James Morrow: Theses on Cognitive Illusions & Schizophrenia

Theses about the subject of Mental Illness by James Morrow

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE

Cognitive Illusions: Weaving the Fabric of Reality (Please scroll to next box)
A Unified Theory of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Affective Disorder
The SHADOW programme

Cognitive Illusions: Weaving the Fabric of Reality

J C Morrow

The Shadow Programme, 318a Ravenhill Road , Belfast BT6 8GL

Submitted June 2006

Cognitive Illusions: Weaving the Fabric of Reality is the abstract for a paper I haven’t yet written – I believe that it forms a valuable discussion point in itself, but I haven’t had time to write it yet. I should be able to write it up within the next few months if you feel that there is enough interest…

Abstract

A common theme within mental illness is loss of touch with reality – with the implicit assumption that the majority’s viewpoint is consistent with reality. This paper identifies instances in which the majority’s viewpoint is not consistent with reality, and considers the likely impact of such situations upon minority groups. By providing a rational explanation of how and why an individual’s cognitive processes may be temporarily or permanently distorted by the belief systems of the majority, the mechanisms underlying a number of common misunderstandings are uncovered, and a framework is developed through which to resolve them. We each live within our own world model. At times it has been more important to have matching world models than that they be consistent with reality, but over time this has led to certain societal anomalies. This paper provides a framework through which such anomalies may be identified and safely resolved.

A Unified Theory of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Affective Disorder

J C Morrow

The Shadow Programme, 318a Ravenhill Road , Belfast BT6 8GL

Submitted June 2006

Unfortunately, I found nothing of significant relevance within the field of psychology at the time that I wrote the Unified Theory paper – it is based upon information mined from many disparate fields, extensive discussions with many who have experienced such conditions and the reading of many thousands of books and documents, and so a conventional list of references or bibliography did not seem viable. Note that the Paranoia paper is much narrower in scope than A Unified Theory, which allowed me to provide a relevant bibliography

Abstract (please scroll to next box)
Introduction
Normal Experiences When Under Stress
Facets of Mental Illness
Relating Facets to Features of Mental Illness (+ Working Hypotheses)
Schizophrenia Compared to Bipolar Affective Disorder
Common Delusions
Some Comments Regarding Hypomania, Mania & Psychosis
Conscious Dreaming
Conclusion

Abstract

Traditionally, schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder are viewed as being alien to normal human experience, full of mental derangement, delusion and hallucination. This paper identifies clear links between what is regarded as normal experience and the experiences of both those in states of hypomania, mania or psychosis and those experiencing hallucinations. The close relationship between schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder is discussed, and the delusions common to both conditions are reviewed within the context of a rational mind experiencing an unusual state of consciousness, as opposed to a deranged mind experiencing a normal situation. The intention is to better understand how schizophrenics and bipolar affective disorder sufferers experience the world when ill, and help them to relate their experiences to normal life.

Within a medical context, terms such as mental derangement, delusion and hallucination are common and seemingly far removed from normal life experience. However, if one looks at the context within which each of these terms arise one can discern features of mental processes which can be experienced in normal life under particular circumstances. For example, it is a well established fact that if a person is deprived of sleep for extended periods of time he or she will experience hallucinations. If we replace the word hallucination with dream or dream fragment (or often more appropriately nightmare or nightmare fragment) experienced whilst awake then we can almost all recall having had dreams and nightmares, and perhaps begin to imagine what it must be like to have them whilst awake, integrated into one’s conscious perception of the world. A number of other features which have a normal life analogue are discussed in detail within the body of the paper. The links between largely trauma based schizophrenia and ideation based bipolar affective disorder are investigated, and the experiences are normalised by relating them directly back to commonly experienced phenomena.

1 Introduction

A basic tenet of the conventional model of mental illness is that the experiences described by those suffering mental conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder are completely outside normal human experience, and that, when in states such as psychosis the person is mentally deranged and not thinking rationally. In contrast, in this paper it is argued that such experiences can have clear links to normal experience and that, despite the delusions common to these experiences this person may be thinking rationally: that is, anybody experiencing the same conditions would have similar (delusional) thoughts. The aim of this paper is to first identify the links between states experienced in mental illness and those of normal life and then consider the implications for a rational person trying to make sense of such experiences. The links between what a rational person might conclude in similar circumstances and a number of common delusions of those suffering mental illness are then examined.

In the first part of this paper we will consider how normal experience can, in particular circumstances, mirror facets of mental illness. These facets are then related to recognised features of mental conditions such as hypomania, mania, psychosis and schizophrenia. Based upon these recognised features, the consequences - first in terms of self-belief and then in terms of world view and one’s place within it – are explored in some detail. Next, the recognised features of these mental conditions are revisited, in an attempt to better understand them. Finally, a number of common delusions of those suffering mental illness are presented and compared with the predicted thoughts of a rational person undergoing similar experiences.

2 Normal Experiences When Under Stress

There are a number of phenomena that can be experienced by a large section of the population when under stress. For example, when a cup slips out of one’s hand one may observe it floating in mid air, and then drifting slowly down towards earth until, upon the moment of impact, the illusion is shattered, just as the cup breaks into a myriad of pieces. Similarly, when experiencing a car accident everything may seem to be happening in slow motion, and one’s life may seem to flash before one’s eyes. Just as time may seem to slow down, thought processes can appear to speed up – for example, the wife, upon hearing of her husband’s accident, rapidly and efficiently pouring out in quick succession thoughts of what to do, before the news has had time to sink in.

Another phenomenon which many people experience at some time in their lives is that of déjà vu, where either one feels that one has been in a place before upon first entering that place, or that one has experienced a situation before, and often knows what is going to happen next. Both forms of déjà vu produce a strange feeling of significance and relevance about the scenario in question, and this sense of strangeness can persist for some period of time. A common experience when asleep is to have dreams or nightmares. However, if one is deprived of sleep for a number of days one will experience waking dreams, or hallucinations as they are called. Similarly, a person who has experienced highly traumatic events can suffer from flashbacks to those events – hallucinations.

When subject to a sufficient amount of stress the human body (including the brain) goes into a ‘fight or flight’ mode. Thinking more quickly and laterally (and so the world appears to be in slow motion), combined with access to all previous experiences (to see if there is anything that can be learned from past experience) allows the brain to do all it can to choose the best course of action. Simultaneously, sensations of pain are suppressed in order to allow the person to focus on survival. Finally, if experiences are too much to process during sleep, or a situation is encountered which strongly reminds one of a traumatic event in one’s past, waking dreams – hallucinations – can occur as the brain tries to get those issues addressed and resolved.

3 Facets of Mental Illness

Hypomania, mania and psychosis can all present the significantly increased speed of thought characteristic of the brain under increased stress or greater demand of thought processes. However, in the typical stress reaction, the brain returns to a normal speed of processing within a few minutes at most. It is recognised that the hypomanic state can be used to advantage by artists, scientists, etc. to be more creative and productive for a period of time, and that such a state may confer advantage in nature when faced with new challenges which must be met in order to succeed. The manic and psychotic states, whilst based upon the same underlying facility of thought processes as hypomania, are qualitatively different, as will be discussed later.

Common to all three states is: rapid thinking, speed of mental association and fluency of thought. Dreaming is a state of consciousness in which rapid mental association and fluency of thought are used to resolve issues of the day and integrate memories with one’s past experience. Hypothesis one is that this emergency state is closely related to the dream state, but that it is a form of directed dreaming in which the normal conscious state takes on a purely managerial role and cognitive processes take place at a normally pre-conscious, non-language-based level (a semantic level independent of language). An further important feature of this level of consciousness is that it is much more closely coupled to memories than normal conscious thought.

In an emergency one needs two things; (a) fast and creative thinking, and (b) the ability to draw efficiently on all past experience. This dream-like emergency state provides both of these, supplying quick access to the emotions developed over a lifetime. The consequences of strong linkage between present experience and past emotions is shown by the experience of déjà vu. Hypothesis two, something about a current scenario triggers an emotional response relating to past experience but without the memory of the experience. Just as hallucinations are wrongly assigned to external events, the triggered emotional response to the past is wrongly assigned to the present – “this has triggered a memory of how I felt before” becomes “I have been here before”. The subconscious relates the present back to traumatic events in the past before the scene reaches the conscious. Déjà vu often produces a very strong feeling of meaning, purpose or significance.

