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 MODULE 3
STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
CONSCIOUSNESS
• Crucial part of human experience.
• Our consciousness awareness represents that private inner mind
where we think, feel, plan Imagine, and quietly relive experiences.
• It is an individual’s awareness of external events and internal
sensations under a condition of Arousal; including awareness of the
self and thoughts of one’s experience.
• Early 20th century William James described the mind as a stream of
consciousness. As so the mind is continuous flow of changing
sensations, images thoughts and feelings.
• Parts of consciousness are awareness, metacognition and arousal.
METACOGNITION
• It refers to the thinking about thinking. When you think about your
thoughts, you are using Your conscious awareness to examine your own
thought process.
• An example would be when you reflect when you are nervous for an
exam.
AROUSAL
• a state of excitement or energy expenditure linked to an emotion. Usually,
arousal is closely Related to a person’s appraisal of the significance of an
event or to the physical intensity of a Stimulus.
• An example of arousal is when a sleeping person is non conscious in the
same way that He/she would be while awake; not aware of surroundings.
FUNCTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS
• Consciousness involves monitoring ourselves and our environment so that
percepts , Memories ,and thoughts are represented in awareness.

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• Controlling ourselves and environment so that we are able to initiate and
terminate Behavioral and cognitive activities.
CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE BRAIN
• Consciousness is the result of activity in distributed networks of neural
pathway.
• Neural pathway is the connection formed by axons from neurons to make
synapses on to Neurons in another location to enable signal transmission
from one region of nervous system To another.
• Brain imaging methods helps to explore the link between brain activity
and consciousness
• EEG : A device that monitor the electrical activity of the brain overtime
• Summarizes the rhythm pf cortical activity in the brain waves . these
tracing vary in Amplitude and frequency.
CORTEX AND CONSCIOUSNESS
• Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is activated during conscious control task ,
subjects asked to Name in the ink color in the strooptask have difficulty
when the word name and color are Different.
• This color naming task was associated with the activation of dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex.
DAY DREAMING
• An effect of low level of consciousness and awareness. It happens when
we are Doing something that does not require our full attention. In between
active Consciousness and dreaming when we are sleeping.
BIOLOGICAL RHYTHM
Rhythm
• Sequence of events that repeat themselves in same order and with the
Same time interval over and over again.
Biological Rhythm
• A biological event or function with a pattern of activity that is repeated
Over and over again at a constant time interval.

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• Biological rhythms are an integral part of everyday life for most Organisms
on earth.
• They regulate most important function each organism. In plants Circadian
clock control flowering, response to seasons and Photosynthesis.
• In mammals, circadian clock manages sleeping, feeding, and controlling
Whether an animal is nocturnal or Diurnal.
PARAMETERS OF BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS
▪ Each biological rhythm is composed to repeating units called cycle.
▪ The length of time required to complete an entries cycle is the period.
▪ The magnitude of the change in activity rate during a cycle the difference
Between peaks and thoughts is the amplitude.
▪ Any specified recognizable part of a cycle is called a phase.
EXAMPLES OF BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS
▪ Heart rate ,Breathing ,Hormone secretion ,Menstrual cycle ,Body
temperature ,Sleep/wake cycle.
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
• Circadian rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates the
Sleepwake cycle and repeats on each rotation of the Earth roughly every
24hours.
• These 24-hour rhythms are driven by a circadian clock, and they have
Been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi, and cyanobacteria .Sleeping
and waking is an example for circadian rhythm.
• Several other bodily functions, such as body temperature, hormone
Production, and blood pressure, also follow circadian rhythm.
• The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), located in the hypothalamus plays a
Major role in our circadian clock.
• In fact it may act as a super clock, it keeps all other internal clocks
Synchronized to one another.
• This nucleus responds to visual input from eyes and either stimulates or
Inhibits activity in the pineal gland.

