Understanding Consciousness, Dreams, and States

Consciousness is a central fact of human existence, because without it, all other aspects of our life (perception, thought, emotion, etc.) are meaningless.

Characteristics of Consciousness

• Involves short-term memory.
• Is independent of sensory inputs (e.g., fantasizing).
• Requires focused attention.
• Has the ability to process alternative interpretations of complex or ambiguous data.
• Disappears and reappears during sleep (deep sleep to dreaming), at least in a changed or disjointed way.

Methods to Investigate Consciousness

• Observing and measuring the actions of an experimental subject, collecting reports of internal experience (e.g., heart rate, breathing, overall brain electrical activity).
• Investigating patients with brain injuries.

Waking vs. Dreaming Thought

Waking thought (conscious) allows us to perceive people, events, and places as real. It signifies being lucid and directing our behavior. Cognitive processes like perception, learning, and intelligence are used to adapt to life situations and plan future actions.

Dream thought (unconscious) is produced during sleep. During dreaming, there is a loss of conscious awareness of the external world.

Altered States of Consciousness

Altered states of consciousness can be induced by certain drugs. Effects may include:

• Disorders of thought: Confusion between fantasy and reality, affecting cognitive processes like attention, memory, and judgment.
• Loss of the concept of time: Feeling that time passes quickly or is stopped.
• Perceptual alterations and body image changes: Distortions, hallucinations, and delusions.
• Loss of control: Difficulty managing one's life.

The Electroencephalogram (EEG)

The electroencephalogram (EEG) measures brain electrical activity. It shows variations between wakefulness and sleep, as well as different sleep stages.

Types of Dreams: SOL and SOR

Dreams can be described in different ways. 'SOL' dreams are often described as logical and rational, associated with the left hemisphere. 'SOR' dreams are described as visual, fantastic, and illogical, associated with the right hemisphere.

Processes in Dream Development

Processes involved in the development of dreams include:

Condensing:

Fusion of two or more dream images to form a single symbol.

Displacement:

Translating a dream image into another.

Dramatization:

Converting abstract ideas and relationships into images.

Factors Influencing Drug Effects

Factors influencing drug effects include:

• The purity and actual composition of the drug.
• Physiological characteristics of the consumer.
• Personality of the consumer.
• Knowledge, previous experiences, and expectations about the drug.
• Use frequency.
• The environment in which it is taken.

Dependence vs. Tolerance

Dependence occurs when a person needs the drug to function normally in everyday life.

Tolerance occurs when the standard dose of a drug has reduced effects, requiring higher doses to achieve the desired outcome.