Types of Mental Health Care Practitioners in Malaysia

Types of Mental Health Care Practitioners in Malaysia

Psychiatry, psychology, hypnotherapy, counseling and coaching are overlapping professions. Practitioners -- psychiatrists, counselors, hypnotherapists, psychologists and coaches -- are mental health care professionals. Their area of expertise is the mind -- and the way it affects behavior and well-being. They often work together to prevent, diagnose, and treat mental illness. And they are committed to helping people stay mentally well. But there are differences between psychiatry, psychology, hypnotherapy, coaching and counseling. And people sometimes find those differences confusing, especially when they are looking for help. The largest difference between the types of professionals is usually what they focus or specialize in, licensure requirements and their educational background.

The key to choosing which one of these professionals is right for you is to determine what kinds of things are important to you and finding a professional that seems to fit with your needs and personality. Feel free to email me ([email protected]) for more info.





1)Hypnotherapist
Professional governing body in Malaysia: The Association of Hypnotherapy Practitioners, Malaysia (AHPM)-AHPM is a member of The Federation of Complementary and Natural Medical Associations, Malaysia (FCNMAM). FCNMAM is a body recognized by the Department of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Ministry of Health (MOH), Malaysia. 
Expertise: practice hypnotherapy and may practice psychotherapy but cannot do physical examinations, cannot prescribe drugs

2)Counselor
Professional governing body in Malaysia: Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia-The Counselors’ Act 1998 sets the minimum competence level for the credentialing of a professional counselor in Malaysia. Only a person who is licensed to practice counseling under this Act is allowed to represent himself or herself as a counselor in the country.
Expertise: practice counseling and psychotherapy but cannot do physical examinations, cannot prescribe drugs





3)Clinical Psychologist
professional governing body in Malaysia: Allied Health Malaysia-The Allied Health Professions Bill 2015 was tabled for the first reading by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam at the Dewan Rakyat. The Bill seeks to set up the Malaysian Allied Health Professions Council to register persons practising in the allied health industry which include clinical psychologist.
Expertise: practice psychotherapy but cannot do physical examinations, cannot prescribe drugs

4) Psychiatrist 
Professional governing body in Malaysia: Malaysian Medical Council-Psychiatrist need to apply for a Malaysian Medical License at the Malaysian Medical Council.
Expertise: able to diagnose and prescribe drugs, may practice psychotherapy, use electroconvulsive therapy, and admit people to the hospital.






5) Coach
professional governing body in Malaysia: None
Expertise: practice life, business, wellness or corporate coaching but cannot do physical examinations, cannot prescribe drugs

6) Neurotherapist
Professional governing body in Malaysia: None
Expertise: practice neurotherapy/EEG biofeedback/neurofeedback technique. It is a safe, non-invasive, alternative treatment option that relies on EEG biofeedback machine to monitor and visualize brain activity, and is used to help a variety of psychological and medical problems. But cannot do physical examinations, cannot prescribe drugs.


What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy -- uses guided relaxation, intense concentration, and focused attention to achieve a heightened state of awareness that is sometimes called a trance. 
The person's attention is so focused while in this state that anything going on around the person is temporarily blocked out or ignored. In this naturally occurring state, 
a person may focus his or her attention -- with the help of a trained therapist -- on specific thoughts or tasks. 
Hypnotherapy can be used in two ways, as suggestion therapy or for patient analysis.

1)Suggestion therapy: The hypnotic state makes the person better able to respond to suggestions. 
Therefore, hypnotherapy can help some people change certain behaviors, such as stopping smoking or nail biting. 
It can also help people change perceptions and sensations, and is particularly useful in treating pain.
2)Analysis: This approach uses the relaxed state to explore a possible psychological root cause of a disorder or symptom, 
such as a traumatic past event that a person has hidden in his or her unconscious memory. 
Once the trauma is revealed, it can be addressed in psychotherapy.
The hypnotic state allows a person to be more open to discussion and suggestion. 
It can improve the success of other treatments for many conditions, including:
-Phobias, fears, and anxiety
-Sleep disorders
-Depression
-Stress
-Post-trauma anxiety
-Grief and loss
Hypnotherapy also might be used to help with pain control and to overcome habits, such as smoking or overeating. 
It also might be helpful for people whose symptoms are severe or who need crisis management. 


What is Counseling?
Professional counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. Counselors work with clients on strategies to overcome obstacles and personal challenges that they are facing. Counseling is a collaborative effort between the counselor and client. Professional counselors help clients identify goals and potential solutions to problems which cause emotional turmoil; seek to improve communication and coping skills; strengthen self-esteem; and promote behavior change and optimal mental health. How long does counseling take? Ideally, counseling is terminated when the problem that you pursued counseling for becomes more manageable or is resolved. '


What is psychotherapy?
In recent years, significant advances have been made in the field of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as talk therapy, works on the assumption that the cure for a person's suffering lies within that person and that this cure can be facilitated through a trusting, supportive relationship with a psychotherapist. By creating an empathetic and accepting atmosphere, the therapist often is able to help the person identify the source of the problems and consider alternatives for dealing with them. The emotional awareness and insight that the person gains through psychotherapy often results in a change in attitude and behavior that allows the person to live a fuller and more satisfying life.

