Altered State of Consciousness and Anxiety

Causes

There are many causes of altered states of consciousness. For instance:

Sleep and Dreaming: Sleep naturally alters consciousness. Different stages of sleep, particularly REM sleep, are associated with unique states of consciousness. Dreaming can create vivid and alternate realities, which are altered states of consciousness.

Meditation and Hypnosis: Both practices can lead to significant changes in consciousness. Deep meditation and deep relaxation can result in experiences of transcendence, detachment, or a profound sense of peace and unity. Hypnosis can lead to changes in perception, memory, and susceptibility to suggestions.

Psychoactive Substances: Drugs, including alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogens, sedatives, and stimulants, can significantly alter brain chemistry and perception, leading to altered states of consciousness. The effects can range from mild alterations of perception to profound changes in sensory experiences, thought processes, and self-awareness.

Mental Health Disorders: Certain mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, and anxiety, can lead to altered states of consciousness. For example, dissociative disorders involve disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity.

Neurological Conditions: Brain injuries, seizures, and other neurological conditions can alter consciousness. For example, epilepsy can lead to transient altered states of consciousness during a seizure.

Sensory Deprivation or Overload: Both extremes of sensory input can lead to ASC. Sensory deprivation, such as in flotation tanks, can cause hallucinations and a distorted sense of time. Conversely, sensory overload from extreme noise or visual stimuli can disrupt normal consciousness.

Physical and Emotional Stress: Extreme physical stress, exhaustion, or trauma can lead to altered states of consciousness, as can intense emotional experiences, such as anxiety. This includes situations of extreme fear, panic attacks, or profound grief.

Fasting and Physical Endurance Activities: Extended periods of fasting or intense physical activity, such as running a marathon, can lead to changes in mental state, often referred to as a "runner's high" or a state of euphoria and altered perception.

Cultural and Ritual Practices: Certain cultural and spiritual practices, including rituals and dances, are designed to induce altered states of consciousness as part of religious or healing ceremonies.

Near-Death Experiences: People who have had near-death experiences often report significant changes in consciousness, including out-of-body experiences, moving through a tunnel, or encountering beings of light in a different reality.

This article focuses on the link between anxiety and altered states of consciousness.

The Stress Response

Anxious behavior, such as worry, activates the stress response. The stress response secretes stress hormones into the bloodstream, where they travel to specific locations to immediately prepare the body for emergency action – to fight or flee.

This survival reaction is often referred to as [1][2]:

• The fight or flight response.
• The freeze response(some people become so frightened that they freeze with fear like a “deer caught in headlights”). This response is thought to be a survival mechanism that allows the person to blend in with their surroundings and avoid detection by a predator.
• The faint response (some people faint when afraid). This response is thought to be a last resort for survival in situations where fighting or fleeing is not possible or likely to be successful.
• The submit response (some people easily surrender to their threats when afraid). This response is thought to be a way of avoiding further harm or injury and may be seen in situations where the person feels powerless or overwhelmed.
• The appease response(some people attempt to calm or placate the threat to avoid harm or conflict). This response is thought to be a way of avoiding or reducing the severity of the threat.

Some of the stress response changes include:

• Quickly converts the body’s energy reserves into “fuel” (blood sugar) to provide an instant boost of energy.
• Increases heart rate, respiration, and metabolism due to the boost in energy.
• Stimulates the nervous system, increasing nervous system activity to be more sensitive and reactive to danger.
• Heightens most of the body’s senses to be more aware of danger.
• Causes muscles to tighten to make the body more resilient to injury.
• Increases respiration to accommodate the increase in heart rate.
• Increases perspiration to keep the body cool and expel toxins.

And so on.

For complete information about the many body-wide changes, visit “The Stress Response” article.

Since stress responses push the body beyond its internal balance (equilibrium), stress responses stress the body. As such, anxiety stresses the body.

As mentioned, stress can create an altered state of consciousness. For instance, individuals having intense anxiety, such as anxiety and panic attacks, which dramatically increase stress, can experience dissociation, creating an altered state of consciousness.

Moreover, chronic stress (hyperstimulation) can cause altered states of consciousness because it affects the mind, neurotransmitter levels, and brain function [3][4].

