100_9.2_Conciousness.pdf

Definition of Consciousness

• Consciousness: A state of awareness of self and environment.

• Forms of Consciousness:

  • Wakefulness: The state of being awake and aware of one’s environment.

  • Sleep and Dream: Different states of reduced awareness.

  • Alternative Forms of Consciousness: Includes various practices like meditation and hypnosis.

Meditation

• Definition: Practice focusing attention for an extended period to enhance concentration (Walsh and Shapiro, 2006).

• Types of Meditation:

  • Concentration on a single object or event (Rama, 1998).

  • Clearing the mind of all thoughts (Chadron, 1990).

Significance of Meditation

• Varies significantly for different individuals.

• Can be religious:

  • Hindu: Focus on deity to comprehend the spiritual realm.

  • Islamic Sufi: Builds connections with Prophet Muhammad and Allah.

  • Buddhist: Understanding and alleviating suffering (Goleman, 1988).

• Clinical psychologists use meditation as a therapeutic method (Walsh and Shapiro, 2006).

Meditation and Brain Processes

• Study by Brefczynski-Lewis et al., 2007: Differences in brain activity between novice and expert meditators versus non-meditators.

Effects of Meditation

• Enhances mental skills (Tang and Posner, 2008).

• Improves attention focus as demonstrated in attentional blink tasks (Slagter et al., 2007).

Hypnosis

• Definition: Altered state of consciousness with heightened responsiveness to suggestion.

• Hypnotic Induction: Process of inducing hypnosis through relaxation and focused attention.

• Effects: Strongest effects observed in highly hypnotizable people.

Psychological Evidence of Hypnotic Effects

• Unique mental state with thoughts/actions influenced by suggestions (Hilgard et al., 1975).

• Hypnotic procedures allow individuals to act as though controlled by adopting a social role (Sarbin, 1950; Spanos and Hewitt, 1980).

Biological Evidence of Hypnotic Effects

• Vanhaudenhuyse et al. (2009) fMRI studies show hypnosis can reduce conscious pain responses.

Psychoactive Drugs

• Definition: Chemical substances affecting the nervous system, altering consciousness.

• Categories:

  1. Depressants

  2. Stimulants

  3. Hallucinogens

Depressants

• Lower neural activity and slow body functions.

  • Examples: Alcohol, Barbiturates, Opiates.

Alcohol

• Oldest recreational drug and commonly used depressant.

• Causes relaxation but can harm memory and motor control (NIDA, 2010).

• Long-term use can cause significant damage.

Barbiturates

• Tranquilizers that impair memory and judgment, once used for anxiety and sleep disorders.

• Highly addictive; overdose can be fatal; now largely replaced by benzodiazepines.

Opiates

• Substances binding to opioid receptors, reducing pain and anxiety.

• Highly addictive; includes Morphine and Heroin.

Stimulants

• Excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

• Examples: Caffeine, Nicotine, Cocaine, Ecstasy, Amphetamines, Methamphetamines.

Caffeine

• Most consumed stimulant, addictive; high doses can cause toxic effects.

Cocaine

• Powerful stimulant derived from coca; can deplete dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, leading to addiction and depressive crashes.

Hallucinogens

• Distort perceptions and evoke sensory images without sensory input.

  • Examples: LSD, THC (from marijuana).

Marijuana Effects

• Components: CBD (non-psychoactive) and THC (psychoactive).

• Not fatal but associated with various psychiatric effects; changing THC/CBD ratios in recent years.

Consequences of Drug Use

• Tolerance: Repeated use requires increased doses for the same effect.

• Physical Risks: Addiction hampers brain function and alters neurotransmitter pathways.

Summary of Psychoactive Drugs

• Alcohol: Initial relaxation, but can lead to memory loss and organ damage.

• Heroin: Euphoria, but leads to withdrawal symptoms.

• Caffeine: Alertness with anxiety and insomnia at high doses.

• Cocaine: Euphoria but comes with cardiovascular stress and depressive crashes.