Psychotherapy is appropriate in a wide range of conditions. Even people who do not have a mental health disorder may find psychotherapy helpful in coping with such problems as employment difficulties, bereavement, or chronic illness in the family. Group psychotherapy, couples therapy, and family therapy are also widely used.

Most mental health practitioners practice one of six types of psychotherapy: supportive psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy.


What is coaching?
International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today's uncertain and complex environment. To determine whether you or your company could benefit from coaching, start by summarizing what you would expect to accomplish in coaching. When an individual or business has a fairly clear idea of the desired outcome, a coaching partnership can be a useful tool for developing a strategy for how to achieve that outcome with greater ease. Since coaching is a partnership, ask yourself whether collaboration, other viewpoints, and new perspectives are valued. Also, ask yourself whether you or your business is ready to devote the time and the energy to making real changes. If the answer is yes, then coaching may be a beneficial way to grow and develop.


What is EEG biofeedback/neurofeedback/neurotherapy?
EEG biofeedback is a painless and drug-free way of helping an injured brain or impaired brain function return to a healthy state. It helps the brain to do a better job of regulating itself and the body. It is biofeedback for the brain and the body. EEG biofeedback is a method used to train brain activity in order to normalize Brain function. 
The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a measure of brain waves. Like other computers, the brain gives off tiny impulses that appear as electrical waves. The raw EEG can be separated into waves that vibrate at different rates or frequencies; beta (fastest) to alpha, theta, and delta (slowest). Brainwaves should be faster at front, slower at back; faster at left and slower at right. A “backwards brain” (slow at front and left, fast at back and right) tends to be poor in focus and attention, depressed or anxious. Brainwave slowing suggests brain injury and impairs normal brain function.






Source:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/mental_health_disorders/overview_of_mental_health_care/treatment_of_mental_illness.html
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-hypnotherapy
http://www.counseling.org/aca-community/learn-about-counseling/what-is-counseling/overview
http://psychcentral.com/
http://www.webmd.com/
https://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/coaching/
http://coachfederation.org/need/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=978

马来西亚自律神经失调与治疗：调好自律神经

自律神經失調可以輕易治癒 

 臨床上時常遇到病患有許多的不舒服症狀，但是做過了各種檢查，卻找不出病因，藥物治療效果也不佳，這些絕大部分都是自律神經失調所引起的。這些問題長期困擾著病患，影響了他們的工作與生活作息，而醫療人員雖耗費了許多寶貴的醫療資源，卻無法提供滿意的治療，原因在於過去的醫學對神經系統的調控機制尚無法正確掌控。相應神經調節療法(逆行性神經療法)是在對神經調控機制的完整了解後，所獲得的突破性療法，可以輕易透過神經調控機轉治癒許多神經失調疾病。

何謂自律神經系統

自律神經包括交感與副交感神經，它受到人的感情、情緒與感官所影響，人體會自動依照需要而做出適當的反應，它的功能主要是控制心跳、呼吸、腸胃蠕動、排汗、睡眠等非意識控制的機能。
    交感神經的作用是使心跳加速、呼吸加快、胃腸蠕動變慢、體溫上升、流汗、血壓升高等，使身體的各主要器官系統的活動力增加，以應付外來的緊急狀況如壓力、焦慮、緊張、恐懼等；副交感神經的作用則與交感神經相反，它使心跳變慢、呼吸平穩緩慢、腸胃蠕動變快、血壓下降等，使身體主要的器官系統活動力降低，達到身體休息與睡眠的狀態。交感與副交感神經的交互作用可以使神經系統既可以應付壓力又可以獲得足夠的休息，以達到平衡狀態。

一群西方學者組隊到非洲考察，請當地原住民當嚮導及挑夫，兼程趕路，前三天都很順利，原住民吃苦耐勞，沒有怨言，但到了第四天，原住民卻不肯出發了。 

是哪裡得罪他們了，還是在要脅加錢？考察隊隊員不解。這時，原住民的頭領解釋道：「 按照我們的傳統，如果連續三天趕路，第四天必須停下來休息一天，以免靈魂趕不上我們的腳步。 」 