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• This gland secretes melatonin, a hormone with far-reaching effects.
Melatonin exerts a sedative effect, reducing activity and increasing Fatigue.
• SCN and melatonin are the reason to our day night circle. When exposed
To light, some receptors in the retina send direct inputs to the SCN Placed
in the hypothalamus.
• The SCN sends signal to the nearby pineal gland, whose secretion of the
Hormone melatonin plays a key role in adjusting biological clocks.
There are two different situations that affect our circadian Rhythm
1.JET LAG
• When we fly across several time zones, we may experience
considerable Difficulty in adjusting our internal clock to the new
location. This effect is Known as jet lag.
• Persons suffering from jet lag feel tired, dull, and generally Out of
sorts.
• Research on circadian rhythms indicates that in general it is easier To
reset our biological clocks by delaying them than by advancing them.
2.SHIFT WORK
• People do work on the time when they are originally supposed to
sleep.
• Such Individuals have to reset their biological clocks over and over
again, and this Process is draining, both physically and
psychologically.
SLEEP AND WAKING CYCLES.
SLEEP
• Sleep is a condition of body and mind that typically reccurs for several
Hours every night, in which The eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed,
and consciousness the nervous system is relatively inactive, Practically
suspended.
• It is a process in which important physiological changes (shift in brain
Activity, slowing of basic bodily functions) are accompanied by major Shift
in consciousness.
• Sleep is a requirement for normal human functioning.

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• It is a state of total or partial in unawareness ranging from slight
Wakefulness to light total detachment from the external world
• Sleep is the time of rest and rejuvenation for the body.
• The muscles and the nerves relax the body recharges it’s energy for The
hours of work to come the next day
• People may need a siesta in the afternoon too, upon the climate, age And
their health status.
• It is a process in which important physiological changes happen in The
body.
• Shift in brain activity, slowing of basic bodily functions are Accompanied
by major shift in consciousness
• Only 8 percent of the population are short sleepers, averaging 5 Hours of
sleep or less per night.
• Most of us sleep on a familiar 7-to- 8 hour per night schedule.
Waking Cycles
Wake cycle is a daily pattern that determines when it’s time to sleep and
when It’s time to be awake.
Waking states of consciousness
• A state of normal alert awareness daily sleep and waking periods create A
variety of sleep patterns.
• Rhythm of sleep and waking are so steady that they
continue for many Days, even when clocks and light – dark cycles are
removed. However, Under such conditions, humans eventual shift to a
sleepwalking cycle That average slightly more than 24 hours.
STAGES OF SLEEP
• Measures of electrical activity in the brain show that the is quite active
During the night during sleep.
• It produces electrical discharge with systematic, wavelike patterns that
Change in height and speed in regular sequence.

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• Scientists categorized the stages of sleep based on the characteristics of
The brain and body during sleep. Stage 1,2,3, and 4, are categorized as
‘non-REM sleep’, and the 5th stage, is REM sleep.
• People progress through a series of distinct stages of sleep during night’s
Rest. These Stages move in cycles of about 90 minutes duration each.
STAGE- 1 SLEEP
• The initial stage when one is in transition between wakefulness and Sleep.
• First stage of Non REM sleep.
• Lightest sleep or drowsy sleep (somnolence)
• Brain waves begin to slow down as you entered this stage.
• Typically less than 10 minutes.
• Slowing of heartbeat , Relaxation of muscles. breathing and eye
movement as well as the relaxation of muscles.
• The muscles of your body relax. This may trigger a reflex muscle twitch
Called a hypnic jerk.
• In the beginning of this stage ,brain produces high amplitude alpha Waves
and begins to produce theta waves as the stage progresses.
• Persons awakened at this time may or may not say they were a sleep.
STAGE-2 SLEEP
• Second stage of N rem , light sleep
• Body temperature drops, slowing of both heart rate and
breathing and muscles Relax even further than 1st stage.
• It is characterized by the theta waves
• Brain also begins to produce bursts of rapid ,rhythmic, brain wave activity
known as Sleep spindles ,which are important for learning and memory.
• Presence of high amplitude patterns of brain activity that may can occur in
response To environmental stimuli :k complexes .
• In total stage 2 roughly 20 minutes long.

