**Consciousness is generally defined as a state of awareness of ourselves and of the world around us; and that it shifts during the course of a day from periods of alert wakefulness to those of drifting consciousness and unconsciousness, as during sleep. **LEVELS OF AWARENESS: Consciousness is selective, therefore, the selectivity of consciousness enables us to achieve a heightened state of alert wakefulness called focused awareness. a) **focused awareness/ is a state of heightened alertness in which one is fully absorbed in the task at hand/state in which thoughts, feelings, and sensations are clear, organized, and the person feels alert.
** is a state of awareness characterized by drifting thoughts or mental imagery; this drifting of thoughts can lead to which is a form of consciousness during a waking state in which one s mind wanders to dreamy thoughts or fantasies. However, when we are able to perform two different activities, each of which demand some level of attention at the same time, that is called
Unconsciousness refers to a lack of awareness of one s surroundings or to a loss of consciousness. **Altered states of consciousness refers to states of awareness that differ from one s usual waking state. SLEEPING AND DREAMING - We spend about a third of our lives sleeping. During sleep, we enter our own private theater of the mind.
Sleep is a biological rhythm, just as our body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, etc. The sleep-wake cycle is a circadian rhythm. It is controlled by the hypothalamus, that is located below and in front of the thalamus. **The sleep-wake rhythm is synchronized with the 24-hour cycle of day and night. A small area of the hypothalamus, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is sensitive to light, signals the pineal gland to secret melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates sleeping and wakefulness. Exposure to darkness during evening hours increases the production of melatonin. Where as, exposure to bright lights decreases the secretion of melatonin. Serotonin levels in the nervous system also seems to be associated with sleepiness. As the day goes by, serotonin levels increases and seems to be associated with sleepiness. It s a correlation.
Sleep deprivation is any significant loss of sleep, resulting in problems in concentration and irritability. People are usually unaware of the seriousness of their impairment. In a study done by Van Dongen et al., 2003, the participants in the sleep-deprived and no-sleep conditions were seriously impaired in their functioning and were relatively unaware of the seriousness of their impairment. **Why do we sleep: 1) Sleep is protective=the Adaptive Theory of Sleep Humans and animals evolved sleep patterns to avoid predators by sleeping when predators are most active. 2) Restorative Theory Sleep is necessary to the physical health of the body because it replenishes chemicals and it repairs cellular damage. 3) Sleep helps to conserve energy. 4) Sleep helps us to consolidate newly learned information into lasting memories. And 5) Sleep helps us to bolsters the body s ability to defend itself against disease-causing agents.
How much sleep does a person need? There are two kinds of sleep: REM and NREM. In REM the muscles are inhibited; the person moves very little. In NREM, Stage 1 As we enter stage 1 sleep, brain waves become small and irregular with varying frequencies. In this stage you can be easily awaken; also known as light sleep stage. Stage 2 This stage begins about 2 minutes after Stage 1 sleep and is characterized by bursts of brain wave activity that are represented by spindle-shaped waves called sleep spindles. We spend more than half of our sleep time in Stage 2 sleep. Stage 3 - In this stage, delta waves constitute 50 percent or fewer of brain wave patterns. Stage 4 In this stage, delta waves constitute more than 50 percent; the deepest stage of sleep. It is during this stage that growth hormones are released from the pituitary gland and reach their peak.
Beta Waves Are brain wave patterns that are dominated by fast, low-amplitude waves. These are the waves that we emit when we are awake and alert. Alpha Waves Are brain waves that are dominated by slower, rhythmic cycles; the person is awake and relaxed. Theta Waves The person is in stage 1; may experience hypnagogic images. Delta Waves Are characterized by large slow waves, Stages 3 & 4.
**REM is the stage of sleep in which one s eyes dart about under closed eyelids. After Stage 4 sleep, by about 50 to 80 minutes after falling asleep, the sleeper briefly recycles through Stages 3 and 2 and from there enters REM sleep. The brain becomes more active during REM, which is why it is sometimes called active sleep. Also, REM is the stage of sleep most closely associated with dreaming. 90% of dreams take place in REM sleep.
During REM the voluntary muscles are paralyzed, a condition called REM. Nightmares are bad dreams occurring typically during sleep. A rare disorder in which the mechanism that blocks the movement of the voluntary muscles fails, allowing the person to thrash around and even get up and act out nightmares is called - behavior disorder. Somnambulism, typically occurs during deep sleep. Somniloquy talking in your sleep. The person experiences extreme fear and screams or runs around during deep sleep without waking fully is called This disorder is characterized by sudden unexplained sleep attacks during the day is called /sleep seizure. This person falls immediately into REM sleep during the day without warning.
This person has difficulty falling asleep, remaining asleep, or returning to sleep after nighttime awakenings is called. This condition is the temporary cessation of breathing during sleep. It is serious, because when left untreated, it can increase ones risk for high blood pressure, heat attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeats. This sleep disorder involves the sudden, involuntary loss of muscular tone or control. It is.
Sigmund Freud believed that the problems of his patients stemmed from conflicts and events that had been buried in their unconscious minds since childhood. ** He viewed dreams as a form of wish fulfillment, containing symbols that represent the sleeper s underlying wishes, usually of a sexual or aggressive nature. Freud called dreams the royal road to the unconscious. Freud distinguished between two types of dream content:
**Manifest content Refers to events that occur in the dream. Latent content This is the true, underlying meaning of the dream, disguised in the form of dream symbols. The symbolism, according to Freud, preserves sleep by preventing emotionally threatening materials from waking you up. Dreams, in the absence of scientific findings, they may have a psychological meaning and they may be a way of expressing emotional issues.