現代人日復一日地「趕路」，趕到沒時間停下來思考為何而趕，趕到大小病痛都來報到。 

慢，慢，慢 

非洲原住民的生活智慧，竟與自律神經保健之道不謀而合。「要調節自律神經，一言以蔽之，就是『慢』。慢慢呼吸、慢慢行動、慢慢生活，」日本順天堂大學外科教授小林弘幸在《自律神經健康人50招》中提醒。 

他指出，現代人的自律神經失調多半是交感神經過度亢奮，「慢」能提升稍顯低下的副交感神經，讓自律神經傾斜的天秤恢復平衡。 


Newmindcentre.com治疗团队所能提供的治疗方法包括：
1.脑波反馈催眠疗法啟動副交感神經，安定身心 副交感神經的作用在于它使心跳變慢、呼吸平穩緩慢、腸胃蠕動變快、血壓下降等，使身體主要的器官系統活動力降低，達到身體休息與睡眠的狀態。

2.Newmindcentre.com咨询师将教导您使用食物保養神經的作用穩定 
大腦中有許多神經細胞，靠神經傳導物質當「傳令兵」，幫忙傳達指令，身體各部位一收到訊息，就會有所反應。 
神經傳導物質有上百種，其中和情緒、壓力有關的包括多巴胺、正腎上腺素、血清素等。好消息是，一些食物可以增加神經傳導物質的濃度，維持神經的作用穩定，不妨適量攝取。 

3.運動是一種好壓力，改善自律神經的功能 
壓力並非全然是壞事，適度壓力是好的，「運動就是一種好壓力，」精神科醫師楊明仁解釋，運動可以消耗讓人緊繃的腎上腺素，腦內啡和血清素則會增加，讓人放鬆、愉悅。 

吳立偉指出，規律運動可以改善自律神經的功能。最新研究顯示，第二型糖尿病患者合併自律神經失調，經15個月持續中等強度的有氧運動，可改善自律神經功能並幫助控制血糖。 

不是汗如雨下、氣喘如牛才算運動，小林弘幸推崇健走是效果最好、最安全的運動。 

因為運動量過大（如快跑），會造成呼吸淺而快，拉高交感神經的作用，副交感神經的作用下降，「這樣不但不能維持健康，甚至還可能加速老化，」而且呼吸短淺會讓末梢血液流動下降，代表氧氣及營養難以送到末梢神經及細胞，細胞便難以發揮功能。「如果考量健康，讓呼吸變短淺的運動是不好的，」他認為。反觀健走並不會讓人喘不過氣，還可邊走邊深呼吸，讓副交感神經活絡，並把氧氣和營養運送到每個細胞。 

4. 教导您个人化的自我催眠，从而改善睡眠质感
熬夜、睡眠不足也是自律神經的大敵。「不論一個人的自律神經原本多平衡，單單睡眠不足這一擊就足以讓他的自律神經失衡，」小林弘幸指出。 
長庚醫院腦神經外科教授張承能說，夜間本來是副交感神經發揮的時間，人自然想休息，硬是熬夜不睡、保持清醒，等於刺激交感神經繼續運作，副交感神經無從發揮，久而久之不但自律神經失調，其他的健康紅燈也一一亮起。「熬夜的人容易高血壓。」 

5.到戶外曬太陽、流汗，恢復自律神經調節體溫的能力 
流汗也是由自律神經控制，吳立偉指出，現代人長期依賴空調，身體調節體溫的功能愈來愈弱，這也是自律神經失調的原因之一。建議不要過於依賴冷暖氣，走到戶外曬曬太陽、呼吸新鮮空氣、流點汗，對調節自律神經是好事。 

6. Newmindcentre.com临床催眠师透过观察你的五感反应来推荐适当保健品，让您可利用五感舒緩神經 
諮商心理師邱永林說，視覺、聽覺、嗅覺、味覺、觸覺等五感，都會影響自律神經，比如某人心跳的速度大約每分鐘90～100下，若想放鬆，便可聽速度比心跳慢的音樂。他解釋，這是「帶走」現象，也就是身心會受到外在環境的影響，聽了節奏慢的音樂，心跳會隨之慢下來。
氣味也有效果。 比如薄荷、洋蔥、辣椒可刺激自律神經，如果希望自己有精神，不妨聞這些味道；反之如果想放鬆，就用薰衣草等柔和的香氣，讓副交感神經活躍一些。 

7. Newmindcentre.com咨询师将幫助您发泄情緒，不讓起伏的心情打亂自律神經的節奏 
心情起伏過大，會打亂自律神經的節律。吳立偉說，情緒過於高亢（緊張、不安、興奮等）或過於低落（悲傷、沮喪、失望、鬱悶等），都會阻礙交感與副交感神經正常運作，引發失調。



文章大部分内容摘取自以下网站，在此感谢以下作者为患者提供宝贵的资料：
http://www.commonhealth.com.tw/article/article.action?nid=66835&page=4
http://anscare.com.tw/
http://www.raphaelmedical.com.tw/index3.php?ad=1&p=112&b=7&ly=3

Are you a worrier? Then you're more likely to be smart！

People prone to anxiety have higher levels of intelligence (IQ)?

• Researchers surveyed 126 students about anxiety and intelligence
• They were scored on the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
• Those who ranked high for anxiety were also the most verbally intelligent
• Experts claim smart people consider past and future events in great detail
• This leads them to replay or imagine scenarios, worry and feel anxious   

Worriers can be kept awake at night replaying the day, or imagining all the possible worst case scenarios in their lives.

But they can at least take comfort in the fact that this behaviour could be a sign of intelligence.

More than 125 students were surveyed about their mood, anxiety levels and intelligence levels - and those found to worry the most, were also the smartest.

The research was carried out at Ontario's Lakehead University, led by Alexander Penney. 

The researchers surveyed 126 students about their anxiety levels, depression, overall mood, social skills, rumination and intelligence by gauging their responses to set questions.

The majority (77 per cent) of participants were women.

Based on their answers, each of the students were then ranked on the both the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale (CTAS) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS).

The higher scores on the respective tests indicate more severe test anxiety, and higher verbal intelligence.

People who are verbally intelligent are better at reading and writing, and have stronger verbal reasoning skills. 

By comparison, non-verbally intelligent people are better ‘hands-on’ learners and pick up skills using non-verbal clues.

In the study, those who ranked highest on CTAS were also the most verbally intelligent, according to the WAIS.

However, the students who scored highly for non-verbal intelligence were found to worry less.

Experts believe verbally intelligent people spend more time relaying past and future events, trying to make sense of them, for example.

This means they remember events, conversations and fears in greater detail than non-verbally intelligent people.

People who are non-verbal tend to pick up non-verbal clues, and live more ‘in the moment’ so have little need to replay situations.

‘It is possible that more verbally intelligent individuals are able to consider past and future events in greater detail, leading to more intense rumination and worry,’ said the researchers.

‘Individuals with higher non-verbal intelligence may be stronger at processing the non-verbal signals from individuals they interact with in the moment, leading to a decreased need to re-process past social encounters.’ 

心理学家：焦虑感强的人智商高

焦虑常被认为是心理健康的大敌，但加拿大湖首大学的研究者发现，焦虑水平最高的人往往也是最聪明的。

研究者选取了126名学生(77%为女性)，采用焦虑认知量表和韦氏成人智力量表对他们的情绪、焦虑抑郁程度、社会技能、反思能力和智商水平进行了测试。结果显示，焦虑评分较高的参与者，智力测试中的言语能力较强，更善于写作和阅读，语言推理能力也较强。心理学家认为，言语能力强的人会花更多时间对过去和未来的事情进行重演和设想，试图更好地理解事物的来龙去脉，也就意味着他们需要尽可能详细地记住发生过的事件、谈话和情感，进而经常陷入沉思，也容易焦虑。

You may want to contact us now for a brain screening or EEG screening session to empower your brain by using evidence-based method. 


Sources: 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2879265/Are-worrier-likely-smart-People-prone-anxiety-higher-levels-intelligence.html#ixzz3TiFfuUR7 
http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/12/22/worrying-linked-to-high-verbal-iq/78985.html

脑波反馈催眠疗法：自律神经失调与治疗

「醫師，我老是失眠！」「可能是自律神經失調。」

「我經常莫名地心跳加速，呼吸急促！」「應該是自律神經失調。」

「我也沒做什麼事，整天就全身無力沒有元氣。」「可能是自律神經出問題。」

似乎愈來愈常從醫師口裡說出，自律神經失調這個診斷名詞，罹患自律神經失調的人真的愈來愈多了嗎？

嚴格說來，自律神經失調並非單一疾病，所以沒有自律神經失調的流行病學調查報告，但是臨床上，有自律神經失調的患者的確增加了，因為現代人的生活步調太快，人和人的關係複雜，家人、親密關係複雜，工作及同儕環境也變複雜，金融海嘯、找不到工作的流浪博士......，這些都是壓力來源，而自律神經失調是壓力下引起的症狀，所以有自律神經失調的人愈來愈常見。

自律神經失調症狀百百種

幾乎所有症狀都可能和自律神經失調有關。「老是覺得心慌慌，快要心臟病發」、「呼吸急促氧氣不足，像是氣喘發作」、「肚子老是痛，一下便秘一下拉肚子」、「每天起床就覺得沒元氣」，生氣緊張時可以「怒髮衝冠」，害怕時腳底發寒、冷汗直流，可以說從頭皮到腳底，血管及皮膚等等，幾乎所有症狀都和自律神經有關。

