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Consciousness
Consciousness is hard to define, as researchers tend to describe it with the help of broad terms that usually vary from scholar to scholar. Some of them claim that it is the only phenomenon that distinguishes us from animals, while the others insist that consciousness helps humans to acknowledge the world around them. Overall, consciousness is considered to be an awareness of a person’s mental processes, like thoughts, feelings, or sensations (Taye, 2010). Consciousness experiences tend to change constantly, for example, in one moment a person can look at the sky and in a second read a book. Later on, consciousness can shift to the memory of an interaction with a colleague. Next, a person can notice that his chair is uncomfortable, or maybe the air is tiff, and so on. Such ever-shifting process can alter dramatically from one moment to another, yet the entire experience of this process may seem effortless. Also, it was claimed that “consciousness appears to be the major way in which the central nervous system adapts to novel, challenging and informative events in the world” (Baars & McGovern, 1996, p. 92). Overall, consciousness is the method of experiencing the world, cognizing it, and adapting to it if it is necessary. At the same time, the research on consciousness is never ending, as academics tend to explore the possibilities of this process until these days.
Circadian Rhythm
It was observed that the daily light-dark cycle maintains rhythmic alterations in the psychology and physiology of humans. Circadian rhythm refers to the process that affects the oscillation of 24 hours among the most species, including humans. The changes in the state of circadian rhythm may be observed among those who experienced a long flight and encountered with drastic difference of time zones. In this case, a person’s body would be operating on the basis of initial time zone, which will be manifested in sleepiness during the day time or being alert at night. The changes in both physiological and psychological processes may be also observed among those who moved to the polar region where the night can last for several weeks. People usually adjust to such extreme conditions over time and have no troubles of awaking and falling asleep.
I personally encountered with the disruptions of circadian rhythm when I stay awake all night for a prolonged time, which affected my metabolism, hunger, and the ability to concentrate as well as remember different information. According to the research, ignoring the normal circadian rhythm for a long time can affect the physical and psychological health, including the metabolism, appetite, cognitive processes, and mood (Dagan, 2002). I became more irritable, experienced mood swings, and was constantly in a bad mood, which slightly leading to increased stress level. These alterations can lead to the negative consequences that may be difficult to eliminate in the future. For instance, short-term memory deterioration may trigger the low productivity at work and in the daily life. Such dangerous aftermath, as inability of operating machinery can lead to the negative outcomes. Some people may encounter with uncontrollable weight gain or loss. In my case, I gained weight, which was uncomfortable for me. Some researchers claim that there is even a cancer risk in the disruption of circadian rhythm (Stevens et al., 2007).
The Effects of Meditation and Hypnosis on the Body and Mind
Meditation has been practiced for centuries and its therapeutic effect has been acknowledged in many cultures. However, relatively recently, medication was acknowledged by scholars as one of the treatments for people with psychological problems, like anxiety, depression, personality, and panic disorders. Yet, it is usually used as a complementary treatment rather than the basic option for the patients. The success of this practice was revealed after physicians realized that the body cannot be cured without mind. Meditation affects both, mind and body, by providing a variant of self-therapy through controlling the conscious processes and maintaining normal rhythm of thoughts. Two types of meditation are usually used, such as concentration and mindful meditation. This technique helps to either concentrate on a particular thought, problem, task and work with it or recognize all mindful processes and cope with them. Meditation can be recommended for people with anxiety issues, as it can help to calm them down and decrease their fears.
However, hypnosis is more complicated treatment, as it requires an experienced specialist and the perception of hypnosis by a person. A skillful specialist may make a person to forget a negative experience or pain in the body, yet it is possible that this process may lead to the reverse effect. For example, some people use hypnosis to quit smoking or overcome a painful emotional state. Yet, there are no guarantees that these sensations will be totally eliminated. At the same time, hypnosis is usually recommended as a complementary treatment of the anxiety disorders, as it can provide inner relaxation, concentration, and release of fears.
Opiates, depressants, and stimulants have an overall negative effect on the physiological and psychological processes, despite the fact that some of them are used as prescription drugs. For instance, stimulants increase blood pressure and heart rate as well as constrict blood vessels, despite the ability to provide euphoria. Depressants have calming effect, but they usually have side effects that can overvalue their initial purpose. They can be addictive as well, thus, are prescribed only when there are no other options. Continuous use of all of these substances causes withdrawal. If they are combined improperly, they can slow breathing and respiration, which can lead to the lethal outcome. They are not recommended to teenagers due to their developmental stage and high risks of becoming addicted or lead to overdose.
References
Baars, B. J. & McGovern, K. (1996). Cognitive views of consciousness: What are the facts? How can we explain them? in M. Velmans (ed.) The Science of Consciousness: Psychological, Neuropsychological, and Clinical Reviews. London: Routledge.
Dagan, Y. (2002). Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders (CRSD) in Psychiatry-A Review. The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 39(1), 19-28.
Stevens, R. G., Blask, D. E., Brainard, G. C., Hansen, J., Lockley, S. W., Provencio, I., Reinlib, L. (2007). Meeting Report: The Role of Environmental Lighting and Circadian Disruption in Cancer and Other Diseases. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(9), 1357-1369.
Taye, O. R. (2010). Phenomenal Consciousness: An Alternative Healing Method for Mental Illnesses. Journal of Pan African Studies, 3(10), 119-128.
