Altered States of Consciousness - Essay Example

Altered s of Consciousness The Study of Altered s of Consciousness Introduction There are various s of consciousness which manifest on humans at different points in their daily activities. These states of consciousness are explored by most people depending on their personal beliefs and practices. This essay shall discuss the different states of consciousness including meditation, hypnosis, deep prayer, sleep, and dream patterns, as well as drugs and alcohol which cause similar altered states of consciousness. It shall also consider how it is like to experience self hypnosis and meditation. This essay is being carried out in order to establish a clear and comprehensive understanding of the current topic, as well as the factors which impact on its manifestation. Discussion By reading the discussion of the website Shippensburg University, I learned that altered states of consciousness are “deviations from normal consciousness” (Shippensburg University). From this website, I also found out that factors which affect the states of consciousness include decreased sensory data from outside sources (as seen from isolation, solitary confinement, extreme boredom); sensory overload (manifested in emotional and mental arousal); hyperalertness; hypoalertness or relaxation of mental facilities; and changes in the body chemistry (Shippensburg University). From this reading, I was able to further consider the different altered states of consciousness as discussed below. The first altered state of consciousness to be discussed is meditation. Kalat (p. 370) discusses in his book that meditation is “a systematic procedure for inducing a calm, relaxed state through the use of special techniques”. From the journal article by Vaitl and colleagues (p. 108), the authors set forth different techniques in meditation which the authors discussed as involving movements, like walking or singing, and also the more silent techniques which are often observed in the sitting position (Vaitl, et.al., p. 108). I learned that there are different ways by which meditation can be carried out including those which have a wider focus and those which require a more intense concentration on outside objects. For those observing transcendental meditation, they express that they experience a blissful condition where only their consciousness remains and their thoughts are all but gone (Travis, p. 574). They also often experience breathing suspension and heart rate deceleration. These changes in the physiology imply that meditation marks a shift in the awareness from one of active thinking to one of transcendental consciousness (Travis, p. 15). In reviewing the thoughts of Aftanas and Golocheikine, (p. 57) on meditation, I was able to deduce that there were mostly changes in the EEG during meditation with a marked increase in the alpha activity, and in some studies differences in slow wave theta activity. As the meditation progressed, higher theta EEG activity in the frontal region became more apparent as further noted by Vaitl and colleagues (p. 108). Despite these technical wave discussions, I was able to glean that meditation is an encouraging way for people to care for their bodies as it provides an individual the so-called time-out while replenishing one’s being. As I delved deeper into the readings for altered states of consciousness, I noted that related to meditation is deep prayer. For the most part, I noted how the same activities for reaching transcendental meditation are echoed in deep prayer. In order to reach a state of deep prayer, a deep state of relaxation has to be reached first. In order to reach such a state, an intense concentration on one’s breathing has to be established along with the progressive and gradual relaxation of each muscle group from head to toe (Osgood, p. 114). Deep slow breaths are taken with the relaxation of the facial muscles and with the closing of the eyes. Once a deep state of relaxation is reached, the person can now undertake the personal communication with his God (Downey, p. 28). For some people, deep prayer is simply about having a conversation with God, sharing with him one’s desires and fears, and similar considerations. In whatever form or shape deep prayer can take, it reaches the point of altered consciousness. In the spiritual state, I learned in a discussion by Mark Anderson that laying hands is an altered state of consciousness which is very much in line with spirituality, healing, and prayer. He discusses that in carrying out this activity, it is important to relax and release tension because the more that one is relaxed, the more healing flows from a person. Anderson has applied this technique in mostly healing activities. He concentrates on the person he wishes to heal, closes his eyes and takes 3 breaths. As he breathes in, he would feel the energy coming from the ground, going up his feet, on to his shoulders, and then down to his arms and his hands (Anderson). Anderson discussed important details of laying hands which I did not entirely consider as altered states of consciousness, but when applied in the context of spirituality and healing, they now make perfect sense to me. Hypnosis is also another altered state of consciousness. The Mayo Clinic Staff (p. 1) discussed that hypnosis mostly induced artificially with the person hypnotized having a more focused attention; being more responsive to suggestions; being more open and less disbelieving. In their discussion, I learned that hypnosis is often used in therapy in order to establish a better understanding of a person and to assist him in gaining more control of his emotions and behaviour. The way hypnotism works has yet to be clearly established, however, experts agree that the process affects mostly how the brain communicated with the body via nerve endings and hormones (Mayo Clinic Staff, p. 1). I have noticed that those who apply it as a form of therapy declare that it creates a relaxed and quiet state of mind enabling a person to concentrate more on specific thoughts and memories, thereby making him more open to suggestions. The clinic further pointed out that hypnosis is often used to relieve pain during childbirth and other pain experiences, reduce blood pressure, improve the body’s immune system, reduce fears and phobias, ease asthmatic symptoms, and change negative behaviour including smoking and overeating (Mayo