Case A

This case involved a fifty-five year old male diagnosed with bi-polar depression. The man suffered from a range of issues, including severe migraines, intermittent hypersomnia (sleeping constantly) and hypomania (insomnia), diffuse and chronic muscle tension, debilitating fatigue and agitated depression. The man had a history of repeated attempted suicide. Prescribed medications provided little or no relief for him.

After an initial session of Neurofeedback training he reported no noticeable changes whatsoever. Early into training he arrived for an appointment with a self-described “intense and driving headache”. He subsequently reported that the pain from his headache had receded “by several notches” by end of session. Over the next few sessions the man reported feeling anxious, agitated, depressed, and confirmed not sleeping more then a few hours at a time. Soon thereafter he reported sleeping a solid six hours “for the first time in over a year”. As training progressed, he reported less headaches overall, but was experiencing enduring muscle tension and continued emotional lability. Shortly thereafter clinical evaluations revealed a condition of Fibromyalgia. Despite setbacks the man reported sleeping seven hours a night fairly restfully on a more regular basis and marginal mood improvement. Thereafter he reported his spouse had observed that he was more animated and yet, calmer. Later into the training he proudly stated that he was in his second month of working out, experiencing “far less” muscle tension and feeling more motivated to tackle many projects previously set aside. Toward the end of training he described feeling like he was “floating, light, but grounded, and feeling very calm.” At discharge he reported feeling as “sharp as ever; where I have been for most of my life [before depression].” He had re-initiated his professional consultancy, and was once again able to compete in a business environment.

Click and scroll down for additional research on Bi-polar Disorder
Click here for more research on Bi-polar Disorder

Case B

This case involved a forty-two year old female who had a complex array of concerns, including depression, anxiety (with some panic attacks), prickling sensations on her scalp, sudden involuntary muscle "jolts" every time she reposed, migraine headaches, sleep disruption, a lack of focus, racing thoughts, excitability with uncontrollable talkativeness and extreme irritability. She also suffered from low self-esteem and a residual feeling of guilt as a result of repeated exposure to violence early in life.
The issues the woman was struggling with were preventing her from securing a professional position that could pay her sufficiently enough to support her and raise a child. The woman was compliant with her prescribed antidepressant and two sleep aids prescribed by a physician. These did not alleviate her symptoms.

After completing initial Neurofeedback training the woman reported a decrease in some of her anxiety-related symptoms, with only incremental improvements in sleep. Early into her training she was compliant with our recommendations for observation in a sleep clinic and an evaluation by a psychiatrist. The sleep clinic found no abnormalities in her EEG, however the psychiatrist diagnosed her as having bipolar disorder, and prescribed a mood stabilizer. The woman was compliant with her medications, and as training progressed, despite numerous changes in medications, she continued to improve in all areas. Her sleep was more normalized, her irritability and anxiety diminished, and she no longer experienced the involuntary jolt sensations or prickling across her scalp. The woman reported feeling calmer and calmer, with episodes of racing thoughts significantly diminished. By mid-program she was apparently stable and was offered and accepted an advanced professional position, stating she felt “ready to meet the demands” of a work environment. As her training progressed, she continued to experience greater and greater control over her anxieties. By discharge the woman had successfully titrated off of all medications, was engaged to be married, and had received a promotion at work.