brainwave patterns improve, reinforcing changes during the process. The hope is that participants experience noticeable positive changes in mood, stress, sleep patterns, or cognition between sessions. Practitioners help patients understand and navigate the brain activity they see on the screen so they can learn to adjust their thought patterns to produce a desired pattern of activity and ultimately mitigate the harmful effects associated with the original pattern. At its core, Neurofeedback relies on the idea that knowledge is power. If participants can understand exactly how their brain activity informs their impulses and behavior, they can change it for the better.
Is Neurofeedback Therapy Safe?
Yes. Neurofeedback is a safe, non-invasive, evidence-based modality. Sessions are conducted in inpatient or outpatient clinics by trained, credentialed, and experienced practitioners. The electrodes and cranial unit are situated comfortably on top of the scalp with no subcutaneous irritation. While the therapy is generally well tolerated, some patients may experience mild headache, mild pain or skin irritation at the electrode sites, and mild nausea. Like all types of clinical therapy, it’s important to consult with your doctor’s treatment provider to determine if neurofeedback is a viable option for your care program. Neurofeedback can either be provided as part of an overall treatment program or as a standalone technique.
What Should I Look for In a Neurofeedback Provider?
Whether you’re seeking neurofeedback as part of a comprehensive rehab program or as a supplemental therapy, be sure to get answers to the following questions when making your selection:
- Are they a licensed provider?
- What kind of neurofeedback do they offer?
- Is this type of neurofeedback effective for your condition?
- How long is the treatment and how many sessions?
- What is the process and treatment setting like?
It also helps to find out if they accept private insurance to make the process more affordable. When offered as part of a comprehensive rehab program, neurofeedback therapy may be more easily covered by insurance.
Find Rehab Centers That Offer Neurofeedback Therapy
The quickest way to find a rehab center that offers neurofeedback is by contacting the facility you’re considering and talking to an admissions representative. They will be able to answer the questions above and conduct a complete insurance verification as well. You may also use our nationwide directory to locate rehab centers that provide neurofeedback therapy as part of their holistic approach to addiction.
