Biofeedback is a form of psychotherapy used in treating substance addictions and mental health disorders. This therapy method is meant to help patients gain control over their minds and physiological functions that may present themselves during times of stress. Biofeedback is one of several addiction therapy services offered at our Banyan Sebring drug rehab to support clients in their mental and emotional recovery. Keep reading below to learn more about biofeedback for addiction and the techniques our therapists utilize to support our clients.
Biofeedback Psychology Definition
In psychology, biofeedback is a process that enables an individual to learn how to change physiological functions to improve their health and performance. During biofeedback, electronic sensors are placed on the patient’s skin. These sensors are wired to a medical device that offers our professionals ‘feedback’ on the patient’s ‘bio’ signs.
Biofeedback information is executed with pulsing sounds, images, or flashes of light. The patient’s responses to these stimuli help our professionals determine the relaxation exercises that can help control how their body responds to stressful situations like withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.
A biofeedback machine records these bodily functions and displays them back to the patient. For instance, the individual’s heart rate might look like a pulsing light or image on the screen so the patient could easily understand what they’re looking at. If the light pulses quickly, our biofeedback therapists may focus on teaching the client techniques to control their heart rate.
The primary focus of biofeedback for addiction treatment is to help patients understand involuntary functions that could make their time in recovery more stressful. Medical professionals use the information they gain from biofeedback therapy to create a treatment plan tailored to the individual’s needs.
Many of our bodily functions occur without us having to think about them or try. When we’re nervous or tense, involuntary functions like our breathing and heart rate can contribute to stress. Biofeedback therapy exercises are designed to track how the body is unconsciously reacting to distressing stimuli. It tracks functions like:
- Blood pressure
- Breathing rate
- Heart rate
- Muscle contract
- Skin temperature
- Sweating
What happens to the body during withdrawal can be physically stressful and heighten involuntary responses. Our Sebring, FL, drug rehab offers biofeedback therapy to help treat common symptoms of addiction, such as withdrawal, cravings, anxiety, depression, muscle pain, and restlessness.
Benefits of Biofeedback for Substance Abuse
Biofeedback combines cutting-edge technology like fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and EEG (electroencephalogram), which allow clients to see their brainwaves. Looking at the way the brain reacts to certain triggers can help clients understand what’s happening in their brains without the use of coping skills.
Biofeedback offers benefits like:
- Aid for those not being helped by medication
- Improved sleep quality by reducing hyperarousal and insomnia
- Increased empowerment and autonomy
- Increased focus and concentration, especially in those with ADHD
- Reduced chronic pain common to substance use and mental health disorders
- Reduced cravings for drugs/alcohol
- Reduced stress, depression, anxiety, and PTSD
The process of biofeedback is meant to help clients realize that the skills they’re learning in drug or alcohol treatment are helping them gain control over negative thoughts and behaviors that may have contributed to their substance use.
Finding Biofeedback Therapy Near Me
No matter how long you or a loved one has been battling drug or alcohol abuse, our facility is here to help.
Contact Banyan Treatment Centers today to learn more about our Sebring drug treatment and how we can make long-term sobriety possible.
Related Reading:
What Is Biofeedback and How Can it Help in Addiction Therapy
