PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 7 ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS Sleep

PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 7: ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Sleep and Dreams Sleep is vital to mental health 1. If a person is deprived of sleep, they will develop psychological (and physical) symptoms 2. Sleep is a state of altered consciousness, characterized by certain activity and inactivity (genetics research) patterns of brain 3. Consciousness is a state of awareness. a) Can range from alertness to non-alertness b) The study of sleep has been aided by the development of the electroencephalograph (EEG) 4. Why do we sleep? a) No one knows, possible reasons i. Characterized by unresponsiveness to the environment and limited physical mobility ii. Maybe to restore our batteries a. Brain is recovering from exhaustion and stress iii. Primitive hibernation a. We sleep to conserve energy iv. An adaptive practice a. Kept humans out of harm’s way at night when we would have been most vulnerable v. To clear out minds a. Gets rid of useless information vi. We sleep to dream

Sleep and Dreams cont. 5. Stages of Sleep Stage Bodily Activity 0 Slows down, decreased muscle Borderline wakefulness tension Awake 1 2 3 4 REM Depth Of Sleep Thought Process Miscellaneous Relaxation, mind wanders, awareness dulls Heart rate, pulse, temperature and blood pressure slightly diminished. Temperature, heart rate, pulse decline further. Regular breathing. May have hypnogogic hallucinations on falling asleep. Eyes roll slowly on falling asleep, eyes quiescent in later stage 1 periods. Body movements slowed. Light sleep, easily awakened, Drifting thoughts and might deny being asleep if floating sensation. awakened. Eyes quiet. Few body movements. Snoring is common. Light to moderate sleep. Relatively easy to awaken. Eyes will not see if open. Some thought fragments, memory processes diminished, may describe vague dream if awakened Decreased heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, temperature and metabolic rate, regular breathing with increased airway resistance. Deep Sleep, takes louder sounds to be awakened. Rarely able to remember thoughts. A few vaguely formed dreams. Possible memory consolidation. Metabolic rate, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure and temperature decrease further. Increased secretion of growth hormones. Deepest sleep, very difficult to awaken. Continued decline in heart rate, Virtually oblivious, very poor temperature and metabolic recall of thoughts if awoken rates. Increased secretion of possibly involved in memory growth hormone. (possibly to consolidation. restore bodily tissues) Occasional movement, eyes quiescent. Occasional movement, eyes quiet. 80 percent dreaming, good Heart rate 5 percent greater Large muscles paralyzed. vivid dream recall, especially than above stages. Pulse, Variable. If sound is Fingers toes and facial muscles later in the evening. temperature and metabolic incorporated into dream, then twitch. Erections, snoring Possibly involved in rates increase. Irregular harder to awake. uncommon. unconscious conflict breathing one-half extra breath resolution. per minute.

Sleep and Dreams cont. Stages of Sleep Chart Visual

Sleep and Dreams cont. a. Stage 1 i. Pulse slows and muscles relax ii. Breathing becomes uneven and brain waves grow irregular iii. “Just drifting” time iv. Lasts 10 minutes or so b. Stage 2 i. Eyes roll from side to side ii. Lasts 30 minutes c. Stage 3 i. Short periods of large delta waves

Sleep and Dreams cont. d. Stage 4 i. Deepest sleep of all ii. Difficult of wake during this stage iii. Disoriented if woken up iv. Talking out loud, sleep walking and bet wetting can occur here, leaving no memory v. Important to physical and psychological well-being vi. While muscles are more relaxed than before, eye begin to move rapidly – REM sleep a. REM sleep – time during which pulse and breathing become irregular, adrenal and sexual hormone levels rise, face and fingers twitch, large muscles in legs and arms are paralyzed b. Brain waves resemble those of someone who is fully awake c. Active Sleep d. Dreaming takes place a. Falling out of bed, hitting the ground, alarm clock inclusion examples e. People spend 75% of their sleep in stages 1 through 4

