Hypnosis
The second altered state of consciousness in this lesson is hypnosis. Hypnosis is a form of altered consciousness in which people become highly suggestible to changes in behavior and thought.
Although people have often seen hypnosis as part of an entertainment act, it has serious uses in medical and therapeutic settings.
Hypnotists can suggest things for people to remember or things for them to forget. This is known as posthypnotic suggestion.
Memory can also be aided or enhanced through posthypnotic suggestion, and it has been particularly helpful in changing unwanted behaviors, such as smoking or overeating.
Hypnosis is also sometimes used to reduce pain.
In these situations the hypnotist works with the patient to reduce his or her anxiety and encourage relaxation. Therefore, a patient's perception of pain is lessened.
And last but not least, therapists use hypnosis to help clients reveal their problems or gain insight into their lives.
Hypnosis is not for all patients. Some people fear the loss of control associated with hypnosis and therefore would not respond well even if they tried. For this reason and others, therapists often combine hypnosis with other therapies to help patients work through their problems.
Drugs
The third altered state of consciousness is drugs.
As we learned earlier, drugs interact with the central nervous system to alter a person's mood, perception and behavior.
These drugs range from stimulants like caffeine in coffee and cola drinks to depressants like alcohol to powerful hallucinogens like marijuana and LSD.
A common altered state of consciousness for a lot of students is caffeine. Students use caffeine in sodas to help hem study for tests or to stay awake to complete homework.
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