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STAGE-3 AND 4
• deep sleep ,slow wave sleep.
• Due to the presence of delta waves or slow brain waves ,as the Brain is
now in a deeper state of sleep as compared to stage 1 And 2
• Heart beat and breathing slow to their lowest level.
• It may hard to awaken as the muscle tone are extremely relaxed .
• Stage-3 and stage-4 sleep dominate the first half of the night.
• sleep consist of high amplitude ,low frequency delta waves in EEG
Recordings
• Night terrors and sleep walking can occur
• Individuals reach slow wave sleep in about half an hour and stay There for
roughly 30 minutes.
• These cycle reverses it self and the sleeper gradually moves Upward
through the lighter stages.
STAGE 5 : REM SLEEP (Rapid Eye Movement Sleep)
• Rapid eye movement sleep is the type of sleep associated with rapid
Conjugate movements of the eyeballs, which occurs frequently.
• Though the eyeballs move, the sleep is deep. So, it is also called
Paradoxical sleep.
• It occupies about 20% to 30% of sleeping period.
• Functionally, REM sleep is very important because, it plays an important
Role in consolidation of memory. Dreams occur during this period.
• It is a state of sleep, in which brain activity resembling waking Restfulness.
Its combined by deep muscle relaxation and movement of the eyes. Most of
the dreams occur during periods of REM sleep.
• Body temperature changes , body twitching particularly in face , arms,
Legs,
• Increased blood pressure ,heart rate ,increased oxygen use by brain,
Rapid and irregular breathing , sexual arousal.

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• Important role in brain development and other functions including Mood
,dreams, and memory.
• Dominated by high frequency and low amplitude brain waves and vivid
Dreaming.
NON-REM SLEEP
• Sleep consist of absence of rapid eye movements.
• Relatively Little dreaming and varied EEG activity.

N-REM SLEEP REM SLEEP

1 to 4 stages of 5th stage of the

sleep sleep

Regulated by Regulated by
many brain brain stem
structures,
especially that
of thalamus and
cerebral cortex.
Reduction of Active period of
brain activity as sleep and
bodily functions intense brain
slow down. activity
Growth Voluntary
hormone muscles are
secretion occur, inhibited, Rapid
decrease in eye movements
muscle activity, , dreams occur.
heart rate,
respiration

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 ,oxygen
consumption

FUNCTION OF SLEEP
• Sleep plays an important role in the function of the brain, by forming New
path ways and processing information.
• Restore physiological processes that help in rejuvenating the body.
N- Rem = physiological
REM = mental
• Memory consolidation
• Hormonal balance
• Energy saving
• Biological repairing such as muscle repairing , cell repairing , tissue
Growth, protein synthesis, release of many important growth Hormones.
• Survival function – rest is essential to survival.
ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG)
• An apparatus/machine that measure records and displays
Electrical of activity with in the brain of person.
• Sleep can be measured with an electroencephalogram.
• The brain generates tiny electrical signals (brain waves) that can Be
amplified and recorded.
• When you are awake and alert the EEG reveals a pattern of small Fast
waves called beta waves.
• Before sleep the pattern shifts to larger and slower waves called Alpha
waves.
SLEEP DISORDERS

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A sleep disorder is a condition that frequently impacts your ability to get
Enough quality sleep.
1.INSOMNIA
Insomnia refers to chronic problems in getting adequate sleep. It is caused
by The side effect of emotional problems, such as depression, stress etc.
• Health problems such as back pain, ulcers, and asthma can lead to
Difficulties in falling asleep.
• The use of drug (stimulants) also leads to problem in sleeping.
• Sleeping difficulty, headache, lack of concentration, not feeling
Wellrested, an elevated risk for accidents, anxiety and depression.
• Generally there are a prescription of two classes of drugs used to treat
Insomnia.
• Benzodiazepine sedatives (such as dalmane, halcion and restoril) Relieves
anxiety and non-benzodiazepine sedatives (such as ambien, Sonata and
lunesta) for sleep problems.
• Insomnia also requires therapeutic interventions including relaxation
Training, sleep hygiene education and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
2.SLEEP APNEA
• Sleep apnea involves frequent, reflexive gasping for air that awakens a
Person and disrupts sleep.
• Sleep apnea can result when the brain fails to send a “breathe signal” to
The diaphragm and other breathing muscles or when muscles at the top Of
the throat become too relaxed, allowing the windpipe to partially Close.
Suffers stop breathing for up to 30 seconds or more as they sleep.
• It is accompanied by loud snoring. It increases vulnerability to
Cardiovascular diseases. It is also associated with declines in attention,
Memory, and other aspects of cognitive functioning.
• It may be treated with lifestyle modifications (weight loss, reduced Alcohol
intake, improved sleep hygiene), Drug therapy, Special masks and oral
devices that improve air flow, Upper airway and craniofacial surgery.
3.NARCOLEPSY

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• Narcolepsy is a disease marked by sudden and irresistible onsets Of
sleep during normal waking periods.
• It is caused by impairment in the regulation of REM sleep.
• This impairment appears to be due to the loss of orexin neurons In the
hypothalamus.
• A person suffering from narcolepsy goes directly from
Wakefulness into REM sleep, usually for a short period (10-20 Minutes).
• They will experience loss of consciousness up to 15 minutes. This Is a
Potentially dangerous condition because some victims fall asleep Instantly,
even while walking across a room or driving a car.
• Stimulant drugs have been used to treat Narcolepsy.
4.SLEEP WALKING
• Somnambulism or sleepwalking occurs when a person arises and
Wanders about while remaining sleep.
• It tends to occur during the first 2 hours of sleep, when Individuals are in
slow-wave sleep.
• This disorder appears to be inherited. It occurs due to sleep Deprivation
and increased stress.
• Sleep walkers will often sit up, get out of bed, and walk around.
• Accidents do happen.
• People who are awakened while sleepwalking are confused for Several
times.
• If allowed to continue sleepwalking, they eventually return to Bed.
• Treatments like medication and hypnosis usually helps. Self-care And
relaxation techniques and improved sleep habits.
5.NIGHTMARES
• Nightmares are anxiety-arousing dreams that lead to awakening, Usually
from REM sleep.

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• Anxiety and depression can cause adult nightmares. Causes Include scary
movies and books, individual experiences or Medication side effects
• Typically, a person who awakens from a nightmare recalls a vivid Dream
and may have difficulty getting back to sleep.
• If a child’s nightmares are frequent and unpleasant, counselling May
prove helpful.
• Otherwise, treatment is unnecessary as most children outgrow The
problem.
6.NIGHT TERRORS
• Night terrors (also called sleep terrors) are abrupt awakenings From
NREM sleep accompanied by intense autonomic arousal and Feelings of
panic.
• It is due to sleep deprivation, stress, depression or anxiety.
• Individuals who suffer from this pattern awaken suddenly, sit up In bed,
scream in extreme fear and agitation, and experience Heightened heart and
breathing rates.
• They do not usually recall a coherent dream, although they may
Remember a simple, frightening image.
• Treatment may not be necessary as night terrors are often
Temporary problem as most cases occur due to sudden mental Stress or
sleep deprivation.
7.REM-SLEEP BEHAVIOUR DISORDER (RBD)
• It is marked by potentially troublesome dream enactments during REM
Periods.
• The cause of RBD appears to be deterioration in the brainstem Structures
that are normally responsible for immobilization during REM Periods.
• A majority of people who suffer from RBD eventually go on to develop
Neurodegenerative disorders, especially Parkinson’s disease.
• Brain traumas or excessive drug or long history of substance abuse are
Proven to causes.

