Altered States of Consciousness

1. Altered States of Consciousness

2. Consciousness • Our awareness of ourselves and our environment

3. Altered states of consciousness • Sleep • Hypnotic states • Chemically induced hallucinations

4. Biological Rhythms • Normal physiological fluctuations in the body • Circadian rhythm • The biological clock • As we age we go from being “night owls” to “morning larks” • Bright light facilitates the resetting of the biological clock • Light activates retinal proteins, these proteins trigger the brain’s suprachiasmatic nucleus (cells that control the biological clock)

5. The suprachiasmatic nucleus causes the brain’s pineal gland to decrease (AM) and increase (PM) its production of melatonin • The longer we are awake our brains produce adenosine • making us SLEEPY • Caffeine blocks adenosine • You can reset your biological clock by altering your normal sleep schedule • Sleeping in on Sunday yields “Monday morning blues” • Most adults are on a 25 hour day due to the invention of the light bulb, our biological clocks adjust to the artificial illumination

6. Sleep • REM sleep • Rapid Eye Movement sleep • DREAM SLEEP • nREM sleep non Rapid Eye Movement sleep • Brain Waves electrical activity in the brain • Alpha waves awake but relaxed • Delta waves large slow waves in stages 3 & 4

7. Sleep Cycles • Stage 1-4 nREM sleep • Sleep is a state we do not know we are in until we leave it • Hallucinations are common during stage 1 • Hypnagogic sensations the most common being: • Weightlessness (alien abductions) • Falling sensation • Sensing a "presence" (often malevolent) • Pressure/weight on body (especially the chest or back). • Sleep spindles (rapid, rhythmic brain activity) are common during stage 2 • nREM sleeps function is to rejuvenate the body • Snoring occurs during nREM sleep

8. REM sleep • About 100 minutes a night • Body is paralyzed during REM to protect itself from harm during dreams • Purpose of REM is to restore cognitive functioning • We dream EVERY night • Biology of REM • Increase blood flow to the brain • Penile erections in males; increase in vaginal secretions in females • Increase in heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure

9. REM rebound • When REM deprived subjects go immediately into REM sleep and dream more than usual • Newborns spend 2/3 of their day sleeping • Some people function on less than 6 hours a night; others sleep more than 9 hours a night • Sleep patterns are genetically and culturally influenced • Most people would awake refreshed, and have a positive mood with 9 hours of sleep a night

10. Sleep Deprivation • Sleep deprivation causes your body to accrue a “sleep debt” that will eventually be paid in full. • Your body will TAKE the sleep it requires when it is deprived • Sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system (this is why we sleep more when we’re sick to get better) • Irritability • Anxiety • Trouble concentrating • Impaired creativity

11. The Purpose of Sleep • Sleep protected our ancestors • (from nocturnal predators) • Sleep restores and repairs brain tissue • Sleep helps rebuild fading memories of the day’s experience • Pituitary gland releases growth hormone during sleep

12. Sleep Disorders • 2 levels of sleep dysfunction • Dysomnia (extremes in sleep) • Parasomnia (abnormal sleep behavior) • Dysomnia • Insomnia (not getting enough restorative sleep; 4-11 hours) • Hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness) • Narcolepsy (periodic overwhelming sleepiness brought on by strong emotions) • Breathing related Sleep disorder (sleep apnea) • Where a subject stops breathing during sleep; waking up up to 100 times a night • Higher risk for cardiac arrhythmia • 2 types obstructive (physical obstruction) and central (neurological, SIDS) • Circadian Rhythm disorders • “Night owls” common among teens and young adults • Jet lag • Shift work

13. Parasomnia • Nightmares • Sleep walking/talking (stage 4) • Non specific group

14. Psychoactive Drugs • Chemicals that change perceptions and moods • Addiction craving for a substance despite its adverse consequences • Tolerance where the user requires larger and larger doses to achieve the desired affect • Withdrawal the physical and psychological pain a user experiences due to drug abuse • Physical dependence physical pain and intense cravings • Psychological dependence the psychological need to abuse a drug; ie relieve stress

15. Classes of Drugs and dependence factor • Depressants- suppress the body’s functions • MODERATE • (ex. alcohol, rohypnol) • Stimulants- excite the body’s functions • HIGH • (ex. caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines) • Hallucinogens- cause vivid and colorful hallucinations • LOW • (ex. LSD, marijuana, PCP) • Narcotics- pain killers, reduce the body’s susceptibility to pain • HIGH • (ex. Heroin, morphine)

16. Classifications of drugs • Depressants • Alcohol • Slows the sympathetic nervous system • Lowers inhibitions • Suppresses REM sleep function (inhibiting the rebuilding memories during sleep) • Barbiturates (tranquilizers, downers) • Depress nervous system activity • Induce sleep and reduce anxiety • Combined with alcohol can be lethal

