ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS.pptx

Consciousness and its states

1. ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

2. CONSCIOUSNESS Consciousness refers to the state of mind where the person is aware of his or her mental Operations. (motives, desires, thoughts and feelings) Much of people’s time awake in spent in a state called waking consciousness in which their thoughts, feelings & sensations are clear & organized & they feel alert. These variations in consciousness are called altered states of consciousness.

3. An altered state of consciousness Occurs when there is shifting the quality or pattern of people’s mental activity (tart, 1986). Thoughts may become fuzzy & disorganized & people may become less alert, or their thoughts may take bizzare turns as they so often do in dreams. There are many pathways to altered states of consciousness using drugs, daydreaming, being hypnotized or achieving a meditative state. But The most common Which people experience on a nightly basis i.e, SLEEP

4. SLEEP Sleep is body’s biological rhythms. People stay awake but they must eventually sleep. Some people also walk in sleep. People who sleep are not entirely insensitive to enviormemt & sleep is also not entirely planless. People can do without sleep for a while but not for long hours.

5. Some people are also sleep deprived where there is loss of sleep, resulting in problems in concentration and irritability . People should sleep for about 7 to 8 hours for proper functioning of the body. . In 1930 research began by looms, harvey & Hobart. They develoed a technique called EEG for measuring depth of sleep & determinimg when dreams are occurring

6. stages of sleep. Stage 1: alpha stage. Here when eyes are closed. Brain waves become less regular and are reduced in amplitude. Frequency of 8-12 Hertz. It is a state of relaxation or like sleep. Hear people may also experience visual events called hypnagogic images which are bits and pieces of what hoon main event will you become dreams. Stage 2: characterized by pAppearance of Spindles. Spindles are run of rhythmical responses. Also occasionally sHarp rise and fall in amplitude of a Ji Which is referred to as K corisex. Heart rate slows and breathing becomes shallow.

7. Stage 3 & 4: delta waves. 1-2hrtz. These are slow waves that indicate the deepest stage of sleep. People get up from sleep if they listen something personal(baby crcrying.) impersonal things are ignored. Sometimes people also walk in sleep. Stage 5: rapid eye movement Here EEG becomes very active. One can even watch the sleeper’s eyes move around when eyes are closed. This stage is also called paradoxical sleep. It is associated with dreaming & 90% of dreams take place in REM SLEEP. Rem dreams are vivid and detailed. Some people also suffer from insomnia( inability to sleep).

8. DREAMS Dream is thinking while sleeping. Type of thinking we do in dreams differ in various ways from type of dream we do when we are awake therefore we form memories while sleeping. Freud’s interpretation of dreams: he said dreams act as a symbol. Dreams of a person indicate all the motives and desires which are hidden in unconscious and are not fulfilled I’m reality. There are two types of content. Manifest content: it is the actual dream itself. Latent content: here true meaning of the dream lay hidden or latent and the only expressed in symbols.

9. Activation synthesis hypothesis. it states that dream is nearly another kind of thinking that occurs when people sleep. it is less realistic because it comes not from the outside world of reality buT from within people’s memories and experiences of the PaSt Pacaahshsaa it is a revised version of activation synthesis explanation of Dreams in which information that is exercise during working hours can have an influence on the synthesis of Dreams. therefore dreams reflect the events that occur in everyday life and men more often dream of other males where as women tend to dream about males and females equally.

10. Hypnosis It is a state of consciousness in which the person is especially liable to be influenced to a suggestion. There are several key steps in inducing hypnosis by druckman(1994) The hypnotist tells the person to focus on what Is being said. The person is told to relax & feel tired. The hypnotist tells the person to let go & accept suggestions easily. The person is told to use vivid imagination.

11. A person can be hypnotized when person is active & alert. A test of hypnotic susceptibility … The degree to which a person is a good hypnotic subject. Hypnosis can relieve pain by allowing a person to remove conscious attention from the pain. Smell, hearing, & ability to see visual illusions can be affected by hypnosis. . Theories of hypnosis HYPNOSIS AS DISSOCIATION.: Hilgard believed Believed that hypnosis worked only on the immediate conscious mind of a person, while a part of that person’s mind remained aware of all that was going on. In one study by Miller subjects hypnotized and told to put their arms in ice water although they were instructed to feel no pain. The subjects who were successful at d9 the pain allowed them to disassociate from the pain as they imagined themselves being at a beach or some other place.

12. Hypnosis as social role playing: Theory assumes that people who are hypnotized are not in an altered state but are merely playing the role expected of them in the situation. They might believe that they are hypnotized but because of the good performance , even subjects are unaware that they are role playing. . PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS. #These drugs alter thinking, perception & memory. Drugs either create psychological dependence or physical dependence both of which can lead to lifelong pattern of abuse.

13. Physical dependence: People become physically dependent where body craves for the drug. Drug tolerance: As person continues to use the drug, larger & larger doses of he drug are needed to achieve same initial effects of the drug. Withdrawl: When deprived of drugs it causes pain, high BP, & crankiness. PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE: It is a feeling that a drug is needed to continue a feeling of emotional or psychological well being. categories are: Stimulants: Drugs that increase the functioning of the nervous system.

14. types of stimulants are: Amphetamines: stimulants that are made in laboratories rather than being found in nature. Causes vomiting & high bp. Cocaine: natural drug derived from the leaves of coca plant. Produces feeling of euphoria, energy & power. Also suppresses the appetite. Nicotine: it is active ingredient in totobacco. It has a relaxing effect & reduces stress. Caffeine: mild stimulant found in coffee & tea. It helps maintain alertness, and is added to pain relievers.

15. Depressants: these decrease the functioning of the nervous system. It’s types are: Barbiturates: (major tranquilizers) these have a sedative effect.Can also lead to unconscious or coma. Benzodiazepines: (minor tranquilizers) it reduces anxiety and stress. ALCOHOL Abuse : This causes health risks to the liver brain and heart alcohol is associated with loss of work time loss of a job and loss of economic stability. women feel the effects sooner than the men.

16. Narcotics:these suppress the sensation of pain & slow down the action of nervous system. Types: Opium: it has pain relieving and pain inducing properties. Morphine: it is used to treat severe pain. Heroine: it is harmful & extremely addictive Hallucinogens : these cause false sensory messages,altering the perception of reality. Marijuana : (weed) it comes from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant. It has ability to produce meaning of well being mild intoxication and mild sensory hallucinations.(joint, tobacco)

17. Thankyou!