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• Symptoms: People who exhibit this syndrome may talk, yell, gesture, fail
About, or leap out of bed during their REM dreams.
• Treatment: Managing the condition often involves prescribed Medication
and by adapting sleep habits.
DREAMS
• A dream can be defined as the series of thoughts, images, and
sensations Occurring in a person’s mind during sleep.
• Dreams mainly occur in the rapid eye Movement (REM) stage of
sleep—when brain activity is high and resembles That of being
awake.
• REM sleep is revealed by continuous movements of the Eyes during
sleep. Even though dreams appear on other stages of sleep, they
Tend to be much less vivid and memorable
• Cognitive events, often vivid but disconnected, that occur during sleep.
Most dreams take place during rem sleep.
• Reports from non-rem stages of sleep have found that these dreams
Appear to be less vivid, visual, and story-like than rem dreams.
• Typically, dreams are self-centred; people dream mostly about
Themselves.
1.PSYCHODYNAMIC VIEW
• Dreams express unconscious wishes or impulses.
• This idea has existed for centuries, but its influence was greatly
Increased by Sigmund Freud, who felt that dreams provide a useful
Means for probing the unconscious—all those thoughts, impulses, and
Wishes that lie outside the realm of conscious experience.
• In dreams, Freud believed, we can give expression to impulses and
Desires we find unacceptable during our waking hours.
• Freud carefully Analysed the dreams of his patients and he reported
that In this manner he frequently gained important insights into the
causes of His patients’ problems.
• According to freud, persons dreams contain latent and manifest
Meaning.

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 • Manifest meaning is obvious meaning behind a dream, And the Latent
meaning is the hidden meaning.
• It is believed that a persons thoughts , feelings, and memories are
Represented by concrete objects and symbols in a persons dream.
2. PHYSIOLOGICAL VIEW
• According to this perspective, dreams are merely ou r subjective
Experience of what is, in essence, random neural activity in the brain.
• Such activity occurs while we sleep simply because a minimal
amount of Stimulation is necessary for normal functioning of the brain
and nervous System.
• Dreams then represent efforts by our cognitive systems to make
Sense out of this random neural activity
• According to Dr . J Allan Hobson ,the major function of REM Sleep
associated with dream is physiological rather than Psychological.
• During REM sleep the brain is activated and warning its circuit And is
anticipating the sights, sounds, and emotions of the Waking state.
• He said dreams represent a parallel consciousness state that is
Running continuously ,but which is normally suppressed while The
person is awake.
• In early times ,they suggested that REM state appears to help the Brain
build neural connections especially in the visual areas.
3.COGNITIVE VIEW
• This perspective, proposed by antbrobus (1991), suggests that two facts
About rem sleep are crucial to understanding the nature of dreams:
1.During rem sleep areas of the brain in the cerebral cortex that play a role
In waking perception, thought, and regulation of motor processes are
Highly active;
2.Yet at the same time, during rem sleep there is massive inhibition of Input
from sensory systems and muscles
• Since they represent interpretations of neural activity by our own brain,
They reflect aspects of our memories and waking experience.

