Altered States of Consciousness

1. Altered States of Consciousness Ch. 7

2. What is Consciousness? • Consciousness is awareness of ourselves and our environment. • Occurs at different levels: • Mental processes actually occur at different layers or levels • Conscious level: This is the level at which a person is aware of mental events at a given moment. • Preconscious level: This is the level at which a person's mental events that are outside of his/her current awareness can be brought into consciousness voluntarily (i.e., by remembering). • Unconscious: This is a structure that Sigmund Freud theorized but did not prove to exist that holds repressed memories/desires. Carl Jung believed that the unconscious mind is connected with a collective unconscious that contains ancestral memories

3. Sleeping & Dreaming

4. What is sleep? • Sleep is an altered state of consciousness in which people become relatively, but not totally, unaware of external stimulation • The need for sleep varies among individuals, but ranges from 20 hours for infants to 6 hours for adults in their 70s. • Loss of sleep results in a suppressed immune system, impaired creativity and concentration, slowed performance and misperceptions on monotonous tasks. • b. Benefits of sleep include restoration of energy, repairing of brain and body tissue, and release of growth hormones.

5. Stages of Sleep • Quiet Sleep: This is NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep • Stage 1 lasts from 30 seconds to 10 minutes (Note: All times are approximate and vary considerably in duration from person to person during a night's sleep) and is characterized by sensory images and slow rolling eye movements and recognized by the appearance of theta waves on an EEG. • Stage 2 lasts about 20 minutes and is recognized by the appearance of theta waves, sleep spindles and K-complexes on an EEG. • Stage 3 is the transition to Stage 4 sleep, recognized on an EGG by the beginning of delta waves. • Stage 4 is deep sleep lasting about 30 minutes, recognized by 20-50% delta waves in an EEG reading.

6. Active Sleep: This is REM (rapid eye movement) state of consciousness following a cycle of NREM sleep. • Some researchers consider REM to be a separate state of consciousness rather than a stage of sleep. Nearly all dreams occur in REM. • Dreams that occur during REM are more vivid and story-like than dreams that occur in sleep Stages 2 or 3. • Periods of REM sleep typically increase during the night, from less than a minute to almost an hour, and they total about 25% of an average night's sleep. • REM sleep causes atonia which is temporary paralysis of the body during REM. • The brain seems to be active and awake while the body shows loss of muscle tone.

7. During REM, hormones are released that influence the thinking process and counteract fatigue, irritability and inattention. • REM rebound is a phenomenon of increased REM sleep following a period of REM deprivation. • NREM Sleep Function During NREM sleep: the body replenishes itself physically in several ways for example, the pituitary gland releases growth hormones, and body tissues are restored.

8. What is dreaming? • Dreaming is a series of thoughts, images or emotions usually occurring in story-like form during sleep. • Duration of dreaming ranges from a few seconds to a few minutes to as long as an hour. • Organization of dreaming is usually somewhat logical and story-like. • Lucid dreaming is a state of dreaming where the sleeper can direct the dream or is aware that she/he is dreaming.

9. Theories of Dreaming • Sigmund Freud viewed dreams as wish fulfillment in which the manifest content is a censored version of the latent content. • Activation-synthesis theory states that the dream story results from the brains trying to interpret meaningless, periodic, random neural firings occurring during REM. • Problem solving/information processing theory states that dreams are caused by peoples reviewing problems they faced during waking hours.

10. Drugs that alter consciousness

11. Psychoactive Drugs • Drugs that affect the brain and change consciousness and other psychological processes. • Most affect the brain by altering the interaction between neurotransmitters and receptors. • Can cause: • Physical dependence or addiction • Psychological state in which drug use is necessary to prevent a withdrawal symptom • Tolerance • Increasingly large drug does are necessary to achieve the same effect • Psychological Dependence • Continued use of drug use despite adverse effects, the need to use the drug for a sense of well-being, preoccupation with obtaining the drug

12. Categories • Depressants • Stimulants • Opiates • Psychedelics

13. Depressants reduce the activity of the central nervous system Depressants Alcohol Barbiturates Anxiolytics

14. Alcohol • Alcohol • causes memory problems, poor motor coordination and can suppress breathing and heartbeat to the point of fatality. • Genetic factors may contribute to an inhibition of, or predisposition to alcohol dependence. • High potential for physical and psychological dependence.