If there is a lot of information to consider, significant information processing to do, and links to memory are well focused, highly efficient processing can occur when in this emergency state. However, if there is less information, the easy access to memory can lead to real-time déjà vu, where the brain is constantly relating present thoughts to past experiences. If major traumatic events are held in memory this process can drag them back into the present – in the extreme case such events appear as flashbacks – dream segments or hallucinations of the most disturbing kind for the individual concerned. This is consistent with the brain being in a type of dream state

4 Relating Facets to Features of Mental Illness

Characteristics in common for hypomania, mania and psychosis include: rapid thinking, speed of mental association and fluency of thoughts, coupled with varying degrees of déjà vu and, possibly, auditory or visual hallucinations. Subjectively, thought processes can appear to be orders of magnitude more powerful. What does this mean for the person experiencing these powerful thought processes, tight coupling to a lifetime’s memories and waking dreams and nightmares?

If a person enters this state of consciousness through concentrated effort expended trying to solve a particularly complex problem, they will be most aware of the greatly increased capability of their thought processes, and can be so caught up in their thoughts that they don’t experience strong feelings of déjà vu. Recognising that their mental processes have “moved into a much higher gear” than normal they often experience: increased self confidence, elevated mood, a sense of well-being, elation and grandiose ideas based on their new found capabilities. Cognition is now operating at a level below language, and at a much higher rate than language can sustain, so they can become very talkative in their attempt to translate a torrent of ideas into language with which they can communicate with those around them.

There is recognition that one has made a transition into another state of consciousness, where creativity and inspiration are freely available and one’s powers of problem-solving are greatly enhanced. However, at the same time as thought processes subjectively seeming to speed up several orders of magnitude one’s experience of time is that it has slowed down by the same amount. Just as a kettle watched never boils, minutes last for hours and hours days.

In the hypomanic state the problem is solved and the brain, having lost the ideation driven demand to achieve this state of consciousness, moves out of this emergency state and returns to normal consciousness. In the manic state the brain addresses more issues and has stronger links to past memories, and can reach a self-sustaining state in which it remains in an emergency state of consciousness for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, such a state is not physically sustainable due to the demands it places on the body. Further, for reasons which will be explained later, it is not a sustainable state for rational thinking. In the psychotic state the conscious mind is not only operating in the emergency state, but is fully aware of all the emotions ever experienced by the individual – that is, thought is close-coupled with experience. In an emergency this can be the most powerful thinking process, using all of the experience at one’s disposal. Outside an emergency the brain actively searches the memory for issues to resolve – which appear as hallucinations such as one’s worst fears and nightmares demanding to be heard.

Assume that a rational mind has time to reflect upon the situation, when it is aware of thinking tens or hundreds of times faster than normal, and with vivid and immediate recall of memories from throughout their life as if it was yesterday. Every rapid thought they have brings up an emotion, often from decades earlier, flooding through their entire life, and emotion brings association brings emotion, until everything appears to have meaning and significance. What would a rational mind think?

First, that (s)he has made a transition into a vastly more powerful level of consciousness that makes one different from what one was, like the difference between being asleep and being awake.

Working hypothesis one

I was in some sense asleep and I am now awake, there may be many others who are also awake, but the vast majority of people are still asleep. Evidence for: level of consciousness, numerous stories of zombies, the undead, etc., evidence against: it seems unlikely.

Further hypotheses assume that this level of consciousness is not human, because it is so far outside normal human experience, and may therefore seem outlandish. Remember that outwardly nothing has changed, so the person involved has no outside information upon which to base a decision.

Working hypothesis two

I am God. Evidence for: I have achieved a vastly more powerful level of consciousness than is normal, widespread belief in the existence of God, evidence against: I still have the same physical body, it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis three

I am moving to a higher level of consciousness, and others who have made the transition are waiting for me. A process of being reborn. Evidence for: I have achieved a vastly more powerful level of consciousness than is normal, certain religions, evidence against: it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis four

I am Jesus Christ. Evidence for: level of consciousness, déjà vu experience of all memories and experiences, still a human body, the second coming is predicted, evidence against: it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis five

I am a chosen one. Evidence for: level of consciousness, déjà vu experience of all memories and experiences, evidence against: it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis six

