has anyone here used cranial electro-therapy stimulation for anxiety, etc?

[RainDog]

In a thread in another forum, someone mentioned this non-drug option that seems to work and, over the long term, seems to be less expensive than any pharma thing.

I just wondered if anyone here had user-end experience with alpha-stim - that's the only product I saw for this sort of approach.

[Jamastiene]

1. It that that thing that looks like a gigantic metal spider?

If so, I've tried it. It caused lots of laughter, mostly by me. Not sure if those are the results I was supposed to get, but it just felt so freakily cool and fun. I enjoyed it. If that's not what you are talking about, I'm not sure I can help with your question.

[RainDog]

2. not that I've seen

it's a little thing about the size of an i-pod with things that look like earphones, except they're clips that someone attaches to each earlobe.

here's some info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_Electrotherapy_Stimulation

for anxiety, ptsd

http://www.ptsdmanual.com/alphastim.htm

this site is sort of groovy (I don't mean that in a good way, as far as medical issues are concerned) but it has a bibliography from reputable sources. I can access some of those articles later to see what they say.

http://www.dynamind.com/cesfaq.htm

I saw a couple of articles from peer reviewed journals online too, in relation to CES and depression, if you want to google. they were pdfs. also for alzheimers.

it's the same principle as more invasive techniques (vagus nerve stuff) and old shock therapy - but while the older thing was like a sledge hammer, this is more like an acupuncture needle (maybe in more ways than one?)

[TZ]

3. Not worth it unless you are seriously ill

My uncle had some sort of elctroshock therapy much like you mentioned. Less expensive? Perhaps. Riskier. Yes.
Not something to play about with. It can make the strongest anti-depressant look like a sugar pill.
Remember it is LESS tested than traditional treatments.

[RainDog]

4. obviously not for joking around

it's not ect, tho. it doesn't cause memory loss or loss of consciousness, etc. etc. I just used ect as a "sort of on this principle" example.

this has no side effects that are related to ect in any studies I've seen. this is also something that is not done outside of a doctor's supervision/knowledge. this targets a particular frequency of brainwaves. it's not like putting a fork in an electrical socket.

no, this is in the case of dx'd major clinical anxiety and depression that has been unresponsive for years. or rather, responsive to medication after a month or so, and then only at a certain subsistence level of functioning, but not fully functioning. far, far below fully-functioning. so far below that it impairs someone's ability to participate in daily activities and interferes with the ability to survive. that's what major anxiety and clinical depression does - seriously incapacitates a person and threatens survival. --it interferes with the ability to complete simple and basic tasks and causes a retreat from a person's interaction with other humans - to the point, say that someone will not leave the house to buy groceries. --that sort of basic level of functioning.

that's real and very serious.

I was just curious if anyone here had experience with it.

[LynzM]

5. Nope :(

I tried Lexapro and Lorazepam for my anxiety. The only thing that really has made a significant difference for me is giving up wheat.

Good luck to you... anxiety sucks. :hug: