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The World Health Organization says 5% of people worldwide struggle with depression. This illness, formally known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a mental health condition marked by deep, persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that used to bring joy or fulfillment.
Depression is common, and the United Arab Emirates is no exception. A 2023 meta-analytical study of depression prevalence in Gulf Cooperation Council countries revealed a self-reported depression prevalence in the UAE of 54.46%, with a little over a quarter of them exhibiting severe depression.
If someone you care about needs depression treatment in Dubai, consult a professional as soon as you can. Depression is highly treatable, and eight to nine out of every 10 persons who undergo treatment for this condition eventually respond and get better.
Individuals experiencing depression need plenty of support from the people around them. Be that wellspring of motivation and encouragement for that person in your life by learning about depression and how it can be treated.
Depression Symptoms
Depression is associated with many symptoms, but remember, they don’t all need to be present for major depressive disorder to be diagnosed.
Note that a professional diagnosis is necessary before you can conclude that someone has depression. A person can feel extremely sad if they have lost a loved one, lost their job, or have problems at home, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’re depressed.
It is when symptoms persist for most of each day, almost daily, and for weeks, to such an extent that the person can no longer function as they used to—so school or work performance, social relationships, and activities of daily living suffer—that it may be diagnosed as depression.
This is why you need to see a professional for a precise diagnosis. You can’t be certain it’s depression unless a healthcare practitioner has conducted a thorough evaluation.
Treating and Managing Depression With Neurofeedback Therapy
Depression can be treated and its symptoms managed in several ways, including through medication, therapy, or a combination of both. Doctors make treatment recommendations only after considering various factors, including the severity of symptoms and the patient’s preferences.
If you would like a non-invasive, no-medication depression treatment option, ask your doctor about neurofeedback in Dubai. Neurofeedback therapy leverages real-time brain monitoring to help reprogram or recalibrate the brain to remain at or quickly return to an optimal mental state.
The Science Behind Neurofeedback Therapy
Science says the brain can reveal how someone feels, and different mental states produce distinct frequencies. Thus, if you’re sad, happy, anxious, or curious, your brain wave patterns would reflect that.
The brain is powerful and can control itself, especially its own activities. Therefore, it can change its brain waves from dysregulated to regulated.
However, for the brain to control itself, you must give it self-awareness. The brain must know when it must change its state.
This is what underpins neurofeedback therapy. Neurofeedback therapy lets the brain know when it’s in a suboptimal state. Once aware, it can control itself.
Repeat this process many times, and the brain will become more adept at regulating its brain wave patterns. This is why neurofeedback therapy is a brain training strategy; it trains the brain to get better at restoring its positive state.
How Brain Training Works
Suppose you’re undergoing neurofeedback therapy. You will be asked to sit on a comfortable chair, and electroencephalographic electrodes will be attached to your scalp. These electrodes are connected to an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine that is, in turn, connected to a computer that records brain signals and runs them by a program that instantaneously “reads” them.
Once everything is set up, you watch a show or play a video game while the EEG machine and the computer continuously log and interpret your brain wave patterns.
If the brain signals correspond to a dysregulated state (e.g., depression), the computer—which also controls the video and audio monitors you’re using to watch your show or play a game—degrades audio and video quality, thereby alerting your brain of its undesirable mental state.
Now aware, your brain tries to control itself. Once the brain wave reading indicates that your brain has changed its state, the computer restores audio and video quality. This alerts your brain that it has succeeded.
This process repeats multiple times throughout a session. With every cycle, the train becomes faster and better at controlling its mental state. Over time and through repeated neurofeedback sessions, your brain learns to achieve a regulated state independently, maintaining healthier patterns on its own and reducing symptoms of depression.
Neurofeedback for Depression
Neurofeedback can be effective in treating depression. This strategy builds resilience and trains the brain to regulate itself, particularly emotions, and empowers a person to take control of their mental health and foster sustainable change without the need for medication.
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