I am a visionary. Evidence for: level of consciousness, déjà vu experience of all memories and experiences, still a human body, many recorded visionaries, evidence against: it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis seven

I am an alien. Evidence for: level of consciousness, déjà vu experience of all memories and experiences, numerous stories of aliens, evidence against: still a human body, it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis eight

I am an alien inhabiting a human body. Evidence for: level of consciousness, déjà vu experience of all memories and experiences, still a human body, alien cloning stories, evidence against: it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis nine

I am changing into another animal. Evidence for: level of consciousness, déjà vu experience of all memories and experiences, reincarnation stories, evidence against: still human, it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis ten

I am undergoing a religious experience. Evidence for: level of consciousness, déjà vu experience of all memories and experiences, many stories of religious events, evidence against: it seems unlikely.

Working hypothesis eleven

I am mentally ill. Evidence for: unusual experience, evidence against: I am thinking and reasoning rationally and logically about my experience, just as normal - it is my experience that is unusual, not my cognitive processes regarding that experience.

Unfortunately, every hypothesis available seems highly unlikely and there is no change in the outside world to guide the way, and minutes seem like hours, hours like days. So one is very much alone with one’s revelations. What is the truth? What has happened? So one looks for evidence pointing to the correct hypothesis. With the close links to emotions and memories producing a continuous feeling of déjà vu, and the sense of meaning and significance that that imparts to everything (as all new experiences continuously strike chords in one’s past) producing a sense of purpose and direction, one looks for things which are full of significance and symbols. Consequently, one is drawn towards the primary source of symbols in our modern society – the media: television, radio, newpapers and magazines.

One is constantly looking for direction. Adverts are often highly symbolic and designed to appeal to emotions, and with the continuous déjà vu experience of the close coupling of memory and emotion these cut deep into the mind, striking chords deep within the unconscious. Often carefully crafted work – documentaries, films, etc., similarly awaken long hidden emotions and heighten the sense of meaning and significance. The ties between what is broadcast and the emotions engendered in the individual can be so strong that they feel that someone who is in the same state of consciousness as they are is trying to communicate with them, perhaps even telling them what to do, via the media. Even when little is happening in the real world surrounding the individual, the media provide access to another world of thought and emotion and action, often tightly compressed and symbolised, just as one’s thought processes in the state are symbolical and emotive.

Being starved of evidence for the available hypotheses the brain desperately clings on to anything which appears to have significance in its life. Documentaries which strike deep chords become messages which must be analysed and understood. Advertisements show that others are thinking in a similar way, and in a very real sense they are trying to communicate with you, guide you, direct you. Still being starved of evidence, the brain begins to examine everything around it for signs of what it all means. Senses are analysed in exquisite detail in order to extract meaning, sharpened and honed and shifted. If hallucinations are present, the strong links between them and one’s past traumatic experiences make one believe that it must all be for something, as it’s all so very personal.

The boundary between belief and feeling and awake and dreaming blurs as the brain, running on empty, considers its darkest nightmares. With no evidence of anything having changed except you, it’s very difficult to understand why, what you have to do. The powerful emotions sweeping your consciousness in waves, the sense of not knowing, of isolation, of exhilaration at the power of your mind, yet the helplessness of your situation, all this drives you through the darkest corners of your mind and on. You could do so much but you don’t know why, and you are so very alone, in search of meaning, reason, understanding, others.

It is a form of mental torture that could drive you to not know what to believe anymore, beyond reason, through so much terror and emptiness. To abject terror, to frenzy, to madness. The brain can reach a state where, due to a combination of the state of strong arousal it is in and the complete lack of information with which to decide between the already highly unlikely hypotheses available to it, it jumps between one possibility and another, emotions surging from one explanation to the next in a repeating circle of confusion and turmoil.

5 Schizophrenia Compared to Bipolar Affective Disorder

Schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder can have much in common, including psychosis, hallucinations and delusions. However, it appears that they differ primarily in the way that they begin and develop. Bipolar affective disorder normally appears to be thought, or ideation, driven, with a difficult problem causing the brain to switch into the so-called emergency mode in order to address the problem more effectively. Any déjà vu type experiences caused by more direct access to memories and emotions are secondary to the thought process, and hallucinations, if generated, relate to solving the external problem at hand. As a result, the bipolar affective disorder sufferer normally has a fairly well ordered experience, often including important insights and not highly traumatic. A bipolar affective disorder sufferer can often be highly productive during and because of at least part of their experience, and normally recovers from the delusions related to psychosis quite quickly.