Sleep and Dreams cont. f. How much sleep do we need? i. Humans spend 1/3 of their life sleeping ii. Newborns – 16 hours, half in REM iii. 16 year olds – 10 to 11 hours iv. College – 8 hours v. 70 or older – 5 hours vi. Adults 25% in REM Sleep Disorders 1. Insomnia a) Insomnia is a prolonged and usually abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep i. Causes – anxiety, depression, alcohol and drug overuse 2. Sleep Apnea a) Sleep apnea causes frequent interruptions of breathing during sleep i. Snoring that leads to a stop of breathing, leads to a complete blockage of the breathing passage, choking the person. Ends when low levels of oxygen or high levels of carbon dioxide trigger the breathing reflex to start again ii. Occurs in 100 people, usually older

Sleep and Dreams Cont. 3. Narcolepsy a) Narcolepsy is characterized by a permanent and overwhelming feeling of sleepiness and fatigue b) Unusual sleep and dream patterns i. Hallucinations ii. Feeling temporarily paralyzed iii. Sleep attacks, falling to sleep anywhere, at any time 4. Nightmares and Night Terrors a) Nightmares – frightening dreams, during the dream phase of REM sleep i. May frighten the sleeper, waking up with a vivid memory of a movielike dream b) Night Terrors – occur during Stage IV sleep (within an hour of sleep) i. Can last 5 to 20 minutes, involving screaming, sweating, confusion and rapid heart rate ii. Sudden awakening or a persistent fear at night iii. If woken up by the terror, the subject will not be “awake” and could continue with the terror iv. Most will not remember the night terror at all

Sleep and Dreams cont. 5. Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking (Somniloquy) a) A disorder in which a person is partly, but not completely, awake during the night b) People may walk or perform other tasks and have no memory of it c) Sleepwalking mostly associated with children d) It is NOT dangerous to wake sleepwalkers e) Sleep talking can occur in REM or non-REM sleep i. Long sentences or just a couple of words ii. You can engage a sleep talker in conversations occasionally 6. Sleep Motor Starts a) A sudden, often violent, jerk of the entire body that occurs upon falling asleep 7. Teeth Grinding (Bruxism) a) Grinding teeth during sleep is a very common occurrence and little evidence suggests that teeth grinding is associated with any significant medical or psychological problems.

Sleep and Dreams cont. Dreams 1. Any mental activity that takes place during sleep is dreaming a) Everyone dreams b) First dreams are usually vague thoughts left over from the day’s activities c) As night goes on, dreams become longer, more vivid and dramatic i. Especially dreams taking place in REM sleep ii. Last dream is usually the longest and the one people remember iii. If you miss REM sleep, subsequent sleep will contain increased REM sleep a. Suggests that REM sleep is necessary 2. Content of Dreams a) We often incorporate our everyday activities into our dreams b) Most occur in commonplace settings: home, car, streets c) Most involve either strenuous activities or passive events d) Most involve unpleasant emotions e) Dreams are in real time, not in a split second

Sleep and Dreams cont. 3. Dream Interpretation a) Freud believed that no matter how simple or mundane a dream, they contain clues to thoughts the dreamer is afraid to acknowledge in their waking hours b) Some say that dreams serve no function i. That it’s a by-product of stimulating brain cells during sleep ii. Another says that dreaming allows people the chance to review and address some of the problems they faced during the day iii. Another says dreams are the brain’s way of removing certain unneeded memories c) Daydreams i. Requires a low level of awareness and involves fantasizing but directed thinking while we are awake a. Serves purposes such as reminding us of or preparing us for events in our future b. May improve our creativity by generating thought processes c. Or to help us control our emotions Section 1 Review

Hypnosis, Biofeedback and Meditation Hypnosis 1. Hypnosis is a form of altered consciousness in which people become highly suggestible to changes in behavior and thought a) People can be made conscious of things that they are normally unaware of and unaware of things they normally notice i. May recall forgotten memories in detail ii. Feel no pain from a pin prick 2. Does not put people to sleep a) b) c) d) The trance makes people more receptive and responsive to internal and external stimuli Able to focus attention on minute details and ignore all other inputs They are conscious and aware Can be convinced to do things that they normally wouldn’t do (Note your book’s text here!!) i. BUT the hypnotist cannot make you do or say something that you normally wouldn’t do or say unless you want to ii. The mind rejects undesired suggestions automatically iii. Your will, morality and ethics will not allow it to happen e) Anyone can resist hypnosis by refusing to open their minds, you must be willing to be hypnotized

