Neurofeedback for Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is useful in itself: it protects us. In an anxiety disorder, though, the alarm system is set too sensitively: the salience network (the "bouncer" that decides what matters) and limbic structures such as the amygdala signal danger when there is none. The body responds with a racing heart, tension and rumination.

Neurofeedback works precisely here: it trains the ability to shift out of alarm mode back into a calmer state. Which networks are most taxed in your case is described in our overview of the six brain networks.

Sensors on the scalp measure your brain activity (no current, no pulses enter the brain). That activity is translated into feedback, for example a film that plays more clearly, or a tone when your brain finds a more favourable state. Step by step, the brain learns to regulate itself better, much like strength training, but for self-control.

This is often based on a prior qEEG brain map so the training fits your pattern. More about the method on the Neurofeedback page.

• Assessment first. History, questionnaires and a medical conversation clarify your goal; a qEEG shows which pattern to train.
• Setup. Sensors are placed, painless and with no preparation on your part.
• Training. You watch a film or feedback signal and, effortlessly, "reward" the favourable states. A session usually lasts 30–45 minutes.
• Repetition. Neurofeedback works over many sessions; regularity is key.

With us, neurofeedback is rarely used alone, it is part of a coordinated programme.

There are supportive studies for neurofeedback in anxiety, but the evidence is heterogeneous and not consistently high quality. Neurofeedback can help many people find more calm and better self-regulation, and it does not replace guideline-based treatment of the anxiety disorder (such as psychotherapy).

We use neurofeedback as a complementary building block and track the course. You will find an open summary under Science & Studies.

Neurofeedback is non-invasive and considered very safe, no current flows into the brain, only signals are measured. Some people feel briefly tired or activated after the first sessions; such effects are usually mild and temporary. No anaesthesia is needed, and you are fit for daily life immediately afterwards.

Neurofeedback can be worth considering if you want to train your self-regulation deliberately: alongside psychotherapy, when medication is poorly tolerated, or as part of a broader programme. Whether it fits you is decided after the assessment and a medical conversation. The first step is a free initial consultation.

More about the condition on the Anxiety page. For a first impression, try the Brain Network Analysis, orientation, not a diagnosis.