Page 160 - Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained Vol. 3

Mysteries of the Mind 141

2. Stored memories, which do not become 2. Hysterical consciousness, induced by rage,
self-conscious until the individual reacti- jealousy, fear, neurotic anxiety, violent
vates them. mob activity, or certain drugs. As opposed
3. Coma, which is induced by illness, epilep- to rapturous consciousness, which is gener-
tic seizures, or physical injuries to the ally evaluated as pleasant and positive in
brain, and is characterized by prolonged nature, hysterical consciousness is consid-
nonreflective consciousness of the entire ered negative and destructive.
organism. 3. Fragmented consciousness, defined as a
4. Stupor, which is induced by psychosis, nar- lack of integration among important seg-
cotics, or over-indulgence in alcohol, and ments of the total personality, often results
is characterized by greatly reduced ability in psychosis, severe neurosis, amnesia,
to perceive incoming sensations. multiple personality, or dissociation. Such
a state of consciousness is induced by
5. Non-rapid-eye-movement sleep, which is
caused by a normal part of the sleep cycle severe psychological stress over a period of
at night or during daytime naps, and is time. It may also be brought about tem-
characterized by a minimal amount of porarily by accidents or psychedelic drugs.
mental activity, which may sometimes be 4. Relaxed consciousness, characterized by a
recalled upon awakening. state of minimal mental activity, passivity,
6. Rapid-eye-movement sleep, which is a and an absence of motor activity. This state
normal part of the nighttime sleep cycle, of consciousness may be brought about by
and is characterized by the mental activity lack of external stimulation, such as sun-
known as dreams. bathing, floating in water, or certain drugs.
The reflective, or self-conscious, states of
consciousness are:
1. Pragmatic consciousness, the everyday, A person may enter an altered state of
waking conscious state, characterized by
alertness, logic, and rationality, cause-and- consciousness through such things as sensory
effect thinking, goal-directedness. In this deprivation or overload, neurochemical imbalance,
level of consciousness, one has the feeling
that he or she is in control and has the fever, or trauma.
ability to move at will from perceptual
activity to conceptual thinking to idea for-
mation to motor activity. 5. Daydreaming, induced by boredom, social
2. Lethargic consciousness, characterized by isolation, or sensory deprivation.
sluggish mental activity that has been 6. Trance consciousness, induced by rapt
induced by fatigue, sleep deprivation, feel- attentiveness to a single stimulus, such as
ings of depression, or certain drugs.
the voice of a hypnotist, one’s own heart-
3. Hyperalert consciousness, brought about beat, a chant, certain drugs, or trance-
by a period of heightened vigilance, such inducing rituals and primitive dances. The
as sentry duty, watching over a sick child, trance state is characterized by hypersug-
or by certain drugs, such as amphetamines. gestibility and concentrated attention on
Levels or types of consciousness with vary- one stimulus to the exclusion of all others.
ing degrees of what could be considered an 7. Expanded consciousness, comprising four
altered state might include: levels: A) the sensory level, characterized
1. Rapturous consciousness, characterized by by subjective reports of space, time, body
intense feelings and overpowering emo- image, or sense impressions having been
tions and induced by sexual stimulation, altered; B) the recollective-analytic level,
the fervor of religious conversion, or the which summons up memories of one’s past
ingestion of certain drugs. and provides insights concerning self,

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