自律神經的變化常會連帶發生肌肉張力增加。因為當面對危險或是不好的情況，腦的警覺度提高，自律神經的交感神經和副交感神經兩大系統，會一起動員，讓全身所有的器官及組織來配合，最主要地，肌肉要隨時用力，準備迎接挑戰或躲避逃跑。所以，絕大多數自律神經失調的病人都有頭痛症狀，因為警覺性會讓人肌肉繃緊，頸部及肩膀僵硬痠痛。緊張時，肌肉的收縮肌和舒張肌同時用力，全身肌肉張度過高，身體過度消耗氧氣及葡萄糖等能量，人也容易全身無力、易累疲倦、沒有元氣。

除了這些共通症狀外，自律神經失調的症狀很千變萬化，有些人會以氣喘等心肺功能症狀為主，有些人則是容易手腳冰冷，讓人奇怪：同樣都是自律神經失調，症狀表現為什麼不一樣？

實際情形是，自律神經雖然不受意志控制，卻很容易被暗示，而且還有學習效果。有些人可能看過親人罹患心臟病，甚至因而過世，就特別擔心心臟，自律神經失調時就會以心跳過速為主。

明明不舒服 為什麼查不出來

由於自律神經失調影響的，只是器官及組織表面上的神經功能，但患者本身器官及組織結構完好，所以檢查儀器往往查不出問題。一般人得知檢查一切正常，可能會很高興，但老覺得不舒服的自律神經失調患者聽到檢查不出問題，反而會更焦慮，以為：「我病情這麼嚴重，醫師卻檢查不出來，表示我的病一定很嚴重！」自己嚇自己，症狀愈來愈加重。

如果就醫時選對了專業的精神科醫師，或遇到警覺性高的醫師，告訴患者「檢查雖然顯示沒有器質上的問題，但並不表示真的沒問題，而是功能上失去平衡」，讓患者知道有人了解他的病痛，他反而會如釋重擔，覺得自己終於有救了。

自律神經失調的症狀
自律神經失調的症狀可以用「五花八門」來形容，罹病個案的不適症狀甚至可以由頭到腳、在不同部位來回轉移。以下是常見的症狀：
1.頭：頭暈、頭重、頭痛、頭部發麻、發燙感。
2.眼：眼睛疲勞、眼痛、淚眼、眼睛張不開、視線模糊、眼睛乾澀。
3.耳：耳鳴、耳阻塞感。
4.口：口乾、口渴、口內疼痛、口舌異常感、味覺異常。
5.喉嚨：阻塞感、異物感、壓迫感、發癢、異常咳嗽。
6.手：發麻、發抖、疼痛、感覺異常、發冷、發燙。
7.腳：下肢麻木、發冷、發燙、疼痛、腳跟貼地疼痛、肌肉跳動。
8.肌肉、關節：頸部緊繃酸痛、肩膀緊繃酸痛; 全身肌肉疼痛、多處神經痛、 背部及腰部緊繃疼痛、關節倦怠或無力。
9.呼吸器官：呼吸困難、肋間神經痛、呼吸肌肉緊繃酸痛、呼吸道阻塞感、類似鼻塞而無法呼吸、不自主深呼吸或嘆氣。
10.心臟：心悸(感覺到心跳)、心跳加速、心跳強勁、心臟無力感、胸悶、胸部壓迫感。
11.血官循環：血壓起伏變動（會出現假性高血壓）、頭昏眼花、手腳冰冷、臉部潮紅燥熱、起立性暈眩、血氣上衝、偏頭痛。
12.消化器官：食道阻塞感、噁心、嘔吐、胃部發熱、胃部痙攣、腹脹、腹部疼痛、便秘或腹瀉、腸胃蠕動異常、肛門口不快感、便意感頻繁。
13.膀胱：膀胱神經敏感、尿意感頻繁、頻尿、排連不易、排尿後不適感、殘尿感、尿床。
14.生殖器：性功能障礙。
15.皮膚：多汗、不出汗、異常發汗、皮膚乾燥、全身發癢、發燙、發冷。
16.精神症狀：焦躁易怒、莫名奇妙的恐慌不安感、寂寞孤獨感、悲傷感、沒有慾望、注意力不集中、記憶力減退。
17.全身症狀：全身倦怠、異常疲勞、全身無力、提不起勁、輕度發燒發燙、缺乏食慾、睡不著、淺眠或多夢、白天賴床睏倦。

怎樣克服「自律神經失調」&「生活焦慮」？

Newmindcentre.com: 我们使用Neuro-Hypnotherapy方法来帮助您！

生物回饋治療EEG Biofeedback therapy：利用人的心智希望能影響人體自主神經系統-可調節心跳、血液與消化作用的不隨意系統。本方法可將腦波從貝他(壓力)波(beta wave)轉換到阿爾法(靜態)波(alpha wave)。