**One function of dreams is perhaps to consolidate fresh memories into lasting memories; Another viewpoint is the activation-synthesis hypothesis which argues that dreams arise when the cerebral cortex attempts to make sense of random electrical discharges emanating from the brainstem during REM sleep. Recently, Hobson and associates have reworked the activationsynthesis hypothesis, calling it the activation-information-mode model, reflecting the fact that symbols can mean several different things. Typically, people dream about events that occur in everyday life; most in color; and the content is influenced by gender and culture. Lucid Dreams Are dreams in which the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming and some report being able to direct the action of their dream as it unfolds.
Hypnosis is defined as an altered state of characterized by focused attention, deep relaxation, and heightened susceptibility to suggestions. refers to reliving past events, usually from childhood. Hypnotic analgesia - refers to loss of feeling or responsiveness to pain in certain parts of the body. refers to an inability to recall what happened during hypnosis. Posthypnotic suggestion is when the hypnotist plants the idea that, after coming out of the hypnotic state, the person will respond in particular ways when they hear a cue word.
1) One view of hypnosis is that people who are hypnotized are not in an altered stated but are merely playing the role expected of them in the situation, e.g., role-playing model which proposes that hypnosis is a social interaction that exists between a hypnotist and a person assuming the role of a good hypnotic subject. This is the Social-Cognitive Theory of Hypnosis. Neodissociation theory - Is based on the belief that hypnosis represents a state of dissociated (divided) consciousness. Hiddenobserver Is that part of consciousness that remains detached from the hypnotic experience but aware of everything that happens during it.
Psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that act on the brain to affect emotional or mental states (thinking, perception, and memory). Psychoactive drugs that are taken for pleasure or used to dull psychological pain, if misused, can lead to. Drug Abuse is the maladaptive or dangerous use of a chemical substance. Drug dependence Is characterized by impaired control over the use of a drug. Depressants are drugs that reduce central nervous system activity, which in turn depresses such bodily processes as heart rate and respiration rate. Alcohol - Is a chemical substance that produces a state of drunkenness. Alcoholism is a form of chemical dependence in which people become physically dependent on alcohol and unable to control their use of the drug.
A condition occurring when a person s body becomes unable to function normally without a particular drug is called. A condition whereby the person is now using larger and larger doses to achieve the same initial effects of the drug is called. When physical symptoms, i.e., nausea, tremors, etc. are being manifested in the discontinuance of that drug, the condition is called. The belief that this drug is needed to continue a feeling of emotional or psychological wellbeing (euphoria) is called.
Stimulants Are drugs that increase the functioning of the. are drugs that decrease the functioning of the nervous system. Painkilling depressant drugs derived from the opium poppy is called. Stimulants that are synthesized in laboratories rather than being found in nature is called. *Caveat -Stimulants do not give extra energy, they cause people to burn up whatever energy reserves they do have. This product is a natural drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant. It produces feelings of power, energy, and pleasure. In terms of its addictive power, this drug is more powerful than heroin or alcohol and is also a natural substance.
This is a natural substance found in coffee, tea, and several other plant-based substances. Barbiturates (Major Tranquilizers) Are depressant drugs that hae a sedative effect. An accidental overdose can lead to death. Benzodiazepines (Minor Tranquilizers) Are drugs that lower anxiety and reduce stress, i.e., Valium, Xanax, etc. Rohypnol, has become known as the date rape drug for it renders its victim unconscious, no remembrance; no reporting.
is a substance resulting from fermentation or distillation of various kinds of vegetable matter. It chronic use can damage the liver, brain, heart, and lead to the loss of economic stability. It is the most commonly used and abused depressant. It gives the illusion of stimulation because it depresses a person s natural inhibitions.
Barbiturates are calming or sedating drugs that have several legitimate medical uses: a) to regulate high blood pressure, b) to block pain during surgery, and c) to control epileptic seizures. Tranquilizers - are a class of depressants widely used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Opioids Are narcotics, addictive drugs that have pain-relieving and sleep-inducing properties.
Hallucinogens are drugs that alter sensory perceptions, producing distortions or hallucinations in visual, auditory, or other sensory forms. LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) produces vivid hallucinations and other sensory distortions. Mescaline, Psilocybin, and PCP These drugs produce delirium, a state of mental confusion characterized by excitement, disorientation, and difficulty in focusing attention. Marijuana is derived from the cannabis plant and is the most commonly abused of the hallucinogenic drugs. Over long term use, it lowers the ability of the immune system to function properly; can cause lung cancer.
To better understand the problems of drug use and abuse, we need to consider social, biological, and psychological factors. 1. Sociocultural influences The pleasurable effects of drugs, peer pressure, and exposure to family members who smoke or use alcohol or other drugs are important influences in leading young people to begin experimenting with these substances. (B) Cultural beliefs and customs may either encourage or discourage drinking. (C) Ethnic and racial groups also differ in their reported use of illicit drugs.
2. Biological Influences With prolonged use of a drug, the body comes to depend on a steady supply of it and the person becomes physiologically dependent on the drug. Chronic use of drugs alters the delicate biochemistry of the brain s natural dopamine system, making it more difficult for the person to reap pleasure from the normal activities of everyday life
3. Psychological Influences Psychological factors, such as feelings of hopelessness, the need to seek sensation, and the desire to escape troubling emotions, are major contributors to the development of drug use and dependence. Also, cognitive factors, such as favorable attitudes toward drugs and positive expectancies about their effects, play a role in determining whether young people use and abuse alcohol and other drugs. Drug Treatment People with chemical dependencies may first need to undergo detoxification, a process in which their bodies are cleared of addictive drugs. THE END STUDY STUDY STUDY