Visit our “Stress-Response Hyperstimulation” article for more information.

Both acute and chronic anxiety and the stress they cause can cause an altered state of consciousness.

Furthermore, anxiety-caused stress is a common cause of sleep deprivation, another common cause of an altered state of reality.

Dissociation

As mentioned, some people dissociate when afraid – mentally and emotionally separate themselves from an experience – especially with threats in the high to very high degree range.[5]

Dissociation can not only occur during a stress response. It can also become a behavioral issue – where a person regularly dissociates from certain thoughts and emotions that arose during a previous traumatic experience.

Chronic dissociation is another cause of an altered state of consciousness.

Visit the “Dissociation” symptom for more complete information about this common anxiety symptom.

Brainwave patterns

Extreme acute anxiety and hyperstimulation (chronic stress) can shift brain activity towards beta waves, reducing the calming alpha and creative theta and gamma waves [6], leading to a state that can feel surreal or detached from reality.

For instance:

Delta Waves (.5-3 Hz): These are most prevalent during deep, dreamless sleep but can also occur in profound states of meditation and relaxation. In waking states, unusually high delta activity may significantly detract from the external environment, leading to an altered state of consciousness often associated with deep transcendental meditation or spiritual experiences.

Theta Waves (3-8 Hz): Typically associated with light sleep, deep meditation, and REM sleep, theta waves can induce deep relaxation and are often linked to hypnagogic states (the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep). During these states, individuals may experience vivid imagery, creative thoughts, and a sense of detachment from the physical world, characteristic of an altered state of consciousness.

Alpha Waves (8-12 Hz): These are associated with states of calmness, relaxation, and light meditation. An increase in alpha wave activity can lead to feelings of peacefulness and dissociation from everyday thoughts and stressors. This can lead to a mild form of altered consciousness where one feels more "in the moment" or in a flow state.

Beta Waves (12-38 Hz): While normally associated with active, logical thought, an excess of beta activity, especially high-frequency beta waves, can lead to anxiety, stress, and paranoia. In extreme cases, this heightened state can alter one's perception of reality, contributing to an altered state of consciousness characterized by increased stress and disconnection from the present moment.

Gamma Waves (above 38 Hz): These represent high levels of processing and cognitive functioning. An increase in gamma wave activity is often found during moments of insight, high concentration, and peak cognitive functioning. Though less is known about gamma waves compared to other brainwave states, they are believed to be associated with heightened awareness and perception, contributing to peak experiences that can be considered altered states of consciousness.

It's important to note that while these experiences can occur naturally, they can also be induced by various practices such as meditation, deep relaxation techniques, and in some cases, through the use of psychoactive substances. However, the experiences and interpretations of these states can vary widely among individuals.

Stress can dramatically affect brainwaves. For instance:

Reduction in Alpha and Gamma Waves:

• Stress often leads to an overabundance of beta waves, particularly high-beta waves that are associated with significant stress, anxiety, or panic. This overactivity can suppress the production of alpha and gamma waves.
• Alpha waves are crucial for creativity, calmness, and mental coordination. By reducing alpha wave activity, stress can hamper these states, leading to difficulties in relaxation and focus.
• Gamma waves, related to high-level information processing and cognitive functioning, can be suppressed by ongoing stress, impacting a person’s ability to reach peak concentration and insight.

Difficulty Transitioning between Brainwave States:

• Chronic stress can make it challenging for the brain to transition smoothly between states, leading to a predominance of beta activity and making it difficult for an individual to reach the calmer, more creative alpha and gamma states while awake.

Sleep Disruption:

• Stress can affect the natural flow between different brainwave states, disrupting sleep patterns. This can lead to less time spent in the restorative delta and theta stages of sleep, impacting overall well-being and cognitive function.

Any combination of the above factors can cause and contribute to anxiety-caused altered states of consciousness.

Other Factors

Other factors can create stress and cause anxiety-like symptoms, as well as aggravate existing anxiety symptoms, including:

• Medication
• Recreational drugs
• Stimulants
• Fatigue
• Hyper and hypoventilation
• Low blood sugar
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Dehydration
• Hormone changes
• Pain

Select the relevant link for more information.