High State Of Consciousness: What It Is And How It Affects The Brain
Consciousness is an abstract concept that is difficult to define, which is easier to understand in its absence. That is, it can be delimited with absolute clarity that non-living entities are not self-conscious, just as dead matter that previously presented life is not capable of recognizing the surrounding reality or its own state.
But what happens with animals? Do other living beings have a sense of identity? Are they self-aware? Many scientists recognize that most species with a central nervous system (CNS) have certain brain capacities to perceive suffering and enjoyment in a more or less conscious way, so this capacity cannot be ruled out in the animal kingdom. In invertebrates and other taxa, the mystery remains open.
The state of consciousness is even more complicated beyond the animal species that present it, as it turns out that it differs on several levels, some of them only achievable (until now) through the use of psychedelics. Do you dare to dissect the human mind with us? On this occasion, we tell you What is the heightened state of consciousness and what causes it?
As we have said previously, it is easier to define what consciousness is not than what it actually means. Even so, we will make an effort to circumscribe this very abstract term in a series of words. According to the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language (RAE), consciousness could be defined as follows: “it is the ability of the human being to recognize the surrounding reality and relate to it; Coma consists of the total loss of consciousness.”
Things get complicated from here, as it turns out that consciousness and consciousness are not the same, at least not from a strict point of view A single letter differentiates them phonetically, but, if we get technical, we will discover that their interchangeable use is usually erroneous. Consciousness is always synonymous with consciousness, but consciousness cannot be exchanged for consciousness.
Returning to the initial definition, The consciousness of the human being is the ability of our species to recognize the surrounding reality, respond to it and, in addition, be capable of immediate knowledge of one’s own subject, his actions and his reflections. On the other hand, conscience usually has a much more ethical and moral component, since certain components are attributed based on what is distinguished in the environment or in one’s own. Let’s see these differences with an example:
Surely with both examples things have become a little clearer, right? Once this linguistic conflict is delimited, we are ready to know everything about the elevated state of consciousness. Do not miss it.
What is the heightened state of consciousness?
The elevated state of consciousness is an exceptional type of consciousness, that is, it goes beyond wakefulness, sleep and dreaming and does not correspond to the usual alterations in the level or structure of the brain. In other words, this event is characterized by being different from the state of beta waves (electromagnetic brain oscillations) typical of the circadian phase in which we are awake.
In general, 3 types of consciousness are distinguished within “normality” These are the following:
Thus, the state of elevated consciousness would fall outside of these 3 meanings, thus being considered an “elevation” of consciousness. How is this state achieved?
Consciousness and LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD is a semi-synthetic psychedelic substance that produces psychotropic effects The experiences after its consumption include hallucinations, synesthesia, distorted perception of the ego, alteration of consciousness and the visualization of entities and images that are perceived as totally real by those who consume it, despite not being observable by the environment.
After consumption of this drug, a state known as “lysergic intoxication” is reached In it, the everyday image of the world presents an extreme and sudden transformation, even generating a suppression of the “I/you” barrier. This is very useful in the medical field, since patients with an egocentric disorder break away from their fixation and isolation and are more receptive to the instructions of a professional. Furthermore, this psychedelic allows you to recover content or experiences already forgotten or repressed, reviving memories of early childhood.
LSD and human consciousness have been studied on multiple occasions, so there is already an extensive collection of literature on the interactions between the two in public scientific libraries. Even so, a new study catches our attention: in volume 227 of the journal Neuroimage, published in February 2021, research has been collected that demonstrates that LSD causes a greater diversity of neuronal signals in the patient, or what is the same, greater brain activity or a “higher state of consciousness.”
LSD acts on serotonin receptors in the brain, a fundamental neurotransmitter in the human nervous system. Due to its temporary effects on the mind and brain, it is postulated that the serotonergic pathway of LSD represents a powerful method to connect physiological phenomena with their brain analogues, which would promote the understanding and comprehension of both by the individual.
Based on 2 typical characteristics of the human mind (integration and segregation), it has been shown At a neurological level, LSD consumption produces an atypical high state of consciousness that is impossible to achieve in any other way, since it promotes an abnormal increase in the functional complexity of the brain. During lysergic intoxication, brain regions act in a less “tethered” manner than usual, due to the presence or absence of anatomical connections.
We know that we are moving in quite complex terms, but if we want you to take away one idea, this is this: certain postulations argue that the anatomical connections of the brain are, in part, a product of the individual’s expectation about which sections of the brain. your brain should exchange information. These “expectations” would be shaped by factors as intrinsic to the individual and the species as evolution and experience.
According to the research cited, during lysergic intoxication the expected structural-functional correlation is drastically reduced Being less constrained by previous preconceptions (due to the effects of the drug), the brain is free to explore a series of connective patterns that go beyond those dictated by human anatomy. This could explain the formation of images and realities completely different from normal ones and the dissolution of the “I”, or in other words, allow the individual to reach a high state of consciousness.
Summary
As complex as it may sound, the general message of the research and the article shown is the following: consciousness is based on the perception of what surrounds us and of ourselves, but, of course, this is circumscribed by our physiological limitations. and what we expect from them. With the consumption of drugs such as LSD, the brain “frees itself” from ties and anatomical-functional correlations and, therefore, it is capable of exploring terrains completely impossible to understand without the action of the psychedelic.
With this we do not intend to encourage anyone to start using illegal substances to experience altered states of consciousness. It is necessary to keep in mind that the possession and consumption of drugs such as LSD are still punishable by law and contain numerous dangers, so only the individual is responsible for their actions if they decide to consume them.
