Hand in hand with this goes an altered consciousness of space and self. In his book Altered States of Consciousness, he explains: “In extraordinary states of consciousness-moments of shock, meditation, sudden mystical experiences, near-death experiences, under the influence of drugs-temporal consciousness is fundamentally altered. Marc Wittmann is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health in Germany. There are many forms of non-ordinary mental states, which all seem to distort our sense of space and time. Much later, in 1892, the term “altered states of consciousness” was used for the first time in reference to hypnosis: “The faculties of reason and judgement, the elaborate and regulative faculties, in this altered state of consciousness, are obviously dependent on sense perceptions, and vary accordingly as they do,” writes an anonymous doctor in an article about hypnosis published in the Aberdeen Standard. Terence McKenna, an American ethnobotanist, even thought that the use of psychedelic mushrooms had led to the “evolution of human language and symbol use.” Other researchers suggest that mind-altering substances may have been a core factor in the creation of today’s most common religions. According to the Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Transpersonal Psychology, excessive dancing, meditation, and mind-altering plants were used in ancient civilizations to modulate the activity of the mind. Since the origins of humankindĪltered states of consciousness have been used by humans for more than 30,000 years. However transient, altered states of consciousness are key to understanding the human mind. In order to define altered states of consciousness, we need to ask: what is an ordinary state of consciousness? Because scientists can’t agree on an answer to this question, altered states of consciousness don’t have a clear definition. However you prefer to think of your own experiences, we hope that you will find the information in these pages useful when considering different options for care and support.Altered states of consciousness may immediately bring to mind psychedelics or hypnosis, but there are many ways to induce such non-ordinary states. Some people find it helpful to join groups that are part of a survivor's movement, such as the National Survivor User Network (NSUN). This includes if you don't see your experiences in terms of medical problems or symptoms, or if mental health services have made things worse for you. Not focus on finding problems in them as an individual.Ĭonnecting with people who have also survived trauma can sometimes be particularly helpful, for example through peer support. They argue that professionals should consider what in their life may have contributed to their difficulties, and help with these. Others feel this makes the focus of their problems more medical than is helpful. Some people find it helpful to get a diagnosis because this feels validating or explains what they're going through. There are various approaches to trauma and mental health problems. Different perspectives on trauma and mental health
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |