What Is Biofeedback Therapy?

  At Banyan Treatment Centers Heartland, we respect our patients’ differences and individual needs, which is why we offer different kinds of recovery programs for addiction to ensure they have all they need to recover. From physical therapy to biofeedback therapy, our modalities of treatment are unique and effective. With that being said, our biofeedback program is one-of-a-kind. Biofeedback refers to the process of gaining self-awareness of certain physiological functions, like breathing, heart rate, skin temperature, blood pressure, sweating, and muscle contraction. Also known as biofeedback-assisted relaxation, several biofeedback devices are used in this form of therapy to help patients relax and ultimately gain control over their bodies. The goal of biofeedback therapy for addiction treatment is to help patients relax and teach them how to do so on their own during treatment.

Benefits of Biofeedback Therapy

  Biofeedback therapy can help recovering addicts understand their bodies and involuntary functions like heart rate and breathing, both of which are compromised in moments of anxiety. Medical professionals utilize biofeedback devices to track how the patient’s body is unconsciously reacting to physical and emotional distress, how these reactions are triggered, and how to best manage them. Biofeedback therapy is especially helpful in patients who are undergoing medical detox. Withdrawal symptoms can be particularly uncomfortable, leading to physical distress and heightened involuntary responses. Biofeedback can help treat common symptoms of drug withdrawal like anxiety, depression, muscle pains, and restlessness. As a result, the patient is more likely to complete detox and move forward in their treatment.

Our Biofeedback for Addiction in Illinois

  We utilize various biofeedback equipment to help recovering addicts gain self-awareness and control over involuntary responses, allowing them to better cope with stress and discomfort both now and in the future. During biofeedback, electronic sensors are placed on different areas of the patient’s skin. These sensors are connected to a special device that offers our team “feedback” on the patient’s “bio,” hence the name. Patients usually lay in a biofeedback bed or a serenity bed where biofeedback is relayed back to patients through the form of pulsing sounds and beats, images, flashes of light, and affirmations. This information helps them relax and teaches them how to respond to stress in the future.

Biofeedback therapy at Banyan Heartland is often used in conjunction with our other drug treatment programs. We offer programs that range from inpatient drug treatment to outpatient treatment so patients can gradually transition back to everyday life while they’re recovering from their addictions. Usually, after patients undergo medical detox, they’re able to move onto our residential treatment, IOP, or PHP. Biofeedback therapy is one of the several drug therapy programs we offer that are used in tandem with our substance-specific programs to provide patients with the additional boost and emotional support they’ll need to get through the rougher patches of addiction recovery.

To learn more about our biofeedback therapy in Illinois or our other addiction treatment services, contact us today.