Hypnosis and guided imagery
Hilary McClafferty in Mind–Body Medicine in Clinical Practice, 2018
One of the great controversies in hypnosis is whether it can be considered an altered state of consciousness. Some studies suggest that hypnosis is associated with decreased default mode network activity, with high hypnotizability correlating with increased functional connectivity between the executive control network and the salience network, regions of the brain that determine which stimuli are most relevant. A 2016 study by Jiang et al. used functional MRI (fMRI) imaging to examine brain activity and functional connectivity between brain regions in 57 individuals tested and grouped based on high versus low hypnotizability using the Harvard Group Scale for Hypnotic Susceptibility. Participants underwent scanning in four states: resting, memory retrieval, and two different hypnotic experiences (Jiang et al. 2016).
What is the self?
Tamara Ownsworth in Self-Identity after Brain Injury, 2014
Several empirical studies have endeavoured to localise self in the brain by examining the neural processes of healthy individuals, or alternatively examining the experience of ‘loss of self’ in people with various forms of neuropathology or disorders of consciousness (see reviews by Feinberg, 201 1b; Mathews et al., 2009; Northoff, Qin, & Feinberg, 2011). In such research, it has been necessary to define self in measurable terms, which has typically involved examining specific types of self-referential processing. For example, self-recognition tasks using facial stimuli and other self-relevant or self-related stimuli (e.g., pictures, one's own name and other personally salient words) versus non-self-specific stimuli have often been used. These approaches are based on the premise that people become aware of self when required to make ajudgement on, or respond to self-related stimuli (Northoff et al., 2011). Such techniques have been applied to investigate awareness of self for people in altered states of consciousness (Qin et al., 2010). For example, research conducted on patients in a persistent vegetative state revealed neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex when individuals heard their own name, and these signal changes were correlated with level of consciousness. Their findings suggest that full consciousness may not be required for particular types of self-referential processing (Qin et al., 2010).
Signs and Symptoms in Psychiatry
Mohamed Ahmed Abd El-Hay in Essentials of Psychiatric Assessment, 2018
Given these qualities (particularly the euphoric emotionality of experiencing self-evident revelations), our evaluation of the insights obtained through altered states of consciousness depends on the perspective we take. From the standpoint of science, we can say only that altered states of consciousness are different from everyday waking consciousness. No scientific claims can be made that one “reality” is more “real” than another. Consciousness may be altered during meditation, psychoactive drug use, intense sexual orgasm, or moments of religious conversion. The following is a summary of commonly described states of qualitative changes in consciousness.
Hypnotizability and the Natural Human Ability to Alter Experience
Published in International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2021
Altered states of consciousness during religious ceremonies or spiritual practices (e.g., speaking in tongues, religious conversion experiences, shamanic visions, spirit possession, yogic meditation, etc.) seem to be highly motivated (i.e., hoped for and sought) experiences. Although these spiritual experiences are probably equally sought by lows, mediums, and highs, they occur most readily and with the greatest verisimilitude in highs (Cardeña, 1992; Coe, 1900; Dell, 2009; Gibbons & De Jarnette, 1972; James, 2003). In other words – like (1) imaginary companions, (2) fantasy-prone persons, and (3) those with frequent out-of-body fantasies – the spiritual activities listed above are practiced by persons with various degrees of “hypnotic” ability – but are experienced most vividly by highs.
Can the revival of serotonergic psychedelic drugs as treatments for mental disorders help to characterize their risks and benefits?
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Safety, 2022
M. Ishrat Husain, Madeha Umer, Benoit H. Mulsant
Another concern with psychedelic use is the risk of harm to self and others (including lethal harm) while in an altered state of consciousness, as highlighted by several tragic case reports [24]. However, recent clinical trials suggest that these serious adverse events are very rare and can be prevented with adequate participant screening, monitoring, and safety protocols. Except for the small placebo-controlled RCT of ayahuasca that showed a larger reduction in suicidality with ayahuasca than with placebo [17], all published contemporary trials described above have excluded participants with active suicidal ideation. Although treatment-emergent suicidality has not been reported, there was one suicide in a participant treated for end-of-life distress, 2 weeks after receiving a subtherapeutic 1-mg dose of psilocybin [8]. In the context of reported good tolerability and safety in a series of small trials, larger trials are now needed to better determine the frequency of clinically relevant adverse events, and to optimize safety protocols required to prevent them. Until the risks of psychedelics are better characterized, their use should be limited to clinical trials in people with a personal history of psychosis, mania, or hypomania (which, to date, have been exclusion criteria in all published contemporary clinical trials).
Pre-trauma Growth under Terror Threat: Suggestive Communication Method in Anticipatory Trauma
Published in International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2020
The theoretical implications of analyzing the mind in anticipatory trauma in the framework of the altered state of consciousness indicate the application of suggestive communication methods when it comes to intervention. The practical challenges for suggestive communication methods are similar in the fields of health care security: how to communicate a potential risk in a way that does not make the recipient feel more anxious and less in control by the disempowering news and instructions. One solution is to increase the SoA, to make the client feel more in control, more integrated, ready to cooperate, and to act on their own behalf. Because the suggestive communication methods proved to be highly efficient in meeting this challenge in several medical domains (Bejenke, 1996; Cheek, 1965; Szilágyi et al., 2007; Varga, 2013b), including health behavior and involuntary physiological functioning, it was self-evident to develop these methods for the field of security. This method is referred to as Safe Communication and teaches teachers how to talk about terror-related news and security measures to children in order to avoid increasing anxiety and can be completed in 3 hours. The theoretical part discusses the anticipatory trauma and extreme situation. The practical part teaches suggestive communication methods, from the wording to the structure of a preparatory session for a security drill. In Table 1, a few examples are given for suggestive wording that is used. All verbal exercises are a modified form of the training of Suggestive Communication in Somatic Healing (Varga, 2013b; Varga & Diószeghy, 2013).
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