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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cadburyhesychasm on October 9, 2018, at 2:54:24
I'm wondering about alternative treatment like rtms,tdcs,etc helpfulness in depression with irritability-to-rage spectrum in disease like organic bipolar/long term brain damage sequelae?
Does anyone know if these have any effectiveness? Since tdcs machines are cheap, it is almost tempting for me to buy one and electrically stimulate my brain.
Posted by Hugh on October 9, 2018, at 12:28:24
In reply to Alter. treatments (rTMS etc) in agitated dep,rage?, posted by cadburyhesychasm on October 9, 2018, at 2:54:24
JohnLA wrote this detailed thread about his experiences with Deep TMS:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140717/msgs/1069147.html
tDCS is very cheap. I own an Omni Stimulator.
https://www.omnistimulator.com/
If you get one, I recommend ordering extra conducting cables (because the clips will eventually rust) and several extra electrode sponges (because these will eventually fall apart).
rjlockhart37 posted this site about tDCS placement montages:
The treatment that's helped me to reduce my anger and anxiety the most is neurofeedback.
Posted by cadburyhesychasm on October 10, 2018, at 5:46:49
In reply to Re: Alter. treatments (rTMS etc) in agitated dep,rage?, posted by Hugh on October 9, 2018, at 12:28:24
tDCS seems to have a couple horrible reviews regarding efficacy, I'll forgo.
I'm keeping neurofeedback in mind if I relaps. EMDR I want to try but my PTSD is not diagnosed on script. Can you describe your neurofeedback a bit for me, what techniques and how they helped you control brain activity, can the activity on encephalogram be influenced in a very sustained manner or do you need to be using techniques all the time. What it felt like when activity on the encephalogram was successfully modulated, was there an immediate effect in terms of happiness, or stress-relief, or anxiety, anger?
Posted by Hugh on October 10, 2018, at 15:28:42
In reply to Re: neurofeedback, posted by cadburyhesychasm on October 10, 2018, at 5:46:49
> Can you describe your neurofeedback a bit for me, what techniques and how they helped you control brain activity,
The neurofeedback protocol I did involved decreasing the amplitude of theta and slow alpha on both sides of my brain, decreasing the amplitude of high beta on both sides of my brain, increasing beta (15-18 hertz) on the left side and increasing SMR (12-15 hertz) on the right side. I also did some alpha-theta sessions, which brought me down to a very relaxed state in which I was flooded with memories from my childhood, almost all of them either pleasant or neutral.
> can the activity on encephalogram be influenced in a very sustained manner or do you need to be using techniques all the time.
You play video games with your brainwaves. Or you can watch movies. If your brain isn't in the proper state, you'll stop scoring points (or the movie will pause). The neurofeedback clinician will make adjustments during the session so that the game (or movie) isn't too easy or too hard. You don't want to use "techniques" during a session. You want to get out of the way and let your brain take over. Getting the hang of this is easier than it sounds.
> What it felt like when activity on the encephalogram was successfully modulated, was there an immediate effect in terms of happiness, or stress-relief, or anxiety, anger?
My anxiety and irritability decreased significantly. My depression decreased somewhat. My sleep improved.
For over a year before I tried neurofeedback, I'd been ruminating many times a day about a former girlfriend. After about ten neurofeedback sessions, I realized that I was rarely thinking about my former girlfriend anymore.
For years, every time I went to a restaurant or to a bar, I would unconsciously rip my paper napkin into little bits. I hated this habit, and tried many times to stop it, but I couldn't. After I'd been doing neurofeedback for a while, I stopped ripping up my napkins.
I used to feel extremely self-conscious when I was out in public -- at the supermarket or the mall or while walking down a busy street. Neurofeedback eliminated this self-consciousness.
An informative book about neurofeedback is A Symphony in the Brain (revised and expanded edition) by Jim Robbins, a science writer for The New York Times.
Posted by Hugh on October 12, 2018, at 0:31:19
In reply to Re: neurofeedback, posted by cadburyhesychasm on October 10, 2018, at 5:46:49
[Martin] Wuttke likes to say our brain tends to follow certain "scripts," patterns of thought that take us to the same place over and over. Neurofeedback, as it forges new pathways in the brain, helps us devise new scripts.
Complete article:
https://www.alternet.org/story/129385/how_you_can_train_your_brain_to_help_reduce_stress
This is the end of the thread.
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