Unit 5: States of Consciousness

consciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

hypnosis

a social interaction in which one person (the subject) responds to another person’s (the hypnotist’s) suggestions that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur

posthypnotic suggestion

a suggestion, made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors

dissocotiation

a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others

circadian rhythm

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour-cycle

REM sleep

rapid eye movement sleep; a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur; also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active

alpha waves

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

sleep

periodic, natural loss of consciousness— as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation

hallucinations

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus

delta waves

the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

NREM sleep

non-rapid eye movement sleep; encompasses all sleep stages except for REM sleep

suprachiasmatic nucleus

a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm; in response to light, it causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness

insomnia

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

narcolepsy

a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks; sufferer may lapse directly in REM sleep, often at inopportune times

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

night terrors

a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, they occur during NREM-3 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered

dream

a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind; notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruities, and for the individual’s delusional acceptance of the content and later difficulties remembering it

manifest content

according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream (as distinct from its latent, or hidden, content)

latent content

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream (as distinct from its manifest content)

REM rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation (created by repeated awakenings during REM sleep)

substance use disorder

continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

psychoactive drug

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

tolerance

the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug’s effect

addiction

compulsive craving of drugs or certain behaviors (such as gambling) despite known adverse consequences

withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior

depressants

drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

alcohol use disorder

alcohol use marked by tolerance, withdrawal, and a drive to continue problematic use

barbiturates

drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

opiates

opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

stimulants

drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, Ecstasy, and methamphetamine) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

amphetamines

drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes

nicotine

a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco

cocaine

a powerful and addictive stimulant, derived from coca plant, producing temporarily increased alertness and euphoria

methamphetamine

a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels

Ecstasy

a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen; produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short-term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition

hallucinogens

psychedelic (“mind-manifesting”) drugs such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

LSD

a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid

near-death experience

an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as by cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

THC

the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations