mental relaxation

Biofeedback of EEG alpha in the treatment of obsessive ruminations: An exploration

The enhancement of EEG alpha through various meditative techniques and biofeedback has been shown to correlate with alterations in mental as well as muscular activity towards a state of relaxation. We thought that such mental relaxation might be reciprocally inhibitory to ruminative activity characteristic of the obsessive neurotic. Five ruminating obsessives were given 7–20 biofeedback training sessions to learn control of EEG alpha. Results indicate that (1) some obsessives can learn EEG control; (2) special augmented instructions seem no better than standard, minimal instructions in aiding Ss to produce alpha; (3) subjective states during alpha are reported as relaxed, daydreaming and not thinking; and (4) although difficult to generalize beyond the feedback situation, virtually no ruminations occur during alpha regardless of the amount of alpha produced. Further study is indicated before a treatment program can be considered.