Hypnosis, Biofeedback and Meditation cont. 3. Theories of Hypnosis a) A simple result of suggestibility b) Reveals that people have potential abilities that they do not use 4. Uses of Hypnosis a) Posthypnotic suggestion – when a hypnotist suggests things for their participants to remember or forget when the trance is over i. Memory can be aided or enhanced through this type to hypnosis b) Helping people change unwanted behavior such as overeating and smoking c) To reduce pain i. Reduces the patients anxiety and encourages relaxation d) Combination of hypnosis and therapy can help people work through their problems

Hypnosis, Biofeedback and Meditation cont. Biofeedback 1. Biofeedback – technique in which one learns to control their internal physiological processes with the help of feedback a) A light goes off when your heart rate goes above 80, you learn to keep your heart rate below 80 to keep the light off b) Can be used to teach people to control a variety of physiological responses such as i. Brain waves ii. Heart rate iii. Blood pressure iv. Skin temperature v. Sweat gland activity c) Uses machines to give feedback on subtle, moment to moment changes in the body

Hypnosis, Biofeedback and Meditation cont. Meditation 1. Meditation – focusing one’s attention on an image or thought with the goal of clearing the mind and producing relaxation, or inner peace a) Transcendental meditation – mental repetition of a mantra or phrase i. Sitting with eyes closed and meditating for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day b) Mindfulness meditation – from the Buddhist tradition, focusing on the present moment i. Moving one’s focus throughout the body while paying attention to areas that cause pain c) Breath meditation – concentrating on one’s respiration, inhaling and exhaling 2. Most people would benefit from this type of relaxation a) Lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate Section 2 Review

Drugs and Consciousness Psychoactive drugs – drugs that interact with the central nervous system to alter a person’s mood, perception and behavior 1. Examples: caffeine, depressants (alcohol), marijuana and LSD How drugs work 1. Carried by the blood and taken to tissues throughout the body 2. Taken into the body from the outside 3. Attach themselves to the ends of nerve cells (neurons) and send out their own chemical message a) Alcohol molecules tell nerve cells not to fire i. More and more cause a person to become slower and leads to unconsciousness b) LSD causes circuits in the brain to start firing together instead of separately causes hallucinations

Drugs and Consciousness cont. Marijuana 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In some cultures, is legally and morally more acceptable than alcohol Illegal for sale, possession and use is illegal in most states, but not legal by national law (becomes a constitutional issue over state vs. federal law) A subculture drug before late 1970’s and 80’s Active ingredient is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) a) Made by drying the plant i. Hashish is the gummy powder made from the resin from the top of the female plant b) Usually smoked, but can be cooked with food and eaten Effects vary from person to person a) Depend on the setting its taken in, the mood the person is in and the users past experience b) Psychological Pleasant and Unpleasant Effects i. Sensory experiences are greatly augmented a. Music sounds fuller b. Colors look brighter c. Smells are stronger d. Food is more intense in flavor ii. Users feel elated iii. Ordinary events take on extraordinary significance iv. Psychologically addictive and dependent v. Instill or heighten unpleasant experiences a. Those frightened, unhappy or depressed will have those emotions blown out of proportion b. Can bring on psychological disturbances in those unstable before using the drug

Drugs and Consciousness cont. vi. Physical Effects a. Can cause lung disorders b. More damaging than cigarette use c. Holding in the smoke can hinder lung function d. Disrupts memory formation, making it difficult to carry out mental and physical tasks e. Can lead to long term dependence f. Lower IQ scores

Drugs and Consciousness cont. Hallucinations 1. Hallucinations – perceptions that have no direct external cause (hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, or feeling things that don’t exist) a) Caused by hypnosis, meditation, certain drugs, drug withdraw, psychological breakdown and sensory deprivation b) Can occur under normal conditions i. During dreaming ii. When deprived of sleep iii. High emotions iv. Concentration v. Fatigue vi. Daydreams c) Very much alike from one person to the next i. May be due to the way the drug affects the brain a. The part that responds to incoming stimuli is disorganized and the central nervous system is aroused d) More likely to involve color

