PSYCHE AND THE SKIN: BIOLOGICAL FEEDBACK
Behind bio-feedback lies something of a revolution in medical theory. Man’s muscles are obviously at the command of his will. He can force his arms to move up and down, his eyelids to blink fast or slow. Until recently it had been thought that man cannot consciously control his autonomic nervous system, the unseen regulator of such processes as pulse rate, glandular secretions, and oxygen consumption—the complex mechanisms which, when they go wrong, so frequently trigger the stress diseases.
Taking advantage of the many delicate electronic devices now available, doctors and psychologists have set up systems in which patients are kept continuously informed of what is going on within certain organs. For example, a blood pressure monitor may be set up in front of the subject. By concentrating on the monitor, the subject may learn to moderate the blood pressure. Nobody knows how this is done, and the theories are many. The feedback signal is the vital element, the tool by which a patient learns control, and having learned it, the subject can sometimes then go back into the stressful world and control his visceral response without needing the visible feedback signal.
The brain itself emits different electrical signals during different activities. The highest frequency signal, called beta, is emitted under pressure to complete tasks. Next down the scale is alpha, reflecting a more relaxed and contemplative mood. Then comes theta, associated with creative thinking; and delta, the lowest frequency, which comes with sleep. This brainwave activity can be monitored with special instruments. It has been demonstrated that people can be trained, through feedback, to shift their brains from beta to alpha, and sometimes even to theta waves. Here again, then is a method which some people may use in certain circumstances to modify their anxiety levels.
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