Brain Mapping Therapy for Addiction

Brain mapping is a therapy that looks at a person’s brain activity and brain function. It helps to improve these areas and a person’s overall mental health and well-being. 

This type of therapy can treat a variety of mental health conditions, and has even shown great promise in treating substance use disorders as well. 

Read on to learn more about how brain mapping works, the different types of brain mapping, and how you can access it at Otter House Wellness. 

About Brain Mapping Therapy for Addiction

Brain mapping therapy, sometimes referred to as neurofeedback therapy or neurotherapy, can be helpful for a variety of mental health issues, including substance use disorders. 

By studying a person’s brain waves and brain activity during drug use and drug withdrawal, providers can determine how someone’s brain is being affected by their substance use. 

Using this information, treatment providers can design the most effective treatment plans, greatly improving the effectiveness of treatment. 

Otter House Wellness is proud to offer brain mapping therapy for both addiction and a variety of mental health conditions to help people recover properly and fully. 

Key Facts on Brain Mapping

• When was brain mapping invented? At the start of the 20th century by German neuroanatomist Korbinian Brodmann.
• Conditions that brain mapping is used with: Addiction, ADHD, autism, depression, PTSD, sleep disorders, dementia, epilepsy, traumatic brain injuries, anxiety disorders, and more.
• Types of brain mapping: Structural brain mapping or functional brain mapping
• Types of imaging techniques used in brain mapping: MRIs, CTs, DTIs, EEGs, qEEGs, fMRIs, and fNIRSs.
• How to pay for brain mapping: Usually with self-pay, as brain mapping is not always covered by insurance. 

How Does Brain Mapping Work in Addiction Treatment?

Brain mapping is similar to the process for biofeedback, which uses electrodes connected around the body, and can be considered biofeedback for the brain. 

During the brain mapping process, a specialized cap is placed on the patient’s scalp and electrical impulses within the brain are captured and recorded using specialized software. 

The software records the patient’s brain activity to help determine which areas of their brain have been affected by their substance use. 

By further examining a person’s brain waves, providers can also determine which areas of the brain are overactive or under-active. Brain training, or neurofeedback training, can then focus on the specific areas where help is needed. 

What Types of Recovery Programs Offer Brain Mapping?

Multiple levels of care feature brain mapping therapy, and it is also an independent service offered at specialized facilities. 

At Otter House Wellness, we provide brain mapping therapy in our outpatient programs to help clients grasp the greatest level of recovery success.

Outpatient Programs at Otter House Wellness

Outpatient treatment comes in a few different levels of care at Otter House Wellness, to accommodate different needs and addiction severities. 

Brain mapping can be used within each of these programs to help people battle for their addiction and any co-occurring mental health conditions that they have. 

Patients who are interested in brain mapping should let their treatment team know as soon as possible at the start of their program. 

Outpatient programs offered at Otter House Wellness:

• Partial hospitalization program (PHP): patients attend treatment several days a week for most of the day, while spending weekends and evenings at home. 
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP): patients attend treatment a few days a week for several hours each time, while maintaining a flexible schedule. 
• Outpatient treatment: patients attend treatment at their own convenience, but usually on a regular basis of every week or every other week.

Inpatient Rehab Programs

Inpatient treatment, or residential treatment, is the most intensive form of treatment, with patients staying onsite 24/7. 

During treatment, they live with other residents and attend multiple forms of therapy, including brain mapping therapy. 

This type of program is best for people with severe addiction, or for those who have already tried outpatient treatment and found that it was not enough care and supervision for them. 

Disclaimer: Otter House Wellness does not offer inpatient treatment, but can refer clients who need a more intensive level of care. We can also work as a step-down program once their inpatient program is complete. 

Types of Brain Mapping

There are several different types of brain mapping and neurofeedback treatment available, all of which can be performed as non-invasive procedures. 

In some cases, they are both performed in order to get an idea of the relationship between the structure and function of a person’s brain. 

