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From biofeedback@egroups.com
Q/ From: Jim Creek
A general question:
I am a person with no training in this field with a computer science background. The amount of stress I have seen myself and others subjected to has caused me to develop an interest in methods of monitoring my stress levels, detecting when those levels are reaching harmful thresholds, and learning techniques to return the stress levels quickly back to acceptable levels. I subscribed to this feedback group in the hope of learning about what might currently be available in this field that would help to meet this critical need.
What I'm looking for is affordable means for the layperson to determine their current brainwave patterns and train themselves to enter more desirable states. Is there anything that might fit this description that anyone is aware of?
A/ Jim it is not necessary to have the most technological device in order to train yourself in stress management. A simple Radio Shack indoor-outdoor thermometer taped to the finger can tell you if you are sucessfully warming your hands- a relaxation response. It is very sloooow- it updates every 10 seconds.
A simply GSR- skin resistance- trainer can be purchased for less than $75.00.
My favorite analogy is that there are 12 biofeedback clinicians all measuring a part of the elephant (temp, muscle tension, skin resistance, EEG, etc). They are all part of a whole elephant, and the brain is controlling all of the functions. We are just measuring different parts of
the elephant...the trunk, the tail, the leg.... ;-)
More important than what you measure is consistant practice until the stress exercise becomes learned by your body/brain and is automatic. In the middle of a computer crash or road rage wars, you can take a breath and say relax, and instantly be calm and relaxed.
Lisette Markham, MA, BCIAC in EEG
In Reply to: A Q and A from a Biofeedback email discussion group posted by RocketHealer Jim++ on November 13, 1999 at 14:24:52:
Bear with this guy a little. I think he is Russian (or something similar) and English may not be his first language. I thought about correcting his english, but decided against it.
Several of his suggestions seem really innovative and good to me. And the rest follow lines of thinking already prevalent here.
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A piece of own practice.
I also have to work mach with display. I use such methods of stress reducing.
1. Control of water regime: if you drink not enough water, it can cause headache. If you smoke or drink a lot of coffee or tea ("drugs"), usually here works next feedback loop: you have little initial stress, you try to reduce it by "usual" means ("drugs"), this stresses head vessels, you use more drugs, stress increases, and so on.
If you drink enough water, it helps you body to better get rid of matters which cause stress of vessels. I prefer hot water, but it depends from concrete person.
Also good effect give citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, etc.). They restore reserves of vitamin C, which is blocked by "drugs" and some food. If you prefer to drink juice, it should be without preservatives.
2. Some times during the day wash your face. It takes off electric charge which you get from display.
3. When you have free time, try to imagine, that warm, rich, pleasant to the touch liquid is poured on top of your head and then flows down along your face and neck to palms and feet. Best of all if you will literally feel flow of the liquid. It will start up natural relaxation mechanisms of the head and the whole body.
Mikhail Glibitsky.
In Reply to: A Q and A from a Biofeedback email discussion group posted by RocketHealer Jim++ on November 13, 1999 at 14:24:52:
Yes, I know that in general cross-posting is not good practice, but this is such good "stuff" that I wanted to pass it along to folks here interested in biofeedback.
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Jim,
Biofeedback (BF) may be said to have begun when Benjamin Franklin made a device to kick up a bed so that the wetter would fly out onto the floor; however, most practitioners insist that mere immediately contingent reinforcement is not BF, and that BF requires an ongoing signal for modification of the tone or response of a biological system.
Well! So we have EMG (muscular signals) and they are useful for torticolus and other spasms, teaching ladies to be continent, and old gents not to poop their pants (ladies too) - most BF is associated with homework. Homework may be learning to do and practice kegels (named for Dr. Kegel) to prevent incontinence, and improve sexual reponse (only a few of us tell our partners we've Perryed them when the G spot responds, but John Perry does deserve the credit. EMG may work for tension, especially tension headaches.
The major anti-tension method is temperature training. Just a good indoor/outdoor thermometer (the one at Radio Shack is not good, but I use a nine dollar one from elsewhere), taped to the proximal crease of the proximal joint of the left index finger on the ventral surface (if you remember a dorsal fin, you'll always remember that ventral is the belly of the shark). D.A. Quirk used temp and GSR, alone, as the training for 144 ladies locked up an average of 9 years in a psychiatric hospital and dismissed 128 of them with good results for the 2 year follow up. One lady had been in the hospital for 45 years, and the shortest was 2 years. He then did 2776 felons at the Ontario Correctional Institute, from 1970 to 1995, and 85% of them were not arrested. This is walk upon the water stuff!
With the felons Quirk did Sterman's routine, which Barry did with cats, and then with epileptics who hadn't been helped by drugs, which is to shape 13Hz to higher amplitude - now a days most folk also train 2-7 or 4-8 to go down (at least by shutting off the knowledge of results signal when the ampl is high).
Quirk used GSR for the psychotic ladies, and for the felons, using a method of showing slide projected pictures arranged from innocuous to horrendously awful in a range of categories (e.g. Sickness, Death, Social Closeness, etc).
There is no GSR better than the one sold as a Multimeter interfacing with a PC by Radio Shack! Around $90. [RockeHealer note: I'll have to check into this possibility]
Recently Hershel Toomim has focused attention on the method of measuring blood flow in the brain by assessing light - shine in red and see how much red has been absorbed as the light emerges. Good reports. [Rockethealer note: I recently ran into their web site. They are not yet selling this brand new biofeedback equipment for blood flow to the brain monitoring.]
It may be that hypnosis and other means of clinical health psychology are more rapid ways of reducing stress - take a look as BRIEF THERAPY in the LIBRARY, at www.hyperactivekids.com and there are a number of addresses, websites, exercises - everything but a tonic.
I strongly suggest you take a course taught by eegspectrum, or Frank Deits, frank@focused-technology, and take at least 20 sessions with a good provider and learn.
Good luck,
George von Hilsheimer, Ph.d.
In Reply to: Re: Another reply with some biofeedback history and equipment and technique suggestions from a Pro! posted by RocketHealer Jim++ on November 13, 1999 at 23:18:33:
OK! I looked it up in the Radio Shack on-line catalog and I see the meter he mentions.
For poor-man GSR, hold one test prod in each hand between thumb and forefinger and set to OHMS. Watch the meter (digital) for higher or lower reading. It stores data for later viewing and also holds min and max readings!
The real wonder of this unit is if it was connected to a PC (with the cable and software supplied!) so you could see a plot (real-time!) of the resistance (stress)! My guess is that this would be sensitive enough to suit anyone!
And you could always make up whatever finger or hand connectors you would want for your own preferences. No, *don't* buy really large alligator clips and clip then onto your fingers!
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$49.99 Reg. price $59.99
Cat.#: 22-805
Two meters for the price of one! Use it for general testing or connect it to a PC compatible computer for advanced capabilities such as unattended measurement recording with time logging. Built-in data/range hold.
Can also store measurements for later display or downloading.
Capacitance, transistor-gain and logic-probe functions. Continuity buzzer, diode-check, and min./max. functions. [MIN MAX - how wonderful!]
Bargraph. Scopeview software for PC included. Runs on MS-DOS+ or Windows+.
PC interface cable included.
Automatic power-off.
7 3/8 x 3 7/16 x 1 7/16".
Requires 9V battery.
In Reply to: Re: Another reply to that same question you may find interesting posted by RocketHealer Jim++ on November 13, 1999 at 23:05:37:
THanks, RHJ.
I hope ALL of this string gets archived under Biofeedack and is available in the Glossary.
See my notes to Connie today about WHY people might feel cold during relaxation and why the more expensive GSR is better.
SURE, people can get a BioDot and monitor skin temperature. HOWEVER, one can be donig the wrong thing for at least 10 minutes before they have any idea. THEN, they can be doing the right thing for 10 minutes and have no idea! How long do you think it would take for one to learn SR that way?
I still say that the cheapest, quickest and most accurate way to learn an effective SR is to do the "workbook" and then get tested by a cooperative biofeedback professional.
The government (as you have so clearly pointed out) has made the only reasonable option impossible by making convenient GSRs too expensive to buy, use a few times, and resell.
Namaste`
Walt
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