17. Neurotransmitters affected by drug use • Serotonin- mood, sleep, sexual behavior, aggression (hallucinogens affect) • Dopamine- pleasure and reward centers, voluntary movement (cocaine, amphetamines, alcohol affect) • Norepinephrine- heart rate, sleep, stress, responsiveness, mood ( • Endorphins- the body’s natural painkillers

18. Stimulants • Excite neural activity and arouse the body’s functions • Increase heart rate and breathing • Cause pupils to dilate • Appetite to diminish • Stimulants are abused to: • stay awake • Lose weight • Boost mood • Enhance athletic performance

19. Stimulants • The most widely abused are: • Caffeine • Nicotine • Amphetamines (speed or uppers) • Cocaine • Ecstasy • Methamphetamine

20. Stimulants • Even low level stimulants are addictive; you may experience the “rocket rise and crash effect” • Fatigue, headaches, irritability, and depression

21. Methamphetamines • Diarrhea, nausea • Loss of appetite, insomnia, tremor, jaw-clenching • Agitation, compulsive fascination with repetitive tasks • Talkativeness, irritability, panic attacks • Increased libido • Dilated pupils • Drug craving • Weight loss • Withdrawal-related depression Erectile dysfunction ("Crystal cock") • Rapid tooth decay ("meth mouth") • Amphetamine psychosis • Formication (sensation of flesh crawling with bugs, with possible associated compulsive picking and infecting sores "Meth Mites") • Brain damage • Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations • Kidney damage

22. Caffeine and Nicotine • Both enhance the natural reward chemicals in the brain • Too much caffeine has adverse effects that are minor therefore limiting intake (ex. Nausea, anxiety) • In contrast nicotine is much more dangerous and more addictive • The negative impact of smoking is greater than all other psychoactive drugs combined (ex. Cancer, emphysema, heart disease) • 47 million Americans smoke, 3 million are teens; increasing by 3000 daily

23. Cocaine • Fast track from “rocket to crash” • Crack (cocaine mixed with baking soda & heated) is potent form of cocaine • Cocaine can be snorted, free-based (injected, smoked) • The high of cocaine diminishes the brain’s supply of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine • Crack’s “rocket to crash” effect works even faster than cocaine • Emotional disturbance, convulsions, cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, aggression

24. Ecstasy • Stimulant and mild hallucinogen • Releases the brains supply of serotonin causing the “feel good” effect and blocks reabsorption of serotonin; also triggers the release of dopamine • Dehydration, hyperthermia, elevated blood pressure

25. Hallucinogens • Distort perception and evoke sensory images in the absence of input • LSD • Ecstasy • Marijuana

26. LSD • (Lysergic acid diethylamide), “acid trip” • Euphoria, detachment, panic • Colorful, vivid hallucinations • When the hallucinatory experience peaks people frequently feel detached from their bodies and experience dreamlike scenes as though they are real therefore injuring themselves

27. Marijuana • Consists of flowers and leaves of the hemp plant • The active ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydocannabinol) • Marijuana can be consumed a number of ways from smoking to eating (smoking being the method of choice simply because it speeds THC to the brain) • Marijuana lingers in the body’s systems for usually a month

28. Narcotics • Opiates (heroin, morphine, oxycotin) • Derived from the poppy flower; used for its analgesic (pain killing) effects • Depress neural functioning • Painkilling effects; • Increase tolerance and physical dependence • Opiates mimic endorphins causing the brain to stop production of endorphin resulting in painful withdrawal symptoms

29. Opiates • Opiates such as heroin, codeine and morphine are HIGHLY addictive • Drug rehab centers usually give methadone to wean abusers from other more dangerous opiates • Methadone is taken orally thus diminishing the high (injection of heroin is the method of choice due to the strong rush of euphoria) but this method does work • Patients who take opiates for pain control rarely become highly addicted; this is due to opiates affecting parts of the brain other than the “pleasure centers”.

30. What is Hypnosis? • Normal consciousness & the power of social influence • Where subjects perform for the hypnotist (subjects performing for the hypnotizer) • Divided consciousness • where you “zone out” while driving and having a conversation or doodling while listening to a teacher

31. Myths about hypnosis • Everyone can be hypnotized • Yes • Hypnosis can make you recall forgotten memories • no • Hypnosis can make people do things they don’t want to do • yes • Hypnosis can be used as a type of therapy • Yes • Hypnosis can alleviate pain • yes

32. Hypnosis • Most of the hypnotic techniques we utilize come from the teaching of Anton Mesmer • Mesmerized (trance-like) • The beginning of hypnosis being associated with quackery

33. Hypnosis • A state of awareness characterized by deep relaxation, heightened suggestibility and focused attention • The power doesn’t lie in the hypnotist; it lies in the person who is hypnotized • The most important factor in hypnosis is susceptibility • Those with high susceptibility are more likely to experience pain relief, and experience perceptual distortions

34. Practical use for Hypnosis • Desensitizing phobic patients • Eliminating unwanted behaviors (smoking) planting posthypnotic suggestions to diminish cravings • Managing pain where a patient wants to avoid anesthesia