here is my blog entry about biofeedback and neurofeedback -

Biofeedback and Neurofeedback
So many times this issue comes up on the public boards so I thought maybe I should add the info here too.

What is biofeedback?

“bio” is anything that has to do with the whole body and anything physical to do with the body - the organs, musles tissue, skin you name it.

Feedback is getting information about something.

So together biofeedback is recieving information about how the body is funtioning.

How do people get this feedback?

They get it in many ways.

Have you ever gotten on a pair of scales and checked to see how much you weigh? you just used biofeedback. you obtained information about your biological body and how you did it was by using a set of scales.

Have you ever taken your temperature? if so you have used biofeedback - you obtained information about your biological body by using a thermometer.

Have you ever had your blood pressure taken? if so you have just used biofeedback - you obtained information about your boilogical body by using a blood pressure cup.

Have you ever put your fingers on your wrist at the pulse point and counted the heart beats? if so you have just used Biofeedback - you obtained information about your biological body by using your fingers as a pulse taking intrument.

Have you ever put your hand on your stomach or chest and counted and or sped up and or slowed down your breathing rate? you have just used biofeedback - you obtained information about your biological body by usig your hand to count your breaths and or slow or quicken your breathing rate.

Have you ever sat somewhere quiet and took a few minutes to purposesly relax your muscles rubbing your arm or leg? If so you have just used used biofeedback - you obtained information about your biological body by using your hands as an instrument to gage muscle tightness.

There are other ways in which boifeedback is used -

EEG (electroencephalography) is used to measure brain activity while a person goes from various states of sleep and wakefulness.

EKG (Electrocardiogram) is used to obtain information about a persons heart.

Respirators and flow meters measure breathing quantity and rate.

Audiograms are used to obtain information about a persons ears and their hearing abilities.

Electromyogram (EMG) is sensors that measure muscle activity.

Galvanic Skin Response Training measures sweat gland activity.

Peripheral Skin Temperature measures the surface temperature of the skin.

The police use biofeedback in their jobs - lie detector machines which are machines with electrodes placed on a person to obtain information about the persons body specifically breathing rate, heart rate, muscle activity, and blood pressure during questioning.

These are just a few ways in which biofeedback is put to use. Boifeedback is everywhere. And one of the most common uses of boifeedback is in the therapy field where clients are taught to focus on either breathing, heart rate or muscles by using relaxation techniques that focus on slowing the rates down and relaxing the muscles and calming their thoughts down.

Some people learn how to do boifeedback without the use of the machines that keep track of the breathing rates, heart rates, muscle tightness and brain waves of thoughts and others are taught to use biofeedback by using the machines so that they have the visual aid to focus on.

There are many types of machines used for biofeeback some are the separate units previously mentioned and other machines combine the various equipment into one for example like the lie detector machine.

Now what is Neurofeedback -

Neuro is anything that has to do with the brain activity.

Feedback is obtaining information about something.

So Neurofeedback is obtaining information about the brains activities.

With neurofeedback the person is just focusing on controling their thoughts which will control their brain waves. someone who is calm and relaxed has less brain wave activity then a person who is under stress, anxious or panicky.

The person is taught to do this by either using an EEG (electroencephalography machine) or by using relaxation techniques and focusing on other areas such as their breathing and heart rate.

A calm person has a slower breathing and heart rate then a person that is under stress, anxious or panicky. so calming the heart rate and breathing rate also slows down the brain wave activity.

So when I had the choice to do either Neurofeedback or Biofeedback I chose doing Boifeedback. Biofeedback does the same thing that neurofeedback does and is actually the same thing. The only difference is the type of machines used if using a machine, and the process is the same - relax and calm down either by watching a machine or by having another focus area.

Neurofeedback? hey I already was an expert so to speak at calming and controling my brain activity - so much so that I have the ability to dissociate myself completely away mentally to the point where I have DID.

But to learn to remain aware hey THAT was a challenge that required me to learn how to focus on how my body feels during times of panic and upset.

It was biofeedback hands down for me.