Hi TowardsADistantWhole, if you're still looking to get started with neurofeedback, I think I can help you. . I've started the neurofeedback journey last May this year (2016). I bought a Neurobit Optima 4 together with Bioexplorer software along with brain-trainer protocols, TAGsync software and ofcourse the electrodes, bluetooth adapter, conductive paste etc.
Before I made my biggest investment ever, I had read a lot about neurofeedback and how it can be of great help in healing mental disorders and improve many things on many levels. My reason to start with it was because I was experiencing social anxiety, which ment I would sometimes get panic attacks when being around people. Other times it was more subtle, but all in all it made me a non-functional person. I wasn't able to go to school or working at a job. Going to the mall to do groceries was terrifying, I was basically living like a hermit at my mother's place.
I also experienced intense reocurring depressive periods which mostly lasted for up to a week. These depressive periods always seemed to come randomly without any event that might have triggered it. I've read so much about Neurofeedback (since I had so much time) that I knew it could help me with these issues I was experiencing. I was really desperate and I was able to get a loan so that I could invest in my mental health. It was scary to invest such a large amount in something I didn't had any experience with. But luckily I met someone online used to be in the same boat as me, but had fixed all of his problems (and achieved more) with NFB and was already experienced in apllying this technology to himself. He added me to a Skype-group which is consisting of around 30 persons, who are all doing NFB. Some of them are really experienced and doing this for some years now. Some of them also had social anxiety. They told me I would see great results if I would follow my comprehensive training plan. They said I would become able to give a presentation to a group and feel calm while doing it. They were right. I'm lucky that I had such guidance in the beginning stages of my NFB journey, because it really is a difficult technology to understand when you have to do it on your own. Ofcourse you can learn it, but it will take a lot of time.
I was advised to start with a TLC assesment from brain-trainers.com, since this would give me a lot of information about the current state of my brain. Then I got a personalized plan which included certain selected brain-trainer protocols based upon the TLC assesment data, but also TAGsync sessions. TAGsync really is super powerfull, very transformative and it's also a great aid in improving your meditating abilities among many other things. It goes too far to explain it here. You should look it up if you haven't heared of it before.
So basically I did brain-trainer protocols together with TAGsync training in BioExplorer software. I would say I did about 75 hours of neurofeedback (in short: NFB) in total over the last few months. This literally changed my life. I know it sounds cliche. I can hardly believe how much progress I've made.
I'm now studying on the university, having to be in classrooms and interact with a lot of people. Before NFB I was afraid to go shopping for groceries and was having panic attacks at the cash desk. At the first day of my new education, we had to present ourselves in the group. I was able to calmly present myself. Something I wouldn't be able to do a few months ago. I have no problems anymore to go to places where there are a lot of people etc. I.e. my social anxiety is mostly gone. I'm still not an alpha-male so to say, but I don't have to be. I'm calm and content to be myself. I don't get triggered anymore. Oh yeah, I also had a blushing phobia, lol I forgot. That was really killing me, I was already looking into possible surgeries that could fix it. Now that I don't have it anymore for some time now, it makes me forget in what kind of a crappy place I was back then. With all this anxiety gone, I can now finally function normally and do normal things without having the feeling that I'm going to die. Also I don't experience recurring depressive periods anymore. Its weird, while writing this I realize how much I improved. Also my mental capacities seem better. I think I'm able to concentrate better, however this could also be that I'm just getting acustomed to studying a lot, now that I've started a new education. Although TAGsync has been known to increase concentration abilities.
So all in all, great results. However I've done some stupid things and the person who I got the loan from is demanding her money back. We agreed that I could pay her back in terms, however unforeseen costs over the last months has made this impossible for me. She now demands her money back. I'm obligated to do so. However I still have debts. Since I already accomplished what I want, I'm selling the NFB equipment to someone who's looking for an affordable way to start with it. I'm now fully functional and able to just be a normal human being, so I'm content with that. Ofcourse when I train more I'm able to get even better results (even after 300 sessions people are experiencing improving results). And with TAGsync the potential seems endless, so it feels kind of sad to let that go. At least for now, because I most likely will be buying NFB equipment again when my financial situation is stable.
So if someone is interested in starting with neurofeedback on their own and who needs assistance in getting started with it. I'm able to help a lot I think. Ofcourse you get a discount on the equipment. However I can assure you everything is in a new state. I even kept the Neurobit Optima 4 in a sealed box when I wasn't training, so that no dust particles could accumulate in the device. I know it's probably kind of overkill, but this shows how carefull I was with handling the equipment. This was the biggest investment of my life, and I would say also the best one.
I still got the receipt and the Neurobit Optima 4 warranty, which still is (24 - 4) = 20 months. I also have a lot of Ten20 paste left. But I think most importantly, I will add you to the skype-group where you can ask all your questions to people who are doing NFB on their own for years now and who were always happy to help me. But besides that I will assure you that I assist you in getting started with everything and be there for any questions. If you are still interested in getting started with NFB, you can send me a message. I live in the Netherlands btw, so that will also save you quite a lot of money. Since shipping neurofeedback equiment from the U.S. will cost quite a lot due to the customs charges.
Gerhart