Together, brain maps inform behavioral health treatment plans and ensure that patients are receiving the best and most effective treatments available. 

Structural Brain Mapping

Structural brain mapping is a type of brain mapping that focuses on the actual anatomy of a person’s brain by looking at regions and pathways within the brain. 

Types of structural brain mapping include:

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): provides high-resolution images of various brain structures by using magnetic fields and radio waves.
• DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging): measures water diffusion along axonal fibers in order to create maps of white matter pathways. 
• CT (Computed Tomography): creates detailed cross-sectional images of the brain by using x-ray technology. 
• EEG (Electroencephalography): records the brain’s electrical activity while studying brain waves and looking for abnormalities. 

Functional Brain Mapping

Functional brain mapping, on the other hand, is a type of brain mapping that focuses on looking at a person’s brainwave activity in real time. 

Types of functional brain mapping include:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI): measures brain activity by looking at changes in blood flow and providing insights into cognitive functions and neural networks.
• Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG): qEEG brain mapping is a more advanced form of EEG biofeedback that can identify specific brainwave patterns associated with addiction. 
• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS): a type of imaging technique that measures and detects changes in blood oxygenation to study brain activity during drug use or drug withdrawal. 

Components of Brain Mapping in Addiction Treatment Programs

Addiction treatment programs that offer brain mapping use multiple components for treatment. When used together, these brain maps allow clinicians to create extremely personalized treatment plans for each patient. 

In turn, this can ensure that patients receive the most effective treatments possible in order to address the specific areas of the brain causing their dysregulation. 

Components of brain mapping used in addiction treatment include:

• Identifying affected areas of the brain: brain mapping can pinpoint which areas of the brain have been affected by their addiction, such as their reward system or prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making. 
• Detecting underlying issues: brain mapping can help find any cognitive impairments or unknown head injuries that may have contributed to a person’s addiction or other disorders. 
• Train the brain to function more effectively: brain mapping can help patients to address specific areas that need work, improving their emotional regulation and balance. 
• Providing early relapse detection: brain mapping can detect changes in brainwave patterns that signal an oncoming relapse, even before a person is aware or before it is present in their behavior. 

How Effective Is Brain Mapping in Drug and Alcohol Treatment?

While brain mapping is relatively new compared to other forms of addiction treatment, it has proven to be a highly effective tool and treatment option.

In terms of addiction treatment, its greatest benefits seem to lie in helping to improve the outcomes of other treatments and in helping to determine treatment plans. 

To determine the true effectiveness of brain mapping in terms of addiction treatment, however, more extensive research is needed. 

Brain Mapping Therapy vs. Behavioral Therapy

Brain mapping therapy and behavioral therapy can both be used when treating addiction, though they provide very different techniques. 

Brain mapping, on one hand, can use precise data in order to determine the best course of action for treating someone. 

Behavioral therapy focuses more on the relationship between a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. 

Essentially, brain mapping can improve the effectiveness for behavioral therapy by detecting the parts of the brain that need the most help. Clinicians and treatment providers can use this information to guide conversations and treatment.

Cost of Brain Mapping Therapy in North Carolina

The cost of brain mapping therapy in North Carolina can vary significantly. You may be able to find therapy for as little as $300 per neurofeedback session or as much as $2,000 per session.

The cost of brain mapping may be covered by insurance if the therapy is part of a larger treatment program featuring other types of therapy and treatment services. 

Factors that can affect the cost of brain mapping therapy include the specific location and provider and the type of mapping that is being used. 

Brain mapping is often not covered by insurance, so you may need to prepare to pay for all costs out of pocket. 

Learn How Brain Mapping Can Boost Your Addiction Recovery

Brain mapping can provide a life-changing experience to many of those who try it, including those who have tried traditional addiction treatment methods without success. 

Not only can it improve your overall quality of life, but it can also help you address problems with your mental health that you had never even previously considered. 

To find out more about how you can access this treatment for yourself, contact us today at Otter House Wellness.