Consciousness is a state of awareness. Everything you think
and feel is a part of your conscious world. Changing your mental
process—by sleeping, meditating, undergoing hypnosis, or
taking drugs—alters your state of consciousness. Chapter
7 explores altered states of consciousness.
Section 1 discusses sleep, an essential state of consciousness,
and describes theories of sleep, the stages of sleep, sleep
disorders, and the role of dreams.
Section 2 describes altered states of consciousness
that can occur while we are awake, such as hypnosis, biofeedback,
and meditation. Therapists use hypnosis to change behaviors,
to lessen patients' pain, and to help patients gain insight
into problems. Biofeedback is used to teach a person to control
physiological processes. Studies have suggested that the regular
practice of meditation is physically relaxing and can lead
to changes in behavior.
Section 3 examines psychoactive drugs and how they
interact with the central nervous system to alter consciousness.
Psychoactive drugs discussed include marijuana, LSD, opiates,
and alcohol. The chapter concludes with the definition of
drug abuse and its treatment.