在马来西亚，我们的脑波反馈催眠疗法Neuro-hypnotherapy结合生物回饋治療和临床催眠法;脑波反馈催眠疗法Neuro-hypnotherapy教导您如何自我转换到阿爾法(靜態)波(alpha wave)或慢波(theta wave)，让您可以改善自律神经失调问题。

自律神經是很奇妙的系統，很容易受暗示；而催眠是心理暗示行为，施术者通过语言、声音、动作、眼神的心理暗示在受术者的潜意识输入信息。因此透过催眠疗法，可大大改善自律神經失調的症狀。

资料来源: 

http://www.cth.org.tw/?aid=57&pid=96&page_name=detail&iid=359

http://www.twhealth.org.tw/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=487&Itemid=20

http://www.astm.org.tw/

Sleep therapy in Malaysia

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

New research into who needs sleep most, and why.

Post published by Art Markman Ph.D. on Feb 11, 2015 in Ulterior Motives

High school students who stay up late perform more poorly in school the following day. A lack of sleep may cause you to mix together different memories that did not occur together. In young adults, sleep also affects the ability to learn new procedures(link is external). 

These benefits of sleep lead naturally to speculation that sleep may help older adults avoid the cognitive declines that come along with aging. One possibility is that older adults who suffer from sleep difficulties decline faster than those who don’t. Another possibility is that regular sleep throughout life is associated with lower levels of problems.

A paper in the January, 2015 issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science(link is external) by Michael Scullin and Donald Bliwise tried to sort out what is going on. They performed a massive meta-analysis. (A meta-analysis looks across the many published studies in an area of research in order to explore what really seems to be happening in an area.)

There are many ways to study sleep and its effects on thought and aging. Some studies use self-reports of sleep quality and measurements of cognitive performance.  Some of these self-report studies look at people of different ages. Others are longitudinal. They examine the relationship between the quality of sleep people get at one point in time and their performance later in life.

Other studies use other measures of sleep. Some use a device called an actigraph, which measures whether the person is moving. (The Fitbit is a kind of actigraph.) Long periods without movement are good signals (though not perfect) that a person is sleeping. Still other studies measure physiological aspects like brain waves so that it is possible to tell both that people are asleep as well as which stage of sleep they are in. Finally, there are experimental manipulations of sleep, including sleep deprivation studies as well as studies in which people are randomly assigned to conditions in which they do or do not nap.

There are a lot of interesting findings in this paper, and it is worth giving it a read yourself for a more complete look at effects of sleep on thinking. But here are a few highlights:

First, the relationship between sleep and improved thinking is strongest earlier in life and gets weaker later. A good night’s sleep helps young adults learn better the next day. Sleep also helps young adults consolidate (or solidify) memories from the day before more than it helps older adults. Middle-aged adults show smaller effects of sleep on learning, and older adults show almost no relationship between sleep and learning at all. 

Sleep deprivation studies tell the same story. Sleep deprivation generally hurts thinking performance, but these effects are much stronger in younger adults and small or even non-existent in older adults. (This may explain why I can play the sax in a blues band until 2 a.m. on Sunday nights and still function at work the next day.)

Of course, part of the difficulty with studying sleep in older adults is that older adults generally need less sleep than younger adults, and the older adults who get the most sleep tend to be those who are sick and whose bodies are fighting off illness.

These results do suggest, though, that the amount of sleep that older adults are getting at that phase of their lives is not a cause of cognitive decline.

A particularly interesting result is that the quality of sleep in middle age influences cognitive health in old age. The longitudinal studies are particularly helpful for this work. When adults in their 40s and 50s get regular sleep and allow themselves to get the roughly eight hours of sleep they need, they show fewer signs of cognitive problems like senile dementia when they are older. Indeed, one of the studies in this sample measured sleep quality of adults in their 40s and followed up with them 28 years later.

Putting all of this together, then, it seems that sleep is most important for current cognitive performance in younger people, and that sleep plays less of a role in thinking as we age. Sleep in middle-aged adults is still important, though, because good sleep habits in middle age are associated with better mental health in old age.

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ulterior-motives/201502/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need?utm_source=FacebookPost&utm_medium=FBPost&utm_campaign=FBPost

In Malaysia, we provide neuro-hypnotherapy for sleep disorders and insomnia.

Contact us now for more information. 

Neurofeedback now available in Malaysia

Yes, you can now experience the wonder of clinical neurofeedback training in Malaysia!

Currently, I am practicing the clinical neurofeedback training in the Hypnosis Integrative Hub @ Life Care Diagnostic Medical Centre at Bangsar South (KL). I am a Singapore trained neurofeedback (Master Trainer Level) practitioner with many years of experience. Clinical Neurofeedback/EEG biofeedback deals with your subconscious mind and it is very effective in changing one's behavior, attention, concentration, stress arousal and emotion state. Contact me if you would like to know more about it.