In contrast, schizophrenia appears to be largely trauma driven. An individual may have been repressed and traumatised for some considerable period of time. When the source of the repression is lifted, the brain goes into the so-called emergency mode and direct access to traumatic memories leads to confusing and frightening hallucinations. These further traumatise the brain, leading to more hallucinations and highly confused thought processes. The emphasis on highly personally relevant hallucinations often leads to the impression that they are deliberately inflicted on the sufferer for some purpose unknown to the sufferer. Such hallucinations are often highly debilitating and lead to the sufferer having a highly disordered and confusing experience. Perhaps in an effort to cling on to their beliefs, schizophrenia sufferers often maintain their delusions for long periods of time outside the psychotic state.

Hallucinations are very common in schizophrenia, and these waking dream fragments form a direct link to traumatic memories and unfirm belief systems. Dreams normally take place at night, that is, when one is not interacting with the outside world, and are designed to resolve issues arising because of the previous day. When dreams and dream fragments occur when awake ones perception integrates them with the outside world experience. Over a period of days these fragments become more and more firmly integrated into ones consciousness, and as dreams act to resolve issues of the day, dreams act upon dreams mixed with reality until one can no longer distinguish what is reality from what is a dream. At this stage one can freeze or enter a frenzy of fear.

6 Common Delusions

It is important to realise that delusions arise from a position of expectation but no knowledge. In hypomania and mania, the recognition of greatly increased cognitive and creative powers leads to essentially dreams of what one will do when the effect of such powers has been realised – a form of believing one has the winning lottery ticket and dreaming about what one will do, but knowing that one has these greatly increased powers, so winning is a matter of time but guaranteed. One prepares for the success by buying things which appeal to the creative spirit of imagination which is flowing strongly – often beyond one’s wealth, because when one’s new powers are applied to the world one will be able to earn a vast salary with ease. One is elated by the possibilities opening up, and in one’s sense of purpose and impending fulfilment, combined with boundless confidence, one wishes to help everyone one can.

So it’s very much a case of preparing for a dramatically better new life, but all that has happened thus far is that one’s speed and power of thought has increased by several orders of magnitude. In the case of psychosis, recognition of speed of thought increase is balanced by the feeling of déjà vu that close coupled memories and emotions bring to the picture. It is much more about ones own experience, bringing meaning into ones life, making sense of past traumas within a kind of revelation, expectation and rebirth. To the person involved it feels like the coming of a new life, with new meaning and purpose and a coming to terms with all past hurts and misunderstandings.

But not yet. First comes the change in mental powers and the opening up of memories and emotions -almost like a form of cleansing process, then nothing, emptiness, no change, silence, waiting expectantly whilst minutes pass like hours, hours days. A week in this state is like a year of thinking, trying to explain, make sense, understand, looking for answers, feedback, signs, symbols. How would you feel at such a time, knowing that you had changed drastically, that all your worst fears had visited you and you had come through it, that the world around you didn’t seem any different but you knew you were. Alone, so alone, waiting for someone to make contact, send a message, tell you what to do. Your fluency of thought and rapidity of association work against you when there is no data, but the media is full of carefully crafted and condensed images and symbols and ideas which can seem in tune with the way you are now thinking, striking chords deep within your memories and belief systems. Bereft of other signs you lock on to these.

As such a powerful experience, and as you are searching for an answer everywhere, you turn to nature and find some comfort there. Will the answer come from there? You feel the threat of humanity and th urban sprawl and pollution all around you. Am I thinking the way that animals think? Without language, using language just to communicate, not to think? Am I going back to nature? But how could nature support a six billion population? I see the sun and feel heat on my arm, when I look away the heat subsides. I look back and the heat returns. Can I control the sun through thought alone? My brain is so starved of information that it is taking full control of my nervous system and determining how I feel and hear and see. The boundary between what is part of me and what is outside me is blurring in the search for answers.

