States of Consciousness: Part II

A man by the name of Ernest Hilgard defined Hypnosis as "an altered state consciousness during which the person's conscious is divided or disassociated." In this state, Hilgard said that people are more suggestible and have a greater ability to control physiological functions such as pain perception.

Others have disputed the above mentioned concept such as Theodore X. Barber, who claimed hypnosis to not be an altered state of consciousness but claimed that certain people are more prone to suggestion and all the effects of hypnosis can be achieved without it. Followers of this belief see the hypnotized as role players pretending to be under the power of hypnosis. Barber also noticed that task-motivating instructions worked almost as effectively as hypnotic induction.

It seems, though, that there is actual research to support hypnosis as a definite altered state of consciousness. Hypnotized individuals were analyzed via PET brain imaging, and researchers discovered an increased activation of the occipital lobe and the frontal lobe, especially in the areas involving language. Also, an area in the cerebral cortex associated with attention showed increased stimulation.

A third definition of hypnosis states that it is a state of focused attention that allows people to relax and learn to control body functions (Olness, 1993). This is a more objective definition focusing on the characteristics and benefits of hypnosis. The research will still continue in hopes of finding a universal definition for the controversial subject of hypnosis.

Those under the effects of hypnosis, with the guidance of a health care professional, exhibit an increased ability to relax and manage pain control. These symptoms are considered real and are used to help individuals control various types of pain, from childbirth to cancer pain. Hypnosis also assists in stress management, such as coping with trauma.

States of Consciousness: Part I

Sleep occurs in a cycle known as the circadian rhythm, which are internally generated patterns of body functions such as hormonal signals, sleep blood pressure, and body temperature. These functions vary over a twenty-four hour period. Even in an isolated environment that prohibits outside indicators such as day and night, windows and clocks, the circadian rhythm still operates and signals when it is time to sleep and time to awake.

In order to maintain circadian rhythms, it is important to be exposed to light. Light has the ability to keep the internal clock in sync. This is most notably observed with people whose profession deals with health care, or people who work as police or as airplane pilots and flight attendants. They usually are working in a profession that requires extended working hours, working through the night, and experiencing jet lag. Light therapy often works to adjust the discomfort of offset hours and correct the errors caused by inattentiveness. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that there is no instant cure for sleep exhaustion.

Jet lag is a phenomenon experienced during flight travel that causes exhaustion and disorientation. A good example of jet lag would be flying from Portland, Oregon, to Santiago, Chile, because the trip takes roughly twenty-four hours to complete. During the trip, sleep is sparse because of flight changes and continuos activity inside the cabin. Upon arrival in Santiago, one would find one's self with little sleep and a circadian rhythm offset by a six-hour time difference. (The difference in hours is dependent upon the time of the year.) It is said that a combination of light therapy and melatonin supplements can help remedy the resulting sleep imbalance.

There are five stages of sleep, which fall into two categories: REM and NREM sleep. When we first fall asleep, we enter the first stage of NREM (non-rapid eye movement) which on an EEG shows rapid but low amplitude brain waves gradually increasing in amplitude and slowing down in frequency. In the stages three and four, delta waves can be seen which are low frequency, high amplitude waves. REM sleep is the final phase (often called paradoxical sleep due to the rigidity of the body during this phase) where dreams are more intense and last a greater duration.

Some believe in a simple explanation as to why we sleep saying that we sleep because we are tired and that sleep is a type of remedial function for the body and mind. The only problem with this explanation is that none have been able to describe exactly what sleep remedies. The circadian theory can explain the mechanisms of sleep but not why we sleep and perhaps no single theory ever will. Sleep has far too many functions for a single theory.

Understanding why we sleep might shed a light on the phenomenon of sleep disorders. A very well known sleep disorder, although not very common, is narcolepsy. Those who suffer from this disorder tend to fall asleep abruptly and sometimes at inappropriate times such as while operating machinery. A disorder called sleep apnea is considered to be even more dangerous due to its ability to inhibit airflow into the sleeper for brief moments causing choking and sometimes even death. They say that about one in five people experience this disorder. Another disorder and possibly the most common is insomnia, which is a disorder that aggravates sleeping habits, thus causing the afflicted individual to have problematic sleep or an inability to sleep. Night terrors is a disorder that occurs in NREM, usually stage four, and causes sheer panic and fright from a vague nightmare that can't be remembered upon awakening. Sleep walking seems to be a genetic based sleeping disorder. It occurs, as with night terrors, in NREM level four where the afflicted wander in sleep as if with a purpose.

River of the Falls

Four men are fishing the Deschutes River.

The Deschutes is one of the most beloved rivers in Oregon. Cutting through the Oregon plateau, its emerald waters sparkle under the desert sun, attracting anglers not only from around the country but from around the world. The river’s reputation for fly-fishing excellence is legendary. Bob Shoemaker from the Deschutes Angler Fly Shop says: "Anglers come from all over the world to fish the Deschutes. They come from England, Scandinavia, Italy, Australia, France, South Africa—they come from all over."

The river’s fertile waters nourish eight different species of fish, from the coveted redside to the ignoble squafish. For the purpose of fishing the Maupin area though, anglers are only concerned with two fish: red-side rainbows and steelhead.

Redsides, a sub-specie of rainbow trout, have a thicker body than normal rainbows and their sides, as the name implies, is a deep sanguine. They are aesthetically appealing and they make the common rainbow look just that: common. Best of all—they fight like a pitbull. When hooked, they dazzle anglers with their acrobatic repertoire of leaps, dives and somersaults. It is a true joy to catch one of these fish. Kevin Erickson from Kaufmanns Streamborn Inc. in Tigard, OR says: "These trout know how to use the current. They like to kick it into high gear and throw on the afterburners. They are very fun to fish."

However, catching one can prove to be difficult. Redsides are moody fish that can leave the most talented angler frustrated and morose. The key is to never stagnate by fishing the same fly in the same spot. It is necessary to keep on the move and fish every nook and cranny the river offers.

Anglers should try either a Golden Stone Fly Nymph or a Green Rock Worm Caddis to catch redsides when there isn’t any surface activity. But if the fish are feeding on the surface, it is better to switch over to dry flies and fish under the trees. Dry flies such as the Elk Hair Caddis and Slow Water Caddis work very well. Mayfly and Midge emerger patterns also work well when fished along the river’s seams and back eddies.

But if foot-long redsides don’t make an angler’s body quiver from an endorphin high, he or she can fish for their steelhead brethren. Nothing is more spectacular than having a Deschutes River steelhead torpedo a fly. The effect is explosive. Heart attacks are a common occurrence among unhealthy anglers. But for those top-notch anglers, the robust ones, they all return home with a Deschutes River fish tale. Many anglers prefer acquiring a good fishing story from the Deschutes River than one from any another river.

"I’ve fished the McKenzie; I’ve fished the Umpqua and I’ve fished the Rough, but the Deschutes is my favorite," says Bob Shoemaker from the Deschutes Angler Flyshop. As good as the Deschutes is for catching stealhead, it is common for an angler to return home and sit sullenly in silence wondering where all the fish went. Catching a steelhead can be a difficult task. They are finicky eaters and usually bite only from reflex. Special flies are needed to coax them into biting. Typical flies to use are the Green Butt Skunk, Freight Train, Street Walker and Max Canyon. Remember, though, choosiness is not required when selecting a fly because most patterns work just as well as the next. What matters is that the fly is consistently presented in a way that makes it look natural. It could take all day to catch one but however long it takes, it is well worth the wait. With the warm desert wind combing the tall grass and the ambrosian aroma of sage all around, waiting will be a pleasure.