Clinic Staff, p. 2). I noted that hypnosis is however a highly subjective process as it may be effective for some and fail for some others. Sleep is also another altered state of consciousness. As is commonly known, sleep is used to restore, to rest, and to repair one’s body and mind. The website Expand Mind discusses that the circadian rhythm is about 24 hours and sleep is part of the circadian rhythm which can assist in the body’s normal functioning. The length of sleep cycles varies for different people. Some people can go up to 11 days without sleep and still not suffer any ill effects, while others can hardly function with a day or two of lost sleep (Expand Mind). The website further points out that sleep goes through different stages with alpha waves being seen at a person’s relaxed state. Light sleep is seen in the first stage and deep sleep (delta waves) in stage 4 (Expand Mind). REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is when the dream state sets in with a person normally going through several sleep cycles at night (Expand Mind). The next altered state of consciousness is that of dreams. Dreams are “an altered state of consciousness characterized by a series of changes that distinguishes them from waking” (Hobson). These involve a decreased self-awareness as well as a significant amount of delusional and strange beliefs sometimes caused by inhibition of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex neurons and by cholinergic dominance (Hobson). We all dream and these dreams mostly include the loss of working memory caused by decreased norepinephrine and serotonin levels; it can also cause the improvement of past memory (Hobson). Dreams are enhanced by visual imagery caused by the stimulation of other visual centres. These explanations would account how vivid and visual our dreams can be and how we do not remember most of our dreams by the time we wake up. In a discussion by the UCD Student Advisers (p. 1), they point out that our consciousness can also be altered by chemical substances like drugs and alcohol. They further establish that among drug abusers, their purpose in taking drugs is to actually experience an altered state of consciousness – one which is far removed from their current reality. These drugs have different actions in terms of the altered states of consciousness they create for the user. Some drugs can act as stimulants and increase the neural activity in the brain (UCD Student Advisers, p. 1). They can make a person more lively and euphoric. Depressants on the other hand have the opposite effect as they depress the central nervous system (UCD Student Advisers, p. 2). They help a person relax and reduce the intensity of his feelings and the impacts of emotions like anger or fear. Hallucinogens are the ultimate substances which alter consciousness. These drugs increase sensory perceptions causing a person to see, to hear, to smell, and to feel what may not be there or more than what is actually there (UCD Student Advisers, p. 2). Alcohol can also be used to induce an altered state of consciousness. Alcohol is basically a depressant, therefore it causes a slower response time; and as the level of alcohol intake rises, it can affect a person’s judgment (Appraiser Central). In effect, alcohol causes a state of consciousness whereby a person feels courageous, carefree and spontaneous (Appraiser Central). Conclusion The discussion above considers the altered states of consciousness – departures from the normal and usual state of consciousness. Meditation implies a state of deep relaxation and personal thinking and communication with an inner and higher being. It is very much related to deep prayer where the same alterations in consciousness are seen. Hypnosis is about changing the perception of a person by setting him in a relaxed state, enough for him to be more open to the world and to possibilities. Sleep and dreams are states of relaxation and restoration. The altered states of consciousness can be reached through drugs and alcohol. In confronting drug and alcohol issues, it is therefore important for therapists and mental health professionals to acknowledge the person’s motivations in wanting to reach such altered states of consciousness. By addressing such causes, better chances for drug and alcohol rehabilitation can be reached. Works Cited Aftanas, L. I., & Golocheikine, S. A. “Human anterior and frontal midline theta and lower alpha reflect emotionally positive state and internalised attention: High-resolution EEG investigation of meditation”. Neuroscience Letters, 2001, volume 310, pp. 57–60. Anderson, M. “Why Would You Want to Induce Altered States of Consciousness? Own your mind. 2010. 03 July 2011 from http://www.ownyourmind.net/altered-states-of-consciousness.html Appraiser Central. “The effects of the various states of consciousness on behavior”. (n.d). 02 July 2011 from http://www.appraisercentral.com/research/The%20Effects%20Of%20The%20Various%20States%20Of%20Consciousness%20On%20Behavior.htm Downey, M. “Digging Deep: Fostering the Spirituality of Young Men”. 2003. London: Saint Mary’s Press Expand Mind. “States of Consciousness”. (n.d). 02 July 2011 from http://www.expandmind.com/sc.htm Hobson, J. “The Dream Drugstore: Chemically Altered States of Consciousness”. 2003. Massachusetts: MIT Press Kalat, J. “Introduction to psychology”. 2010. London: Cengage Learning. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Hypnosis: An altered state of consciousness”. Mayo Clinic. 2003. 02 July 2011 from https://healingsourcehypnosis.net/uploads/Hypnosis_An_altered_state_of_consciousness_-_Mayo_Clinic.pdf Osgood, N. “Suicide in later life: recognizing the warning signs”. 1992. New York: Lexington Books Shippersburg University. “Altered States of Consciousness”. (n.d). 02 July 2011 from http://webspace.ship.edu/ambart/Psy_102/altstatesoutline.html Travis, F. T. “Respiratory, autonomic, and EEG correlates of transcendental consciousness experiences during transcendental meditation practice”. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 1993, volume 18, number 1, pp. 574, 15. UCD Student Advisers. “Drugs”. (n.d). 02 July 2011 from http://www.ucd.ie/advisers/pdfs/gwb/General%20Wellbeing%20-%20Drugs.pdf Vaitl, D., Lehman, D., Ott, U., Sammer, G., Kubler, A., & Putz, P. “Psychology of Altered Consciousness”. Psychological Bulletin, 2005, volume 131, number 1, pp. 98-127 Read More