Drugs and Consciousness cont. Hallucinogens 1. Hallucinogens – drugs whose main effect is to produce hallucinations a) Found in plants grown throughout the world b) Used since the earliest recorded human history c) Create lost of contact with reality i. Create a false body image, loss of self, create dreamlike fantasies and hallucinations d) Example: LSD i. Most studied and most potent (LSD-25) ii. One of the most powerful drugs known to man iii. Synthetic iv. Synthesized by Dr. Albert Hofmann in Switzerland in 1938 a. Searching for medicinal properties of a fungus, contained lysergic acid b. Synthesized 24 prior lysergic acids before hand c. Noticed the hallucinogenic properties 5 years later while studying it d. Made himself a guinea pig

Drugs and Consciousness cont. v. A dose of a few millionths (that’s. 000001) of a gram produces a noticeable effect a. 100 to 300 micrograms produces a “trip” b. Lasts 6 to 14 hours c. Distributed on strips of paper (tabs, blotters) or on sugar cubes vi. Experiences a. Intense and rapidly changing perceptions b. The expectations, mood, beliefs and circumstances under which they take “acid” affect the experience i. Can be terrifying ii. Perceptual hallucinations iii. Progressive hallucination that evolve over time iv. Senses intermingle: hearing visual stimuli and seeing sounds v. Dissociation with one’s self vi. Distortions of time vii. Single stimuli can become the focus for hours viii. Impairs thinking ix. Panic reactions abound x. Flashbacks a. “Remembering” the trip without the overt presence of the drug, stimuli from the senses present without physical stimuli b. Possible chromosome damage

Drugs and Consciousness cont. 2. Counter-Culture of the 1960’s. a) Why were hallucinogens the drug of choice for the 1960’s? b) Government experimentation and use (MK-Ultra Program) c) Dr. Timothy Leary i. For spiritual growth ii. Turn on, tune in, drop out iii. Professor at UC Berkley and Harvard Opiates a) Also known as narcotics b) Include opium, morphine and heroin c) Produce analgesia – pain reduction, euphoria – pleasurable state somewhere between wake and sleep, and constipation d) Leads to physical addiction i. Can lead to death from respiratory failure e) Harvesting/cultivating opium and coca

Drugs and Consciousness cont. Alcohol 1. Most widely used and abused mind-altering substance a) A disease or an addiction b) Encouraged /tolerated throughout our society and traditions i. Up to debate c) Effects i. Immediate – loosening of inhibition a. More likely to engage in behaviors and actions one normally wouldn’t take part in (sexual, other drugs) ii. A depressant that inhibits brain functioning iii. Acting without social restraint or self-control iv. Depends on the amount drank, frequency of drinking and body weight a. The more consumed in a quicker time period, the less function a person has increases i. Slurred speech ii. Blurred vision iii. Impaired judgment and memory a. Blackouts

Drugs and Consciousness cont. v. Long Term Effects a. Permanent brain damage b. Liver damage c. Change in personality Blood Alcohol Concentration Changes in Feelings and Personality 0. 01 — 0. 06 Relaxation Sense of Well-being Loss of Inhibition Lowered Alertness Joyous 0. 06 — 0. 10 Blunted Feelings Disinhibition Extroversion Impaired Sexual Pleasure 0. 11 — 0. 20 0. 21 — 0. 29 0. 30 — 0. 39 => 0. 40 Over-Expression Emotional Swings Angry or Sad Boisterous Stupor Lose Understanding Impaired Sensations Severe Depression Unconsciousness Death Possible Unconsciousness Death Physical and Mental Impairments Thought Judgment Coordination Concentration Reflexes Impaired Reasoning Depth Perception Distance Acuity Peripheral Vision Glare Recovery Reaction Time Gross Motor Control Staggering Slurred Speech Severe Motor Impairment Loss of Consciousness Memory Blackout Bladder Function Breathing Heart Rate

Drugs and Consciousness cont. Drug Abuse and Treatment 1. Drug abusers are those who regularly use illegal drugs or excessively use legal drugs 2. Reasons for drug abuse a) Avoid boredom b) To fit in socially c) To gain self-confidence d) To forget about problems or cope with pain e) To relax or feel good 3. Risks a) Death or injury due to overdose or accident b) Health damage c) Legal consequences d) Destructive behavior e) Loss of control f) Addiction

Drugs and Consciousness cont. Section 3 Review Chapter 7 Study Guide Chapter 7 Test