States of Consciousness Notes

Transcription

1 States of Consciousness Notes There s been a lot in the news lately about the new Peace Palace they re building in West L.A., for people to come and meditate and not just Hollywood people! Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 1

2 Consciousness includes everything of which we are aware at any given time, our thoughts, feelings, mental processes, and events outside ourselves. Various states of consciousness studied by psychologists include ordinary waking consciousness, daydreaming, sleep, and altered states brought about through meditation, hypnosis, or the use of psychoactive drugs. You may have also heard the terms unconscious and subconscious. Some people use them interchangeably. I tend to use unconscious to mean not aware (or even asleep), and subconscious to mean below the conscious awareness (thoughts and feelings that are just out of reach). A little pronunciation for you Conscious = con-shuss Conscience = con-shunce this is the little voice in your head that tells you that you should or shouldn t do something (As Jiminy Cricket said, Let your conscience be your guide. ). We ll learn more about this in a few weeks. Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 2

3 During NREM sleep, heart rate and respiration are slow and regular, blood pressure and brain activity are at a 24-hour low point, and there is little body movement and no rapid eye movements. There are four level of NREM sleep. In a typical night, a person sleeps in sleep cycles, each lasting about 90 minutes. The first sleep cycle contains Stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 and REM sleep; the second contains Stages 2, 3, and 4 and REM sleep. In the remaining sleep cycles, the sleeper alternates mainly between Stage 2 and REM sleep, with each sleep cycle having progressively longer REM periods. Stage 1 - A transition period of drowsiness between waking and sleeping. Stage 2 Somewhat more deeply asleep. Stage 3 The beginning of slow wave sleep. Stage 4 Delta waves reach nearly 100%. During REM sleep, the large muscles of the body are paralyzed, respiration and heart rate are fast and irregular, brain activity increases, and rapid eye movements and vivid dreams occur. REM sleep constitutes 20-25% of adult sleep. During REM sleep there is intense brain activity and most dreaming occurs in REM sleep. REM dreams have a story-like quality and are more vivid, visual, and emotional than the more thought-like NREM dreams. REM sleep appears to aid in learning and memory. Following REM deprivation, people experience a REM rebound an increase in the percentage of REM sleep. Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 3

4 The two main theories about the function of sleep are the restorative theory and the circadian theory. A circadian rhythm is the regular fluctuation in certain body functions from a high point to a low point within a 24-hour period. Two rhythms most relevant to sleep are the sleep/wakefulness cycle and body temperature. People who travel across time zones get jet lag, a condition in which circadian rhythms are disrupted. Night shift workers experience such disruptions as well, resulting in sleep difficulties, lowered alertness, efficiency, productivity, and safety during subjective night; and a variety of psychological and physical problems. I ve found that it helps to pretend I m in my target time zone the minute I get on the plane! Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 4

5 A parasomnia is any disorder that interrupts a healthy sleep-cycle. Somnambulism or sleepwalking occur during a partial arousal from Stage 4 sleep, and the person does not come to full consciousness. Episodes are rarely recalled. These disorders are typically found in children, who outgrow these by adolescence, and they tend to run in families. A sleep terror also happens during a partial arousal from Stage 4 sleep with a scream, dazed and groggy, in a panic state, and with a racing heart. Sleep terrors occur during Stage 4 sleep and are rarely remembered, but often involve a single, frightening image. Nightmares are frightening dreams that occur during REM sleep and are remembered in vivid detail. Somniloquy or talking in your sleep occurs during any sleep stage and is more frequent among children. Enuresis or bed-wetting also happens during Stage 4 sleep, and may be partially caused by a lack of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which reduces urine production at night. Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 5

6 Sleep disorders include narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and insomnia. The symptoms of narcolepsy include excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden attacks of REM sleep. Obscure movie reference: River Phoenix character in My Own Private Idaho would just collapse in sleep during stressful situations. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which a sleeper's breathing stops and the person must awaken briefly to breathe. Its major symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness and loud snoring. This can be dangerous, and various treatments are available, depending on the severity (surgery, losing weight, breathing machine, etc.). Insomnia is a sleep disorder that involves difficulty in falling or staying asleep, waking too early, or sleep that is light, restless, or of poor quality. Sufferers of insomnia are twice as likely as the general population to have some psychiatric disorder (but that s not a guarantee!). The strongest link with insomnia is major depression, followed by anxiety disorders and alcohol abuse. If your sleeping brain reviews the day s activities -- and you are experiencing stress in your life it s no wonder that stress, insomnia, and depression or anxiety are linked. And, of course, if you re not sleeping well, you won t feel quite as strong to face the challenges that life throws your way, making you more stressed. Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 6

7 Hypnosis is a procedure through which a hypnotist uses the power of suggestion to induce changes in thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, or behavior of a subject. It has been used most successfully for the control of pain. The three main theories proposed to explain hypnosis are the sociocognitive theory, the neodissociation theory, and the theory of dissociated control. Sociocognitive theory -- the behavior of a hypnotized person is a function of that person s expectations about how subjects behave under hypnosis. (A self-fulfilling prophecy you believe that you will make a fool of yourself under hypnosis, so you do!) Neodissociation theory -- hypnosis induces a split, or dissociation, between two aspects of the control of consciousness. (You re aware of doing things under hypnosis, but you can t control it.) Dissociated control theory -- hypnosis weakens the control of the executive function over other parts of consciousness. (You re not aware of doing things under hypnosis, and you can t control it.) Some people seem to be highly suggestible, others aren t. Meditation is used by some to promote relaxation and reduce arousal, and by others to expand consciousness or attain a higher spiritual level. Meditation is a type of self-hypnosis. Recent studies show that meditation does reduce brain wave activity and stress. See the activity in this lesson to give it a try! Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 7

8 Psychoactive drugs affect brain function. You might not think of all of them as drugs, but they re all addictive. All addictive drugs increase the availability of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens causing pleasurable sensations that contribute to drug abuse. Individual differences in physiological responses to drugs also play a role. Personality and social variables also contribute to abuse. More and more are needed to get the same effect. Withdrawal symptoms appear when the drug is discontinued and disappear when the drug is taken again. Psychological drug dependence involves an intense craving for the drug. Stimulants increase brain activity, suppress appetite, and make a person feel more awake, alert, and energetic. Caffeine my drug of choice! the elixir of life! Mmmm coffee. Nicotine, the stimulant in cigarettes, causes a buzz in first-time users which makes teenagers want more. As they become addicted to the nicotine, the buzz isn t as strong, but they continue to smoke because the feel the need of the addiction. Use of amphetamines (or methamphetamines) energizes, increases arousal, and suppresses the appetite, but continued use results in exhaustion, depression, and agitation. Also known as Speed, Meth, or Crystal Meth. Cocaine energizes, causes a feeling of euphoria, and is highly addictive. Heavy use can cause heart damage, seizures, and even heart attacks. Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 8

9 Depressants decrease activity in the central nervous system, slow down body functions, and reduce sensitivity to outside stimulation. Depressants include alcohol, barbiturates, and tranquilizers. Narcotics, which include opium, codeine, morphine, and heroin, have pain-relieving and calming effects. Hallucinogens, including marijuana, LSD, and MDMA (Ecstasy or X), can alter perception and mood and cause hallucinations. There is some evidence that heavy marijuana use can cause memory problems, respiratory damage, loss of motivation, impotence, lowered testosterone level and sperm count, and irregular menstrual cycles. LSD (or acid) causes major hallucinations, and remains in the body chemically for years, causing flashbacks. Ecstasy was first used as a prescription drug by psychiatrists (!) to help people make leaps in honesty with themselves and others. Unfortunately, the dosages and the abuse went beyond the psychiatrists offices. X causes huge spikes in body temperature (which is why you see people drinking a ton of water in clubs), and teeth grinding (which is why you see adults with pacifiers in their mouths looks pretty silly, if you ask me!). Psych 1 - States of Consciousness # 8