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• Convincing evidence for connections between dreams and important
Events in our lives is provided by the fact that persons attempting to Make
important changes in their own behaviour
• For example, to quit Smoking or drinking—often report having
dreams of absentminded Transgression- DAMIT dreams for short
ALTERED STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
HYPNOSIS
• Altered state of consciousness or social role playing Hypnosis is an
altered state of consciousness, characterized by narrowed Attention
and openness to suggestion.
• Not all psychologists accept this Definition. To some, hypnosis is
merely a blend of conformity, relaxation, Imagination, obedience, and
role-playing. Either way, hypnosis can be Explained by normal
principles. It is not mysterious or “magical.”
• Interest in hypnosis began in the 1700s with Austrian doctor Franz
Mesmer, whose name gave us the term mesmerize (to hypnotize).
• Mesmer believed he could cure disease with magnets. Mesmer’s
strange “treatments” are related to hypnosis because they actually
relied on the power of suggestion , not magnetism.
• For a time, Mesmer enjoyed quite a following. In the end, however, his
Theories of “animal magnetism” were rejected and he was branded a
Fraud.
• The term hypnosis was coined by English surgeon James Braid. The
Greek word Hypnos means “sleep,” and Braid used it to describe the
Hypnotic state.
• we know that hypnosis is not sleep. Confusion about this point
Remains because some hypnotists give the suggestion, “Sleep,
sleep.”
• However, EEG patterns recorded during hypnosis are different from
Those observed when a person is asleep or pretending to be
hypnotized.
HYPNOTISM
• A special type of interaction between two persons in which one (the
hypnotist) Induces changes in the behaviour, feelings, or cognitions of
the other (the Subject) through suggestions.
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 • Several traits are related to hypnotic susceptibility. Specifically,
persons who Are susceptible to hypnotism tend to:
• Have vivid, frequent fantasies
• Be high in visual imagery
• Be high in the trait of absorption—the tendency to become deeply
Involved in sensory and imaginative experiences
• Be dependent on others and seek direction from them
• Expect to be influenced by hypnotic suggestions and believe that
these Will have a powerful effect on them
• Experience more or stronger dissociative experiences—experiences
in Which some portion of the self or memory is split off from the rest
MEDITATION
• Meditation is mind body practice in complementary alternative
medicine.
• There are many types of meditation, most of which originated in
ancient Religious and spiritual Traditions.
• Generally, a person who is meditating uses Certain techniques, such
as specific posture, focused attention and an open Attitude toward
distractions.
• Meditation maybe practiced for many reasons, such as to increase
calmness And physical relaxation, to improve psychological balance,
to cope with illness Or to enhance overall health and well-being.
• Meditation; changing your own Consciousness Learning meditation is
not difficult .in fact, by practising the steps below, you Can soon learn
to bring on relaxed state—a potentially beneficial change in Your own
consciousness.
• It gives a heightened feeling of relief and relaxation
• Concentration is sharper
• Insight is improved and problem solving better
• It has a positive effect on health.
• Generally, mind body medicine focused on the interactions among the
Brain/mind, the rest of the body, and behaviour
• The in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioural factors
Can directly affect health.
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People use meditation for various health problems, such as: • Anxiety •
Pain • Depression • Stress • Insomnia
• Physical or emotional symptoms that maybe associated with chronic
Illnesses (Such as heart Disease, HIV/AIDS, and cancer) and their
Treatment in the regard of emotional well being
• Meditation is also used foe overall health and wellbeing.
MIND FULLNESS MEDITATION
• Mind fullness meditation ins an essential component of Buddhism.
• In common Form of mindfulness meditation, the meditator is taught to
bring attention to The sensation of the flow of the breath in and out of
the body.
• The meditator Learn to focus attention on what is being experienced,
without reacting to or Judging it.
• This is seen as helping the meditator learn to experience thoughts
And emotions in normal daily life with greater balance.
TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
• The TM techniques is derived from Hindu traditions.
• It uses a mantra (a word, Sound, or phrase repeated silently) to
prevent distracting thoughts from Entering the mind.
• The goal of TM is to achieve a state of related awareness.
• Practicing meditation has been shown to induce some changes in
body.
• By Learning more about what goes on in the body during meditation,
researchers Hope to be able to identity diseases or conditions for
which meditation might Be useful.
• Some types of meditation might work by effecting the autonomic
Nervous system.
• The system regulates many organs and muscles, controlling
Functions such as heart Beat, sweating, breathing and digestion. It
has two major part’s
• The sympathetic nervous system
• The parasympathetic nervous system
SIDE EFFECTS AND RISKS

