CH 5: Altered States of Consciousness

                Humans, throughout history have always been quite interested by the altered states of consciousness. Consciousness is characterized as the state of being aware. According to Freud, consciousness is divided in three levels. These include the conscious level, the preconscious level, and the unconscious level. In the conscious levels we can find our thoughts and perceptions. Consciousness can be seen as sensory awareness- meaning that we are aware of the environment that surrounds us-direct inner awareness- meaning that one is conscious of an image that is not happening and yet we feel as if it were- and sense of self  where we are aware of our existence.  In the preconscious level of consciousness we have ideas and stored memories. These are not in one´s awareness at the moment but if it is necessary one would use reference of them. In the unconscious level the unaccepted impulses, desires are stored as a defense mechanism so they are out of our reach of awareness. There is another level called the nonconscious level where basic biological functions take place. So what are altered states of consciousness? It is a state where the sense of self and of the world is different. These can be reached through many ways. These include through meditation, hypnosis, drugs, biofeedback, and even through an everyday activity which is sleep.

                Sleep is a cycle. To understand the sleep cycle we must first understand the stages of sleep. The stages of sleep are measured through wave patterns by our brains. When we are awake beta waves are emitted which are short and quick. Stage one is when our sleep is light. In here the waves become theta waves which are slower. In stage two the waves become longer and slower. Stage three and four are stages of deep sleep where   delta waves are produced which become longer and slower. There is another stage which is the REM stage which is quick and short. The cycle of sleep goes like this. We go into stage one, and after thirty minutes we pass to stages two, three and four. After approximately thirty minutes of stage four we go back to stage one and later enter into REM stage. This is repeated approximately five times in one night. Our vivid dreams that appear to be real occur in the REM stage.

                Drugs are divided into three types: opiates, stimulants, and hallucinogens. The opiates include pain killers, alcohol, heroin, and morphine. Stimulants include nicotine, cocaine, caffeine and crack. Hallucinogens include marijuana, mushrooms, and LSD. These drugs are notorious due to the recreational use leading to violence and abuse of them as well. However, we are not considering the medical purposes they offer and even ritualistic uses. How can these drugs be applies medically. Well, when extreme pain is experienced, one should incline towards opiates such as pain killers or morphine. Once LSD was used on alcoholics and after some sessions they got cured.  Ecstasy was used on couples that were having issues relating. They were later used on clubs and raves and people started abusing of them which lead to the illegalization of these drugs. Marijuana has been used medically to treat patients with epilepsy and have proven more effective than the prescription medicated by certain doctors. Marijuana that has high CBD is the one thought to have properties that help on the epilepsy. The THC on the other hand is that one that makes humans high and is the one most consumed as for recreational purposes. Drugs are also used by shamans in tribes. For example in the Amazons, a certain group uses Ayahuasca that when burned and consumed as a beverage, serves as DMT, a powerful drug that gives us the experience of death, DMT is also found in our brains. This means that we carry a drug inside of us. The natives consumed these drugs because according to their beliefs, these drugs such as Ayahuasca heal or contain healing powers. Drugs should not be illegal. This is because many of these are multifunctional and can serve for medical uses. Also all these laws and jurisdictions do not prevent the recreational consumers from consuming. These just do it in a more discreet environment.

                Meditation, biofeedback, lucid dreaming, and hypnosis are other states of consciousness. Through meditation the stresses of the world diminish. Meditation has been done throughout the years in many cultures. Therefore, several methods of meditation exist. It can be done through pleasant odors and sounds such as the om. Biofeedback provides specific information about what is happening in the body. Controlling bodily functions such as heart rate can be acquired through biofeedback.  Biofeedback can be done by transmitting information on a screen, and trying to control the line or information transmitted in the screen. However this has to be done under medical supervision. Hypnosis on the other hand is like a trance. It can be done by focusing on something specific such as a voice. Then one has the sensation of sleep but is not sleeping. Hypnosis can only be done only when willing. A problem with hypnosis is that one can lose notion of what is true and what is real. Hypnosis can be done to prevent pain, relax, and quit bad habits. Lucid dreaming is a state when one dreams. The dreams are more realistic and can be manipulated more by us.

                After looking all of these ways of how to achieve an altered state of consciousness, we can see a similarity in all. It is hard to extract any type on data regarding states of consciousness. Most of the information on these regards is mostly theories and ideas. This is why many people are attracted to these states of consciousness, yet some quite repelled by them. It is because they are unknown and hard to understand. Drugs, meditation, hypnosis, dreaming, all of these defy the rules of consciousness and take them to different levels which is why they are altered states of consciousness.