Altered States of Consciousness Chapter 5 Altered States of Consciousness

Meditation Method used by some people to try and narrow their consciousness so that stresses of outside world fade away. Most methods of meditation focus on a peaceful, repetitive stimulus Important part of some religions like Buddhism

Biofeedback Is a system that provides , or feeds back information about something happening in the body Through biofeedback training people have learned to control certain bodily functions People have learned to not only treat tension headaches, but also lower their heart rates or blood pressure

Biofeedback Case Study Read the case study on page 114 Answer the questions on page 114

Drugs and Consciousness Addiction to a drug means that after a person takes the drug for awhile, his or her body craves that drug for it just to feel normal Drugs have a number of effects on the conscious

Depressants Drugs the slow the activity of the body, specifically the central nervous system Alcohol is a depressant Intoxication occurs when someone drinks alcohol and is another word for drunkenness

Alcohol Alcohol is involved in more than half of all fatal automobile accidents Alcohol when consumed regularly can lead to addiction Once people become addicted to alcohol they may continue drinking it to avoid withdrawal symptoms such as tension and trembling Long term heavy drinking has been linked to liver problems, heart problems, and cancer

Detoxification One form of treatment for drug abuse is detoxification This process removes harmful substances from the body by weaning addicts from their drug while restoring their health This treatment is most commonly used for people addicted to alcohol and narcotics Counseling and Support Groups may also be used to help someone that is addicted to a drug