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 • Meditation is considered to be safe for healthy people.
• There have been rare Reports that meditation could cause or worsen
symptoms in people who have Certain psychiatric problem.
• People with physical limitations may not be able To participate in
certain meditative practices involving physical movement.
• Individuals with existing mental or physical health conditions should
speak With their health care providers prior to starting a meditative
practice and Make their meditation instructor aware of their condition.
PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES DUE TO MEDITATION
• Decreased heart rate
• Lowered blood pressure
• Lessened oxygen usage
• Changed brainwave pattern
ALTERING CONSCIOUSNESS WITH DRUGS
• The states when an individual is either fully or partially unaware of the
Sensations, thoughts, feelings and emotions, events, and
surroundings that are Experienced by a person; this may be due to
various reasons.
Some different states of consciousness include:
• Dreams
• Hallucination.
• Hypnosis
• Medication
• Sleep
• States induced by psychoactive drugs

Drug Induced State of consciousness

• It is the result of chemicals that alter our mental state. Or in other
terms We can say it is the Changes in our consciousness due to
use/abuse of Different drugs.
Psychoactive drugs

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 • The substances which, because of their chemical structure change
the Functioning of biological systems.
• Drugs are substance that affects brain activity and causes change in
Mood, thoughts, feelings, awareness or behaviour.
Consciousness-Altering Drugs
• Each day, many millions of persons all around the world use drugs to
Change the way they feel—to alter their moods or states of
consciousness. Much of this use of consciousness-altering drugs is
completely legal.
• Example, aspirin and soft drinks are freely available everywhere, and
many Other drugs are consumed under a doctor’s supervision.
• Due to this free availability of these drugs people use them to change
Their moods, and in which they experience impaired behaviour or
social Functioning as a result of doing so.
• This is called drug abuse. And in some Cases people uses illegal
drugs instead of the legal ones.
• When people consume consciousness-altering drugs on a regular
basis, They often develop DEPENDENCE —they come to need the
drug and Cannot function without it.
Two types of dependence exist.
Physiological Dependence & Psychological Dependence
• Physiological dependence occurs when the need for the drug is
based on Organic factors, such as changes in metabolism.
• This type of dependence is What is usually meant by the term drug
addiction.
• Psychological dependence occur when they experience strong desire
to Continue using the drug even though physiologically their body do
not need it.
TOLERANCE
• Tolerance refers to a progressive decrease in a person’s
responsiveness to a Drug.
• Tolerance usually leads people to consume larger and larger doses of
a Drug to attain the effects they desire.

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 • It is a physiological reaction in which the Body requires larger and
larger doses in order to experience the same effects.
• In some cases, one drug increases tolerance for another; this is
known as Cross tolerance.
PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS
• A psychoactive drug is a chemical substance that changes nervous
system Function and results in alternation in perception, emotion,
mood, Consciousness, cognition or behaviour.
• Not all psychoactive drugs produce Effects that lead to recreational
use. Generally, people prefer drug Elevate their mood or produce
other pleasurable alternation in consciousness.
• Most psychoactive drugs can be placed on a scale ranging from
stimulation to Depression.
• A stimulant is a substance that increase activity in the body and
Nervous system. They produce increase in blood pressure, heart rate,
Alertness, thinking, and behaviour.
• Among the most problematic stimulants Are caffeine, nicotine, coca
and amphetamines. A depressant does the reverse.
• Alcohol is a depressant that is taken in liquid form, is one of the most
Commonly used psychoactive drugs .
• All alcoholic beverages contain ethyl alcohol, a chemical that is
quickly Absorbed in to the blood through the lining of the stomach
and the intestine.
• Psychoactive drugs are divided in to different classes according to
their Pharmacological effects.
Categories of Psychoactive Drugs
➢ Stimulant: Drugs that stimulate the brain and increase alertness and
Wakefulness. Examples of stimulants include caffeine, nicotine,
cocaine and Amphetamines such as Adderall.
➢ Depressants: Drugs that calm the Brain, reduce anxious feelings,
and induce Sleepiness. Examples of depressants include ethanol (in
alcoholic beverages) And opioids such as codeine and heroin.
➢ Hallucinogens: Drugs that can cause hallucinations and other
perceptual Anomalies. They also causes subjective changes in
thoughts, emotions, and Consciousness. Examples of hallucinogens
include LSD, mescaline, nitrous Oxide, and psilocybin.
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 ➢ Narcotics: They create a feeling of relaxation and alleviate anxiety
and pain. Are highly addictive
➢ Anxiolytics: Drugs that have a tranquilizing effect and inhibit anxiety.
Examples Of anxiolytic drugs include benzodiazepines such as
diazepam (Valium), Barbiturates such as phenobarbital, opioids, and
antidepressant drugs such as Sertraline (Zoloft).
➢ Euphoriants: Drugs that bring about a state of euphoria, or intense
feelings of Well-being and happiness. Examples of euphoriants
include the so-called club Drug MDMA (ecstasy), amphetamines,
ethanol, and opioids such as morphine.
➢ Empathogens: Drugs that produce feelings of empathy, or sympathy
with other People. Examples of empathogens include amphetamines
and MDMA.
PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS AND THEIR EFFECTS