15. Barbiturates • cause relaxation, mild euphoria, loss of muscle coordination and lowered attention. • Withdrawal symptoms can be severe. • Examples include sleeping pills and "downers". • High potential for physical and psychological dependence.

16. Anxiolytics • cause relaxation, anxiety reduction or sleep • cause relaxation, anxiety reduction or sleep • with long-term use they can cause panic, confusion, anger and memory loss. • examples include Librium, Valium and other tranquilizers. • high potential exists for physical and psychological dependence

17. increase behavioral and mental activity • stimulate the brain and the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, • raise heart rate and blood pressure • reduce appetite • increase alertness and response speed Stimulants Caffeine Nicotine MDMA

18. Cocaine • causes euphoria, self-confidence and optimism • use can lead to nausea, • overactivity • insomnia, • paranoia, • hallucinations, • sexual dysfunction • seizures • heart attack • Stroke • behavior problems in babies exposed to cocaine during mother's pregnancy • includes derivatives such as crack, which is a purified, fast-acting, potent, smokeable form • high potential exists for physical and psychological dependence

19. Caffeine • reduces drowsiness, improves problem-solving ability, increases capacity for physical work, raises urine production, induces anxiety and causes tremors • found in coffee, tea, chocolate, some soft drinks and may be the world's most popular drug. • withdrawal symptoms include headaches, fatigue, anxiety, shakiness and craving • moderate potential exists for physical and psychological dependence

20. Nicotine • causes elevated moods, improved memory and an increase in attention • major ingredient in tobacco • withdrawal symptoms include craving, anxiety, irritability and lowered heart rate • use constitutes a major risk for cancer, heart disease and respiratory disorders

21. MDMA or ecstasy • Methylenedioxymethamphetamine • causes visual hallucinations, dry mouth, hyperactivity, muscle aches, fatigue, depression and poor concentration • negative effects include permanent brain damage and development of panic disorder • low potential for physical and psychological dependence

22. relieve pain and cause euphoria and relaxation Opiates Opium Morphine Heroin

23. Opium • relieves pain and causes relaxation and feelings of well-being • derived from the poppy plant • carries a high potential for physical and psychological dependence • Wizard of Oz

24. Morphine • relieves pain and causes euphoria • derived from opium • high potential exists for physical and psychological dependence

25. Heroin • relieves pain and causes euphoria • derived from morphine, but 3 times as powerful • high potential exists for physical and psychological dependence

26. Psychedelics cause loss of contact with reality; alter emotions, perception and thought; and can cause hallucinations Psychedelics LSD Marijuana PCP

27. LSD • Also known as “acid” • causes hallucinations, short-term memory loss, paranoia, violent outbursts, nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks • developed by Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman in 1938 • users develop a tolerance for it • low potential exists for physical and psychological dependence

28. Marijuana • causes euphoria, relaxation, food craving, time distortion and an increase in vivid sensations • originates from the hemp plant (Cannabis sative) • Negative effects include: • disruption of memory formation and muscle coordination, motor skills impairment • lowered academic achievement • confused reasoning skills • harm to a developing fetus • Low potential exists for physical dependence, moderate potential for psychological dependence

29. PCP • Also known as “angel dust” • causes euphoria, hallucinations, distorted sensations, violent tendencies and a masking of pain • Negative effects include: • respiratory depression • generalized seizure activity • pulmonary edema • self-inflicted injury due to the complete masking of pain and tendency to violent activity • high potential for physical and psychological dependence