Neurofeedback is a scientifically-based treatment for a variety of problems that result from a dysregulated nervous system. There have been hundreds (or more) of research studies to prove the effectiveness of Neurofeedback in the last 45 years. Recent meta analyses document the effectiveness of Neurofeedback in the treatment of ADHD (Arns, de Ridder, Strehl, Breteler, and Coenen, 2009). In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics rated Neurofeedback/ Biofeedback is rated as a Level 1 intervention for ADHD – the same as medication.

What is Neurofeedback?

Neurofeedback is direct training of brain function, by which the brain learns to function more efficiently. We observe the brain in action from moment to moment. We show that information back to the person. And we reward the brain for changing its own activity to more appropriate patterns. This is a gradual learning process. It applies to any aspect of brain function that we can measure. Neurofeedback is also called EEG Biofeedback, because it is based on electrical brain activity, the electroencephalogram, or EEG. Neurofeedback is training in self-regulation. It is simply biofeedback applied to the brain directly. Self-regulation is a necessary part of good brain function. Self-regulation training allows the system (the central nervous system) to function better.

Neurofeedback addresses problems of brain disregulation. These happen to be numerous. They include the anxiety-depression spectrum, attention deficits, behavior disorders, various sleep disorders, headaches and migraines, PMS and emotional disturbances. It is also useful for organic brain conditions such as seizures, the autism spectrum, and cerebral palsy.

Is Neurofeedback a Cure?

In the case of organic brain disorders, it can only be a matter of getting the brain to function better rather than of curing the condition. When it comes to problems of disregulation, we would say that there is not a disease to be cured. Where disregulation is the problem, self-regulation may very well be the remedy. But again the word "cure" would not apply.

What Conditions Can it Help?

Many children have sleep problems that can be helped such as Bed wetting, Sleep walking, sleep talking, Teeth grinding, Nightmares, Night terrors.

We can also be helpful with many of the problems of adolescence including Drug abuse, Suicidal behavior, Anxiety and depression.

We can also help to maintain good brain function as people get older. The good news is that almost any brain, regardless of its level of function, can be trained to function better.

Training effects last?

If the problem being addressed is one of brain disregulation, then the answer is yes, and that covers a lot of ground. Neurofeedback involves learning by the brain and if that brings order out of disorder, the brain will continue to use its new capabilities, and thus reinforce them.

Matters are different when we are dealing with degenerative conditions like Parkinson's or the dementias, or when we are working against continuing insults to the system, as may be the case in the autism spectrum. In such cases the training needs to be continued at some level over time. Allergic susceptibilities and food intolerances make it more difficult to hold the gains. Poor digestive function will pose a problem, as does poor nutrition. A child living in a toxic environment (in either the physical or the psychological sense) will have more difficulty retaining good function.

Your initial assessment costs RM190 only. 

Report will be given right after your consultation session. 

No worries, you won't be labelled in our centre. 

Suggestions will be offered as a starting point for training.

Further reading: 

[News on The Washington Post By Arlene Karidis 2015 January 19 ]

Therapists are using neurofeedback to treat ADHD, PTSD and other conditions

In September 2013, Chris Gardner went from kicking and spinning as a black belt in taekwondo to being locked in a world where he could not follow conversations — or even walk his dog. The 58-year-old Vienna, Va., resident had just had brain surgery to remove a large tumor, and the operation affected his mobility and cognition.

After nine months of physical and occupational therapy, he’d made little progress. So he tried neurofeedback, hoping this controversial treatment would improve his balance and mental processes.

Neurofeedback — a type of biofeedback — uses movies, video games, computers and other tools to help individuals regulate their brain waves. A patient might watch a movie, for example, while hooked to sensors that send data to a computer. A therapist, following the brain activity on a monitor, programs the computer to stop the movie if an abnormal number of fast or slow brain waves is detected or if the brain waves are erratic, moving rapidly from fast to slow waves.

The stop-and-start feedback, repeated over and over in numerous sessions, seems to yield more-normal brain waves. Researchers who endorse the technique say they don’t know exactly how it works but they say the changes in brain waves result in improved ability to focus and relax.

Better focus and relaxation can seemingly help improve or eliminate such conditions as migraines (imbalanced brain waves are associated with certain symptoms like pain) and anxiety.

Neurofeedback, which is also used for post-traumatic stress disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, has been around since the 1960s. Some research has found it promising. Other studies have been inconclusive, and some have shown no positive outcomes.

The most solid data concern ADHD, especially a recent trial involving 104 children published in March in the Journal of Pediatrics. Those who received neurofeedback had improvements in attention and impulse control, while those who did not receive the therapy did not. These improvements persisted after six months. The authors concluded that neurofeedback may be a “promising attention training treatment for children with ADHD.”

Gardner had read that the technique could aid in recovery from brain injuries.

“I was skeptical. But I was desperate. I felt like I was wrapped in miles of cotton and could not reach through it to touch or feel anything,” said Gardner, an electronic technology consultant. His doctor was projecting a two-to-three-year recovery period, based on Gardner’s slow progress nine months after surgery.

By his ninth neurofeedback session, he was driving, taking power walks and working from home.

Neurofeedback treatments vary. In Gardner’s case, he sat in a chair while tiny, pulsed signals were sent to his brain. Research suggests that these signals enable the brain to revive its communication channels, which can become impaired after a brain injury.

“I couldn’t feel anything” while the treatments were underway, Gardner said. “I just sat there with my eyes closed. My therapist explained that the pulses basically reboot the brain.”

He has just completed the last of 10 treatments. “I am not 100 percent. I probably won’t stand on my head or get on a roller coaster. But I can do almost everything I couldn’t do before,” said Gardner, who’s back to his martial arts.

“Do most people become totally normal? No. But they improve,” said Michael Sitar, a Bethesda psychologist certified in neurofeedback. He uses it to treat depression, ADHD, chronic pain and some other conditions.

“I find [that] people with focus problems can switch tasks easier. Kids who repeat themselves and who are emotionally labile become calmer and don’t repeat as much,” Sitar said. “With some complicated cases, like bipolar disorder, people may get by on less medication. Though less common, there are documented cases of nonverbal people who become verbal.”

Like riding a bike

Deborah Stokes, an Alexandria psychologist, compares neurofeedback to riding a bike: It’s non-conscious learning, based on the feedback, that, with repetition, can be long-lasting, she said.

“We don’t know exactly how neurofeedback works,” she said. “It’s a process where if clients get out of their own way, they relax. Over time, they get the desired brain pattern, feel calm and function better. This encourages them to stay with it.” Her team sees 30 patients a week.

Thomas Nicklin, whose family was living in Alexandria, saw Stokes for debilitating migraines. A year and a half after beginning a drug regimen prescribed by a neurologist, he was not getting better.

Nicklin, a teenager who was in boarding school, did 45 neurofeedback sessions over three months last year.

“Over time, Thomas went from three or four blinding migraines a week, vomiting and daily pain, to no symptoms,” said his mother, Pat Nicklin.

Silver Spring psychologist Robb Mapou is among the skeptics.

“I have not seen enough well-controlled, rigorous studies in most conditions for which it is recommended to show, definitively, that neurofeedback is effective. I also think there are other therapeutic factors that can contribute to an individual’s outcome, such as discussing their problems with a therapist.”

Michelle Harris-Love, a neuroscience researcher at the MedStar National Rehabilitation Network in Washington, agrees.

“I believe it is applied in some situations where we do not have enough information on the cause of a disorder or how recovery happens,” she said.

But Rex Cannon, past president of the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research, based in McLean, Va., cited nearly 200 peer-reviewed published articles that indicate neurofeedback’s effectiveness. This includes a meta-analysis of 10 studies on epilepsy patients: Although they had not responded to medications, they had a significant reduction in seizures after neurofeedback treatment. And a study on migraine patientsreported, “Neurofeedback appears to be dramatically effective in abolishing or significantly reducing migraine frequency in the great majority of patients.”

Patients usually have sessions two or three times a week, for a total of 10 to 40. Most sessions are 30 to 60 minutes long. They can be expensive — from $50 to $130 each. Some insurance policies cover neurofeedback, depending on the diagnosis.

Mary Lee Esty, a Bethesda clinical social worker, has a small study underway treating veterans with PTSD. In an earlier study of seven veterans who used neurofeedback, she reported, the results were promising.

“These people [in the early study] initially had minimal function. They could not work, and many attempted suicide,” she said. “One is getting a PhD now. One has a full scholarship when he could not read after his head injury. All of them are doing well.”

Other studies describe results of the therapy in a similar way, as promising but requiring further examination.

Esty, who received a National Institutes of Health grant for an earlier study of brain-injured patients, has used neurofeedback to treat more than 2,500 people, mainly with brain injuries or PTSD. In her most recent and still ongoing study, she collaborates with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, which gives participants in her program post-treatment evaluations.

“I am in this collaboration because I want to get the hard data out there,” Esty said.

Karidis is a freelance writer.

Source:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/therapists-are-using-neurofeedback-to-treat-adhd-ptsd-and-other-conditions/2015/01/16/b38e6cee-5ec3-11e4-91f7-5d89b5e8c251_story.html
http://www.eeginfo.com/what-is-neurofeedback.jsp
https://geekdad.com/2017/01/neurofeedback-what-it-is-what-it-does-what-you-need-to-know/