Chapter 7: Altered States of Consciousness

Chapter 7:Altered States of Consciousness

Section 1: Sleep and Dreams

Sleep is:a state of altered consciousness, characterized by certain patterns of brain activity and inactivity.vital to mental health.restorative – it allows the brain to recover from exhaustion and stress while the body conserves energy.

Stages of SleepPrior to sleep, the body temperature decreases, pulse rate drops, and breathing becomes slow and even.Stage I – pulse becomes even slower, muscles relax, breathing becomes uneven and brain waves become irregular.Stage II – brain waves will shift in amplitude and frequency, eyes roll from side to side.

Stage III – deeper sleep, large amplitude delta waves sweep across the brain every second.Stage IV – deepest sleep and difficult to awaken a sleeper in this stage, muscles are even more relaxed, eyes move rapidly (REM), pulse rate and breathing is irregular, levels of adrenal and sexual hormones rise.

* cycle repeats about every 90 minutes**at no point does the brain become totally

inactive

Sleep DisordersInsomniaSleep ApneaNarcolepsyNightmares and Night TremorsSleepwalking and Sleep Talking

Dreams are the mental activity that takes place during sleep.Because the amounts of time spent in REM sleep increase during the night, the last dream is likely to be the longest and the one people remember when they wake up.A large percentage of the emotions experienced in dreams are negative or unpleasant – anxiety, anger, sadness, etc…

Some dreams are negative enough to be considered nightmares.

**end of notes**

Section 2: Hypnosis, Biofeedback,and Meditation

Hypnosis is a form of altered consciousness in which people become highly suggestible to changes in behavior and thought.

Participants are NOT put to sleep – it is a form of trance.Hypnosis has uses in medical and therapeutic settings.

Memory can be aided or enhancedPain can be eliminated or reducedProblems can be revealed and insight gained

Biofeedback is a technique in which a person learns to control physiological processes with the help of feedback.

Can control processes such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, and sweat-gland activity

Meditation is when a person focuses his or her attention on an image or thought to clear the mind and produce relaxation.

3 typesTranscendental : involves the mental repetition of a mantraMindfulness : focuses on the present moment (a Buddhist tradition)Breath : concentration on respiration – inhaling and exhaling

Section 3: Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive DrugsInteract with the central nervous system to alter a person’s mood, perception, and behavior.Range from stimulants (like caffeine in coffee/cola) to depressants (like alcohol) to hallucinogens (like marijuana and LSD).Enter the blood stream and are taken up in target tissues in various parts of the body

MarijuanaEffects differ from person to person and can be pleasant or unpleasant.Studies suggest that it is more damaging to the lungs than cigarette use.Disrupts memory formation, making it difficult to carry out mental and physical tasks.

HallucinogensMain effect is the production of hallucinations.Also called psychedelics because they create a loss of contact with reality.The most potent hallucinogen is LSD.

OpiatesUsually called narcotics

Includes opium, morphine, and heroinProduce analgesia (pain reduction) and euphoria.

AlcoholIs the most widely used and abused mind-altering substance in the U.S.Effects depend on the amount, frequency, and body weight of the drinker.Effects are slurred speech, blurred vision, impaired judgment and memory.

Drug Abuse and TreatmentDrug abusers are people who regularly use illegal drugs or excessively use legal drugs.Risks of abuse are danger of death or injury, damage to health, legal consequences, destructive behavior, and loss of control.Treatment requires the individual to

1) admit they have a problem2) enter a treatment program or get therapy3) join a support group to help reduce the possibility of a relapse.