There is a strong sense that the world is asleep and blindly destroying the environment, and will continue until it is too late. Television and radio shows which sound interesting are selected and then the messages they convey strike deep chords in one’s memories and belief systems, speaking to you just as surely as déjà vu gives an impression of meaning and significance far beyond the moment in which it occurs – in a real sense the media are communicating with you (directly with your memory and belief systems) and guiding your thoughts. Hence the fairly common delusion that someone is trying to communicate with you or control you through radio or television as one desperately searches for a sign and guidance. The loop back deep into one’s memories and belief systems through the déjà vu process leads to an impression of guidance when in fact one is self-guiding, chossing the programmes oneself. With little else to go on the brain goes on instinct, and instincts are very strong when in this state of consciousness.

Delusions are not beliefs, but working hypotheses. But sometimes these are all one has. Hypotheses all held simultaneously include: the world is in some sense asleep and I am awake, I am God, I am being reborn in a higher level of consciousness, I am leaving my material being, I am Jesus Christ, I am a chosen one, I am a visionary, I am an alien, I am an alien inhabiting a human body, I am changing into another animal and I am undergoing a religious experience. Note that many of these are beliefs of things that can happen, encountered in everyday life, but not that they actually are happening. However, even in this state there is a recognition that such an event hasn’t happened yet but that it is perhaps starting to happen – that one is in a state of transition but one does not know what to yet. People in this state are constantly testing the world against their hypotheses and religiously following the guidance that their full time déjà vu experience is giving them. They are in a very real sense on a mission, a quest for knowledge and enlightenment. But there’s nothing out there but the media, dreams and nightmares.

7 Some Comments Regarding Hypomania, Mania and Psychosis

The high of achievement and potential felt in the hypomanic and manic state, where one is, to use an analogy, holding the winning lottery ticket is often followed by the low of the lottery ticket being taken away and all the dreams coming to nothing. The potential is there, but it is not realised – perhaps realised to a small extent, but not fully. The sense of loss is profound. With fluidity of thought and strong links to memories and belief systems, psychosis has much in common with the dream state. Both are very good for solving problems and resolving issues, but in the psychotic state one often has no problem to solve and normal life events to experience.

In a sense in the psychotic state one is in a dream that doesn’t start, waiting for something to happen. But all that happens is the normal day to day things that in the usual state of mind you would not think anything of. Now, in this heightened state of awareness, the lack of change around you is very frustrating and can lead to a feeling of complete loneliness and emptiness. In the ancient world, solitude could allow one to explore one’s memories and beliefs in great depth during this time. In the modern world, however, one has the mass media with which to interact, and so one’s belief systems and memories interact directly with messages (often carefully crafted and designed to appeal to our deepest desires) from the media. One is dreaming with a combination of one’s own memories and belief systems and the messages from the media. As these messages are interacting strongly with emotions often from one’s distant past, and one’s deepest held beliefs, they shift perspectives and can often appear to be revelatory.

The major cognitive feature of the psychotic state is trying to explain the orders of magnitude increase in speed of thought and the continuous déjà vu experience. You know that you have changed drastically but that everything around you appears unchanged. There is a tremendous sense of isolation and silence, an expectation that everything is about to change but nothing happens, of being caught in an interminable transition phase. You think back through all the books you’ve ever read, films you’ve ever seen to see if there are any similar experiences, and there are many in fiction – but what about fact? Is fact stranger than fiction? Are all those myths and legends referring to something that really happened?

But still the only thing that appears to have changed is you. And with thoughts racing and associating as never before, hours seem like days, days like months, years, with absolute silence your mind is starved of data, lost in a cavernous state of unknowing, where the imagination and past memories run free. And what an imagination, given the dreamlike state and the awesome task ahead of you. All possible rational explanations are unbelievable, there is no evidence, the mind trawls all experience for signs and symbols, meaning and metaphor, guidance. You need to know where you’re going, what is going to happen next and why. But still the silence.

It is the not knowing what is going to happen to you for what seems like months on end that attacks sanity, leading to terror and confusion. Nothing makes sense, there is nothing for the rational mind to hold on to except belief in itself. Reality seems like a dream that will not end. Thinking, thinking, thinking, stop thinking. What is there to think about except the unknown? There must be others in your state of consciousness – when will they get in touch? How will they get in touch. Film and television show that others have imagined things metaphorically close to what you are experiencing, are they sending some kind of message? Or is the message from their subconscious; from one subconscious to another – only it’s your conscious! Is it hopeless?

You desperately cling to that which you know is not artificial, not manmade. You turn to nature and dream of going back to it, of leaving the problems of modern life behind. How can you communicate? Who is going to listen? Artists all sing the same song in the end. Is anybody listening? Is this silent running? The sound of science? Is art reality and reality art? Are all these messages being broadcast in vain? Will we ever have time to hear? Will it be too late? Psychosis is a very lonely state, but artists sing of it and poets speak for it all of the time.

8 Conscious Dreaming

The state of psychosis can also be viewed as a form of conscious dreaming. Just as hallucinations are dream or dream fragments experienced whilst awake, psychosis is a state of consciousness within which one dreams – with the exception of the sensory experiences of normal dreaming. Rather, the normal sensory experiences of day to day life replace the symbolic and allegorical dream images and a form of dreaming process takes places attempting to integrate real life into ones model and belief systems relating to (and developed over a lifetime) the world.

Both psychosis and hallucination are based upon disturbed sleep patterns due to stress. Psychosis is due to stress in real life whilst hallucinations are due to stresses in ones belief systems and models of the world. In schizophrenia in particular fragile belief systems coupled with change in real life can lead to both psychosis and hallucination. In both cases the waking state takes on some of the characteristics and activities of normal sleep – of which the person is currently deprived.

In normal dreaming, memories of issues of the day and issues they raise from the past are played against a backdrop of the belief systems and world model constructed thus far from all ones experiences from birth onwards and, ideally, new experience consolidates or logically extends old experience, producing a more solid and reliable belief system.

In schizophrenia, traumatic experiences early in life cause fractures in the belief system which, although covered over, are not repaired through experience. Later, at a stage of independence, fundamental questions are raised about ones belief systems and ability to cope and the brain then tries to use its normal resolving mechanism, dreams, to resolve the issues. But they are too deep and fundamental to be resolved by a few dreams, and they ask powerful questions about ones very character and beliefs in life. Being so important, however, they must be resolved in order for ones belief system to remain intact and for one to continue to act as a rational human being. Because they cannot rely on their inner belief system, people in this state are very easily led. The brain struggles with the issues, withdrawing from contact with others as it tries to address questions of fundamental importance to its existence. Hallucinations and psychosis are simply techniques that the brain uses to face and deal with its ‘inner demons’.

In bipolar affective disorder, traumatic experiences early in life cause fractures in the belief system to do with confidence and performance which, although covered over, are not repaired through experience. One is used to working harder than should be necessary, in order to overcome a lack of confidence. Later, at a stage of independence, fundamental truths are raised which resolve the issues which initially led to the lack of confidence, and in response a sense of elation is felt. The brain takes time to get used to this consolidation of its belief systems, which produces a huge confidence boost and consequent hypomania, mania or psychosis in exitement. Normally the brain feels a freedom to think, and hallucinations and psychosis, if present, are simply techniques that the brain uses to face and deal with its ideas and new found freedom.

In conscious dreaming, the actual experience of the day is played directly against a backdrop of the belief systems and world model constructed thus far from all ones experiences from birth onwards. Issues from the past surface seemingly of their own accord through the interplay between all your past and the present. Past memories and belief systems are stored semantically, that is through meaning, but modern media trade in meaning, analogy and metaphore. As a consequence, modern media bombard past memories and belief systems with ideas full of meaning, and trigger showers of past issues, strongly attached to the media message that triggered it. In a very real sense the media, having direct access to your life experiences, is controlling your thoughts. Hence the common experience in psychosis of feeling as if being communicated with or controlled by television or radio. Instead of new experience consolidating old experience, this direct access to your belief system attacks more subtle beliefs that are part of your character and enhances more fundamental and basic beliefs. But as this is all so new and different, the brain treats these new beliefs as working hypotheses.

9 Conclusion

Hypomania, mania and psychosis exhibit symptoms of thought processes that are commonly experienced by many people in times of stress, including time slowing down, thought processes speeding up and becoming more fluid and the déjà vu lasting impression of meaning and significance. The possible hallucinations in psychosis are much more understandable as fragments of dreams released when awake and integrated into one’s sensory experience of the world. When one considers the vast subjective increase in speed and associativity of thought in hypomania, mania and psychosis, the common sense of elation, confidence and well-being becomes understandable.

