If you’ve heard of EEGs before, there’s a good chance you learned about them in a medical context. What you may not realize is that EEGs can also be beneficial parts of treatment for individuals who have been living with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health concerns.
What Is an EEG?
EEG stands for electroencephalogram or electroencephalography. It is a noninvasive test that measures electrical activity in the brain via electrodes that are placed against a person’s scalp.
Though we often think of medical technologies as recent developments, the history of the EEG dates to the early part of the previous century.
The first electroencephalogram was created by a German physicist named Hans Berger in 1924. Berger’s purpose for developing the EEG may have been a bit misguided – he hoped to use it to bolster his research on telepathic communication – but the results of his efforts continue to provide value a century later.
Today, electroencephalograms are used to investigate a variety of brain-related concerns, including tumors, epilepsy and other neurological conditions, and the effects of traumatic brain injuries.
However, the benefits of an EEG aren’t limited to medical care. As we will discuss in greater detail in the next few sections, electroencephalograms can also be valuable tools for diagnosing and treating certain mental health disorders.
Benefits of an EEG for Mental Health
Electroencephalograms can offer an array of benefits to people who have mental health disorders and the professionals who treat them, such as:
- Improving clinicians’ ability to diagnose certain mental health conditions
- Identifying individuals with an increased risk of future mental health concerns
- Helping people exert greater intentional control over their brain waves (through a technique known as neurofeedback)
- Determining which types of treatment may be most beneficial for specific patients
What Mental Health Disorders are EEG’s Used for?
Several research efforts have found that EEGs can be useful for diagnosing and/or treating people with a variety of mental health disorders:
- EEG for depression: A May 2023 report in the journal Diagnostics discussed the benefits of combining EEG data with machine learning techniques to help diagnose people with major depressive disorder and to identify patients who may have an elevated risk of developing a depressive disorder later in life.
- EEG for bipolar disorder: A 2016 article in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment noted that prior EEG studies have identified “various abnormalities in brain oscillations” and several other differences between individuals with bipolar disorder and those who don’t have the condition.
- EEG for anxiety: A 2023 pilot study from Boston Children’s Hospital found that electroencephalograms conducted on children at ages 3, 5, and 7 could differentiate between those who had anxiety disorders and those who were in the healthy control group.
- EEG for schizophrenia: A 2014 review article by a team of Norwegian experts cited “many reports of significant EEG deviations” between study participants who had schizophrenia and members of control groups with no history of mental illness.
- EEG for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): An August 2020 review reported that EEGs have shown potential for detecting brain differences in adults with ADHD, but further study is necessary. This review also noted that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an EEG-based assessment system for diagnosing children with ADHD in 2013.
Some providers have also begun to use EEG-based neurofeedback techniques to treat people who have substance use disorders (addictions).
According to an October 2022 review in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, multiple studies suggest that biomarkers identified with electroencephalograms may help clinicians diagnose and treat addictions, as well as determine which types of treatment may be most beneficial for certain patients.
Where Can I Get an EEG for My Mental Health?
At Conscious Health, we use electroencephalograms as part of an innovative service called ElectroMagnetic Brain Pulsing Treatment (EMBP).
EMBP employs both EEGs and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to identify and stimulate areas of the brain that may not be functioning properly. EMBP is a safe, non-invasive service that doesn’t require sedation or medication. You will be fully awake and alert through every step of the process.
This service has proved to be effective at helping people experience relief from a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Contact Conscious Health to Learn About Our EEG for Mental Health
If you are interested in having electroencephalograms incorporated into your mental health treatment, Conscious Health may be the ideal place for you.
When you choose Conscious Health, we will work closely with you to identify the full scope of your needs, understand how you have been affected by your mental health struggles, and set short- and long-term goals for your progress. We’ll then develop a customized plan to help you make sustained progress toward the healthier future that you deserve.
Every step of the way, you can expect to receive personalized guidance and comprehensive support from a dedicated team of experienced, patient-focused professionals.
To learn more about EEGs or any other aspect of our programming, or to schedule a free assessment for yourself or a loved one, please visit our Contact page or call our center today.