DRUGS EFFECTS

Depressants Depress activity of

central nervous system
Alcohol Slows down brain areas
that control judgement,
inhibition, behavior(
speech, motor functioning,
emotional expression)
Sedative -hypnotics Produce relaxation and
(benzodiazepines) drowsiness, relieves
anxiety
Opioids Reduce pain and emotional
(Opium heroin, morphine, tension, produce
codeine, methadone) pleasurable and calming
feelings
Stimulants Increase activity of
central nervous system
Caffeine Increase alertness

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Nicotine Increase alertness, reduce
stress
Cocaine Increases energy and
alertness, produces
euphoric feelings of well-
being and confidence
Amphetamines Increase energy and
alertness, reduce appetite,
produce euphoric feelings
Hallucinogens Enhance normal
perceptions
LSD Dramatically strengthens
visual perceptions(
including illusions and
hallucinations)along with
profound psychological
and physical changes
Cannabis Produces a mixture of
(marijuana, THC) hallucinogenic, depressant,
and stimulant effects
MDMA (Ecstasy) Enhance sensory
perceptions, increase
energy and alertness,
produces feelings of
empathy and emotional
well-being

• Some of the changes brought about by psychoactive drugs are

temporary, lasting only as long as the chemicals remain in the brain
and body.
• But certain Psychoactive drugs can also bring about long-term
changes and problems.
• People who regularly ingest them may develop maladaptive pattern of
behavior and changes in their body’s physical response, a pattern
commonly called addiction.

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Common withdrawal symptom
• Irritability ,Agitation, Sleep problems , Low mood , sweating ,Anxiety,
Headaches, Low energy , Poor concentration ,Mood swings ,
Vomiting , Aches and pains, Nausea , Low appetite, Craving drugs
More extreme withdrawal symptoms
• Extreme panic and anxiety ,Depression ,Hallucinations ,Paranoia
,Racing heart , Anger , Suicidal thoughts , Ongoing diarrhoea and
vomiting ,Aggression and violence , Confusion and memory
problems
• These symptoms can be very distressing and risky for people to try
and Manage by themselves.
DRUG ADDICTION
• Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug
in social Situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes
more frequent.
• For Others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins with
exposure to Prescribed medications, or receiving medications from a
friend or relative who Has been prescribed the medication.
HOW DRUGS AFFECT THE BRAIN
• Psychoactive drugs affect consciousness by influencing how
neurotransmitters Operate at the synapses of the central nervous
system (CNS).
• Some Psychoactive drugs are agonists, which mimic the operation of
a Neurotransmitter; some are antagonists, which block the action of a
Neurotransmitter; and some work by blocking the reuptake of
Neurotransmitters at the synapse.
• In some cases the effects of psychoactive Drugs mimic other naturally
occurring states of consciousness.
• For instance, Sleeping pills are prescribed to create drowsiness, and
benzodiazepines are Prescribed to create a state of relaxation.
• In other cases psychoactive drugs Are taken for recreational
purposes with the goal of creating states of consciousness that are

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 pleasurable or that help us escape our normal consciousness.
Stimulant drugs and neurotransmitter.

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