Upon reflection, the rational mind accepts many seemingly bizarre explanations for its condition, because there is nothing else. Although accepted superficially, these new beliefs are in fact working hypotheses – the brain knows that they are very unlikely, but it has nothing else to work on. Extended time in such a state leaves the mind desperately searching for an answer. Working hypotheses are considered because they fit the few facts available – the fact that in a normal situation they would be very unlikely is acknowledged but not relevant.

The strong coupling between semantically stored memories and belief systems and the symbolism of the media produces a strong feeling of being alone but not alone, that others are trying to communicate with you. Ancient beliefs such as religion and more modern fiction and science fiction show that others are tackling similar issues to the ones you are being forced to face now. The feeling of continuous déjà vu is very beguiling, but your brain knows how to run multiple working hypotheses too well and, whilst it is tiring, the brain can relatively easily switch back to the previously established belief systems once the period of conscious dreaming or psychosis is over.

The ability to switch relatively quickly back to own’s original belief system shows that the brain is running working hypotheses rather than beliefs and so it is tacitly accepting the huge shift in belief systems that would otherwise be required. Until there is enough evidence the brain will not update its beliefs, and many of the working hypotheses are recognised as being very unlikely. Clear and substantial evidence is never obtained for any of the more unlikely hypotheses and so the brain releases them fairly easily shortly after the psychosis.

In an extended period of psychosis, the brain is faced with a belief system which can’t explain the experience apart from going back to basic myths and legends, and a set of working hypotheses which apparently gain emotionally powerful supporting evidence through links to signs and symbology in the world through the process of conscious dreaming. The brain carries out a number of experiments in order to test out each working hypothesis, but being constantly bombarded with feelings of meaning and significance through real-time déjà vu makes it hard to focus on each hypothesis.

There is an emotional need to believe in something, and the brain tacitly recognises that its existing belief system is not able to incorporate the emotional experience that is psychosis without going back to the religion, myths, fiction and fairytales introduced in childhood. As a consequence the state of psychosis is very childlike, very malleable, open, vulnerable, and full of imagination. It is a wondrous state but can also be a very terrifying state. However, if those in a state of pyschosis were told that they were having a dream but were awake, then a consensual process of returning them to the waking state could be undertaken – particularly if one was able to explain to them the kind of things they were experiencing and why.

The combination of hallucination and psychosis is much more traumatising because hallucinations forcefully bring the dream world into direct contact with reality, and integrate with reality. The experience of such waking dreams or nightmares thus interferes much more with your underlying belief system, and can often lead to permanent changes in it. There is still the rational mind trying to make sense of a bizarre experience, but the separation between what is real and what is dream is much more difficult. Perhaps the most important thing to know is that the hallucinations are nothing more than dreams or dream fragments (or nightmare fragments) experienced when awake.

THE SHADOW PROGRAMME

The Shadow Programme offers a support service and career advice for people whose lives have been disrupted by health problems including mental illness or injury, in which everyone is encouraged to engage in open and frank discussion about their goals and future aspirations. Based upon the Recovery Model and addressing causes rather than just suppressing symptoms, it aims to support individuals experiencing barriers to employment and training, making available resources including: adult education courses; volunteering opportunities; confidence building, assertiveness and stress management courses; vocational training; work placements; job-seeking support; access to government incentives – such as tax credits, and support and representation in the workplace.

Comments from participants include:

            When I first came to The Shadow Programme I had quite a negative attitude towards the world of work and life in general, but with the help of the Shadow Development Team I was able to turn my life around and develop new confidence and skills that are helping me along my new chosen career path.

             The Staff at The Shadow Programme were always very supportive and non-judgemental, and always treated me as an equal, focusing entirely on my own personal skills and qualities and allowing me to develop at my own pace.

           The Shadow Programme focuses on moving you forward in your life, helping you to achieve what you want to achieve.

             The postal address for correspondence is: James Morrow, The Shadow Programme, 318a Ravenhill Road, Belfast BT6 8GL

Contrary to rumour, The Shadow Programme is about 'expression, not suppression' - the opposite in fact of the following acronym! {;^>

SHADOW is not an acronym for :

Sedated

Hospitalised

And

Drugged

Out of your

Wits