Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder
Written by: Molly DeBerard
Reviewed by: Gina Romo
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a chronic, progressive, and debilitating disorder affecting not only the addicted individual, but their friends, family, and the public as a whole. Overdose death rates have skyrocketed since 1999, increasing 6 fold from 2015 to 2020 alone. These drastic increases should be proof that addiction is a public health concern that we can’t continue to ignore. Although many different resources and treatments are available to addicts, relapse rates are estimated to be over 70%. This dismal outlook demonstrates that there is a great need for new and novel treatment options.
Neurofeedback has been established as a promising treatment option for individuals with SUD, and has been shown to produce long-lasting changes. Neurofeedback can help individuals not only achieve abstinence but also improve their quality of life by training the brain to act in a more optimal way in order to improve behavioral, emotional, and cognitive experience. It is a valuable tool that can be used in conjunction with other treatment modalities such as psychotherapy and mindfulness practices.
The first step to any neurofeedback treatment is to get a “brain map” or a quantitative EEG (QEEG) recording of the electrical activity in your brain. This recording allows clinicians to create a map of how your brainwaves are currently functioning in order to locate imbalances. This map is then used to determine the best individualized treatment plan for you.
QEEG research by legendary neurofeedback researcher Jay Gunkleman found that there tends to be two types of addicts; those with central nervous system overactivation and those with obsessive-compulsive drives. One reason people use and abuse substances is to “self-medicate” these abnormalities, although this is not necessarily consciously known. For example, someone with sympathetic nervous system overactivation may drink alcohol to calm down their over-aroused brain. A brain map can determine the underlying issue contributing to someone’s addiction, and after this knowledge is acquired, treatment plans can be tailored to their unique brain. Gunkleman summed it up very well when he stated, “They treated their brain waves, not the DSM diagnosis of addiction.”
Treatment has to be tailored to each unique person in order for it to be most effective, and should be used in conjunction with therapeutic work.
One type of neurofeedback, called alpha-theta training, has been widely used in studies and in clinical practice to treat addiction. Alpha and theta brain waves are both on the slower end of the spectrum and are both increased during this protocol. This has been shown to put people in a relaxed, meditative state and also helps people process past traumas. Processing trauma from a calm place is one way this protocol is helpful for someone suffering from addiction.
Drinking alcohol has been found to increase alpha brain waves, so if someone is deficient in alpha brain waves they may feel “normal” when they drink and this can lead to alcohol addiction. Alpha-theta training teaches your brain to increase alpha waves on its own, reducing the desire to drink in order to feel “normal” again. These two examples demonstrate why this protocol has been so effective in the treatment of SUD.
Research studying the effects of neurofeedback on addiction has shown many promising results. One study was conducted on individuals with opiate use disorder who were already on medications to help alleviate their symptoms. The experimenters added alpha-theta training along with a protocol called SMR (sensorimotor rhythm) training for half the participants and the other half only had the medication-assisted treatment. The study found significant improvement in physical symptoms, depression, and overall mental health scores for the group that received neurofeedback. It also found that the neurofeedback group had a decreased desire to use opiates and concluded that neurofeedback is more effective than medication assistance alone.
Other studies have found significant improvements in information processing, ability to focus, severity of addiction, anxiety, cravings, and overall psychological functioning. One study even found that neurofeedback in conjunction with conventional treatment doubled the recovery rate for SUD!
With all these promising results, neurofeedback is becoming more and more popular in the treatment of addiction. Here at AllNeuro Pathways, we have experience treating substance use disorder and can support you in your personal growth journey by creating an individualized treatment plan to help treat your brain waves, not just the DSM diagnosis of addiction.
Contact us today to set up a FREE consultation with our Clinical Care Coordinator. We’d love to learn more about your story and help you understand how neurofeedback could be the missing link in your recovery.
References:
Dehghani-Arani, F., Rostami, R. & Nadali, H. Neurofeedback Training for Opiate Addiction: Improvement of Mental Health and Craving. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 38, 133–141 (2013).
Gunklema, J., Jansons, P, hosts. “Addiction Phenotypes” NeuroNoodle Neurofeedback and Neuropsychology, 16 June 2022. Addiction Phenotypes | NeuroNoodle
Luigjes, J., Segrave, R., de Joode, N. et al. Efficacy of Invasive and Non-Invasive Brain Modulation Interventions for Addiction. Neuropsychol Rev 29, 116–138 (2019).