General FAQ

1. What if I’m skeptical about EEG biofeedback?

   It’s understandable – conventional wisdom dictates that we pop a pill, engage in physical therapy or undergo a surgical procedure to improve symptoms. However, BrainPaint bypasses your skeptical mind and speaks directly to your brain. Your brain seems to understand the information encoded in the brainwave data and responds accordingly….even if you are skeptical.

2. Are there any side effects?

   During an EEG biofeedback session, the information your brain receives is on different states of being such as: awareness, attention or emotions. The brain, as with all living organisms, seeks a state of homeostasis favoring that which is most efficient and stable. Therefore, when your brain tries on these different states it keeps what is more functional and dismisses that which is not. Possible side effects last for about three days as the brain lets go of an introduced state that is not productive – these may be experienced as increased edginess, less focus or interrupted sleep. It’s important to journal these observations in the event it merits a modification in protocol. Side effects can also be reversed with another session using a different protocol. We experience improved brain function as being more present, harmonious and joyful – this is the ultimate goal of EEG biofeedback.

3. Could this work because of a placebo effect?

   No.

   • Placebos do not work on animals, and that is how this field was discovered. Don’t worry, no animals were harmed. As a matter of fact, the cats came running for their session when they saw the researcher arrive. For more information, you can read the book, “A Symphony in the Brain,” by Jim Robbins.
   • Performance improvements with EEG biofeedback training can exceed those of the general population. For example, there's an independent study currently being conducted on the efficacy of BrainPaint as compared to traditional EEG biofeedback systems for ADHD. Some of the subjects' reaction time who have been trained with BrainPaint have become so fast that the standardized continuous performance test (TOVA) is unable to accurately interpret their results. Research associates are adapting and incorporating this phenomena into the study that will be published in 2008.
   • The effects of EEG biofeedback training are highly specific to electrode placement and protocol.
   • Training protocols exist which can elicit effects opposite to those desired – see above for side effects that may last for a few days or can be reversed with a different protocol.
   • The effect of the training is cumulative, rather than fading with time, as is common with placebos.
   • EEG biofeedback protocols are dose dependent – placebos are not.