Biofeedback Therapy
At 7 Summit Pathways, we want you to know that healing is available for your cravings and physical symptoms when you’re recovering from Drug or Alcohol Addiction. One of the ways we can help you improve is through biofeedback therapy — a training program that combines psychology with physical responses for a holistic approach to your Recovery.
What Is Biofeedback Therapy?
Biofeedback therapy is a non-drug treatment option for patients with conditions that cause physical symptoms. Its goal is to make subtle changes to the body using psychological processes. By learning to recognize the physical signs of stress, you can control many of your biological processes that are usually involuntary — such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, feelings of pain and muscle tension.
As you practice special techniques and relax your body and mind, you can improve your physical, mental and emotional health. Many patients practice biofeedback therapy to manage health-related issues like:
- Low or high blood pressure
- Chronic gastrointestinal problems
- Epilepsy
- Migraines
- Chronic pain
- ADHD
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Addictions
Addiction specialists have started to use biofeedback therapy to help patients feel more physically balanced as they detoxify from drugs or alcohol. When it’s added to your addiction treatment plan, biofeedback training can help you:
- Reduce your cravings for alcohol or drugs
- Manage your physical withdrawal symptoms
- Improve your attention and focus
- Handle everyday anxiety and stress
- Modify your negative thought patterns
- Decrease the occurrence of relapses
- Renew your overall mental health
How Does Biofeedback Therapy Work?
A typical biofeedback therapy session lasts about 30 to 60 minutes. During this time, your therapist will attach electrodes to your skin, which will send information like your heart rate and muscle tension to a monitoring box. These measurements indicate how your body reacts to different stimuli. The process is painless and has no known side effects.
As you continue your training, your therapist will teach you different relaxation techniques, mental exercises and breathing activities designed to reduce stress. They’ll tailor these activities based on the condition or conditions you want to treat. Then, as you practice them, you and your therapist will see if these routines have improved your heart rate, muscle tension and other physical responses.
By monitoring your responses to several techniques, your therapist can identify which steps work best for you. You can then continue to use them in your daily life to manage your physical withdrawal symptoms and the stress surrounding your cravings.
Types of Biofeedback
Biofeedback therapy can measure nearly any bodily response. However, the three types of biofeedback that are most regularly practiced include:
- Neurofeedback (EEG): Measures brain wave activity
- Electromyography (EMG): Measures muscle tension
- Thermal: Measures body temperature
Most therapists choose EEG biofeedback when treating Drug and Alcohol Addictions and co-existing mental health conditions.
Where Can I Find Biofeedback Therapy Near Me?
As part of our holistic approach to addiction treatment, 7 Summit Pathways offers biofeedback therapy to patients struggling with Drug or Alcohol Addiction. Using this therapy combined with evidence-based approaches, we can help you face and overcome the physical and mental struggles associated with detoxification. We understand that Recovery is an ongoing process, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way — you’ll never be alone when you confide in our team.
Get in touch online or set up an appointment at our Tampa treatment facility to learn more.