Does Neurofeedback Mess With The Brain?

People who haven't yet tried neurofeedback can sometimes get worried that it could mess with their brain. Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

NeurOptimal neurofeedback is 100% naturopathic. We don't put anything into the brain. The brain & body already has pre-existing electricity coursing through it. So all my neurofeedback system does is read the electricity that’s already there. In fact it takes a reading 256 times per second. And whenever the computer detects the brain is about to enter electrical turbulence (which is what happens regularly for trauma survivors & anxiety or ADHD sufferers) then the computer will pause the music. It is these micropauses in the music — the feedback — that signal to the brain it's about to enter electrical turbulence and waste energy. Over time the brain takes over and optimises itself because it learns that if it is calmer, more focused and more present (instead of worrying so much about the future or ruminating on the past) then it will hear fewer pauses in the music. And the brain is naturally predisposed to want to hear an uninterrupted score of music so the pauses act as negative feedback. That's how it works - just by pausing the music!

It would be just like if you were listening to an LP record of beautiful music and every so often someone put their finger on the record disc to pause it and then quickly released their finger to start the music up again. You wouldn't call that messing with your brain — you are merely pausing the music sporadically to teach the brain that if it wants to hear fewer interruptions in the music, it should stay calmer, less anxious and more focused.

So believe me, no messing. Just a relaxing session listening to music!