Written by: Amanda Levison, M.S., LMHC, LPC, CCBT
ADD (and ADHD) ranks among the most common neurological disorders among American children, affecting up to 7% of children and more than 4% of adults. Many people are so quick to go on meds to "fix" the symptoms of ADD or ADHD rather than explore the organic or holistic ways to treat the symptoms. One that has been quite popular is Neurofeedback, which is also known as Biofeedback EEG.
Some people hear the words Neurofeedback, Biofeedback, or Neurotherapy and don't understand how it will work for ADD or ADHD, but here is a clear explanation of the benefits. People who receive Neurofeedback treatment get customized treatment that focuses on their needs. Attention is a complicated process. People with attention deficits often hyper-focus on one activity and completely disconnect from their surroundings. They are unable to easily shift focus, which annoys those around them. Training would help for body awareness and calm physical hyperactivity. Many people diagnosed with ADHD are also oppositional or aggressive. These behaviors arise out of emotional reactivity, training calms defensive attention to threats in the environment-hyper-vigilance. The customized Neurofeedback training for ADD will also help for planning and organization, attention to detail, awareness of the dominant hand and fine motor skills, and mood stability. Overall, the complete treatment would help the individual improve in their daily functioning and therefore impact their self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth.