Alpha-Stim® Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia

Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia
Alpha-Stim® Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation is an electrotherapeutic modality that has FDA clearance for treating anxiety, depression, and insomnia. For almost 30 years, thousands of patients and health care professionals have been benefiting from Alpha-Stim® treatments.

Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES)
The Alpha-Stim® SCS utilizes Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES), which is a safe, non-drug approach to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Its tiny "microcurrents" are thought to stimulate the areas of the brain responsible for neurotransmitter and hormone production. CES produces beneficial changes in the brain's electrical activity and can induce a pleasant, relaxed feeling of wellbeing.

Benefits to Counseling and EMDR
Because of its effectiveness with lowering stress and anxiety, the Alpha-Stim® can be very supportive to the counseling process and EMDR treatment. Some clinicians believe that the Alpha-Stim® treatment supports the central nervous system (CNS) and therefore helps you to process feelings more effectively. Due to its calming effect, the Alpha-Stim can support you to be more relaxed and focused, allowing for more effective processing of trauma and painful feelings.

Scientific Research
The efficacy and safety of Alpha-Stim® is backed by more than 50 research studies. Most of the studies were double-blind placebo controlled and were conducted at major universities in the U.S. Currently, the U.S. government is funding several Alpha-Stim® studies. At present, there are over 126 research studies on CES in humans and 29 experimental animal studies. The overwhelming majority of the scientific research is extremely positive. No significant lasting side effects have been reported in over two decades of use.

Clinical Results
In a survey of 47 physicians reporting on 500 patients, Alpha-Stim® treatments produced clinically significant results (at least 25% improvement) in the vast majority of patients, including:

• 94% with anxiety
• 90% with depression
• 93% with stress
• 80% with insomnia

And, nearly half of the patients in the anxiety, depression, and stress categories had 75 to 100% relief.

How the Alpha-Stim® CES Works
According to neuroscientist, James Giordano, Ph.D., "The exact mechanism by which Alpha-Stim® produces effects is not fully known. However, based on previous and ongoing studies, it appears that the Alpha-Stim® microcurrent waveform activates particular groups of nerve cells located at the brainstem, a site at the base of the brain that sits atop of the spinal cord. These groups of nerve cells produce the chemicals serotonin and acetylcholine, which can affect the chemical activity of nerve cells that are both nearby and at more distant sites in the nervous system. In fact, these cells are situated to control the activity of nerve pathways that run up into the brain and that course down into the spinal cord."

The Alpha State
Dr. Giordano goes on to point out that "by changing the electrical and chemical activity of certain nerve cells in the brainstem, Alpha-Stim® appears to amplify activity in some neurological systems, and diminish activity in others. This neurological 'fine tuning' is called modulation, and occurs either as a result of, or together with the production of a certain type of electrical activity pattern in the brain known as an alpha state which can be measured on brain wave recordings (EEG). Such alpha rhythms are accompanied by feelings of calmness, relaxation and increased mental focus. The neurological mechanisms that are occurring during the alpha state appear to decrease stress-effects, reduce agitation and stabilize mood, and control both sensations and perceptions of particular types of pain."