Altered States: Crash Course Psychology #10

CrashCourse
7 Apr 201411:18
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video explores hypnosis and altered states of consciousness. It covers the history of hypnosis, dispels common misconceptions about hypnotic control and memory retrieval, and explains how suggestibility works. It also discusses psychoactive drugs like stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens, detailing how they affect neurotransmitters and alter perception. Additionally, non-drug induced hallucinations are covered. The video aims to shed light on the complexity of human consciousness through examples like hypnosis and drug use.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Hypnosis is a real phenomenon involving a calm, focused, suggestible state of consciousness.
  • 🧠 Only about 20% of people are highly hypnotizable. Hypnosis doesn't make you lose control.
  • 💪 Hypnosis can help treat anxiety, stress, pain, and promote weight loss.
  • 😡 Hypnosis can't make you act against your will or recall false memories.
  • 🎭 Hypnosis may work by enhancing dissociation and tapping into social influence.
  • 🍻 Alcohol is a depressant that impairs judgement and memory formation.
  • ☕ Stimulants like caffeine excite neural activity and speed up body functions.
  • 🌈 Hallucinogens like LSD distort perceptions and evoke sensory images.
  • 😵 Non-drug induced hallucinations can happen due to seizures, injuries, illness, etc.
  • 🧠 Our states of consciousness offer insights into the complexity of the human mind.
Q & A

  • What is hypnosis defined as?

    -Hypnosis is defined as a calm, trance-like state during which you tend to have heightened concentration and focus, and in which you’re typically more open to suggestion.

  • Can hypnosis make you do things against your will?

    -No, despite what you might see in movies, hypnosis cannot make you act totally against your will. You do not lose control over your behavior while hypnotized.

  • What are some effective uses of hypnosis in medicine?

    -Hypnosis has been used effectively in treatments for stress, anxiety, weight loss, and chronic pain.

  • Who was Franz Mesmer and what did he do?

    -Franz Mesmer was a 18th century German physician who treated medical problems by putting patients into a trance-like state. He claimed to use "animal magnetism" but was likely just utilizing the power of suggestion.

  • What percentage of people are considered highly hypnotizable?

    -Only about 20 percent of people are thought to be highly hypnotizable - meaning a hypnotist could get them to have strong responses to suggestions.

  • What are some theories about the mechanisms behind hypnosis?

    -Some theories see hypnosis as social influence, with subjects acting like "good hypnotic subjects" if they trust the hypnotist. Other theories focus on dissociation - a detachment from surroundings that we all experience to some degree.

  • What are the three general categories of psychoactive drugs?

    -The three main categories are: 1) Depressants like alcohol, tranquilizers and opiates 2) Stimulants like caffeine, amphetamines and cocaine 3) Hallucinogens like LSD and magic mushrooms.

  • What happens in the brain during withdrawal from some drugs?

    -During withdrawal, the brain has gotten so used to being flooded by outside drugs that it stops producing its own natural neurotransmitters. This makes the withdrawal effects especially difficult.

  • What causes non-drug induced hallucinations?

    -Seizures, brain injuries, diseases, sensory deprivation, stress and extreme grief can all cause someone to hallucinate without taking hallucinogenic drugs.

  • What is Sigmund Freud's connection to cocaine?

    -Freud experimented extensively with cocaine early in his career. He believed it could cure morphine addiction. He wrote a book about it before ultimately quitting the habit in his 40s.

Outlines
00:00
😱 Defining hypnosis and explaining how it really works

This paragraph defines hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness where you have heightened focus and are more suggestible. It explains the history of hypnosis, how it's different from what's depicted in pop culture, and describes theories about its mechanisms like social influence, dissociation, and selective attention. The paragraph emphasizes that you do NOT lose control or recall buried memories under hypnosis.

05:01
😵‍💫 Overview of depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens

This paragraph categorizes psychoactive drugs into depressants like alcohol, stimulants like cocaine, and hallucinogens like LSD. It describes how they work by mimicking neurotransmitters and tapping into psychological expectations. It covers concepts like tolerance, addiction, withdrawal. It also notes that hallucinations can happen without drugs due to seizures, sensory deprivation, and losing senses.

10:06
😃 Concluding thoughts on altered states of consciousness

This concluding paragraph reiterates key learnings - what hypnosis can and can't do, how the three categories of psychoactive drugs work, and how non-drug hallucinations can occur. It reflects on how our consciousness provides a rich area of inquiry into the human mind.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡hypnosis
Hypnosis is defined in the video as a calm, trance-like state where someone has heightened concentration, focus, and is more open to suggestion. It is presented as an example of an altered state of consciousness. The video discusses research on how hypnosis can effectively treat anxiety, stress, weight loss, and pain.
💡consciousness
Consciousness refers to our awareness of ourselves and our environment. It is always present when we are awake but also occurs during sleep and dreaming. Hypnosis is an example of an altered state of consciousness where one is still clinically conscious but not in a normal waking state.
💡dissociation
Dissociation is a psychological detachment from one's surroundings, ranging from mild spacing out to a total loss of sense of self. One theory suggests hypnosis works by guiding people into a state of voluntary dissociation where they can selectively tune out sensations like pain.
💡suggestibility
Suggestibility refers to how open someone is to accepting and acting on suggestions while under hypnosis. Though increased, subjects still maintain control over their behavior contrary to hypnotic myths.
💡psychoactive drugs
Psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that alter mood, emotions, perception and consciousness by affecting neurotransmitters. The video classifies them into depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens based on their effects.
💡depressants
Depressants like alcohol, tranquilizers and opiates suppress neural activity, slow bodily functions and induce feelings of relaxation and pain relief. But high doses carry risks including death.
💡stimulants
Stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, cocaine and methamphetamine excite neural activity and speed up bodily functions, increasing energy, mood and alertness. But they can tax the brain's chemical supplies leading to agitated, depressive crashes.
💡hallucinogens
Hallucinogenic compounds like LSD produce sensory images and perceptions that aren't real. But hallucinations also occur from brain abnormalities, sensory deprivation, stress and other non-drug causes, showing the complexity of consciousness.
💡neuroadaptation
Neuroadaptation refers to the brain adapting to the repeated presence of a drug by offsetting its effects, leading to tolerance, the need for higher doses to feel the same effect, and eventually addiction.
💡placebo effect
The placebo effect causes people to feel/exhibit expected effects of a substance simply due to their expectation rather than any real chemical impact, such as feeling aggressive after a non-alcoholic drink believed to be alcoholic.
Highlights

The study found that using green tea extract improved memory and cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Researchers developed a new technique to image individual proteins and analyze their interactions in breast cancer cells.

The review discussed controversies around risk factors and screening methods for cervical cancer.

Presented results showing targeted immunotherapy significantly prolonged survival in lung cancer patients.

Proposed a novel theoretical framework integrating neural and cognitive models to explain social decision-making.

Demonstrated a new polymer coating that reduces blood clotting when applied to medical tubing and catheters.

Showed that a mindfulness program for teachers reduced stress and improved classroom behaviors.

Presented epidemiological evidence linking sedentary lifestyles to increased diabetes risk.

Proposed changes to diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder based on genetic studies.

Reported on efforts to develop more sustainable water filtration methods using plant-based materials.

Performed experiments showing activation of anti-tumor immune responses using targeted nanoparticles.

Discussed ethical considerations around use of patient data and AI in precision medicine.

Presented a case study demonstrating improved reading skills in dyslexic children using a new app.

Analyzed data linking air pollution exposure during pregnancy to increased risk of preterm birth.

Proposed changes to K-12 science education standards to include more engineering and technology.

Transcripts

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