Sensory Deprivation

[Simplyme]

Sensory Deprivation is suppose to enhance ones senses and is used by the government when testing people for these abilities. Is sensory derivation safe?

[seekinghga]

Is sensory derivation safe?

Do you see, feel, hear?  These are all derived from the senses.  Unless the question contains a typo.  In which case: sensory deprivation is safe so long as you have the integrity of mind to sustain your sanity.  Meditation and trance are contingent upon depriving the senses of the body.  Probably the only useful outcome of this would be ego death, but such practices would need to be assiduously exercised to achieve it.

[anaklio]

This line of research was popular in the 1960s. However, it is uncommon today. That's a shame as sensory deprivation using an isolation tank strikes me as being very interesting.

A useful summary of the 1960s research is "though short periods of sensory deprivation can be relaxing, extended deprivation can result in extreme anxiety, hallucinations, bizarre thoughts, depression, and antisocial behavior (Goldberger, 1966).

[seekinghga]

A friend of mine once visited a sweat lodge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_lodge).  He said that the effect was pretty incredible.  From how he described it I noticed some congruency with sensory deprivation.

[Enigma]

I read this:

Sensory deprivation can be done in a variety of ways: The most common is to get a set of ear plugs and get your room as ABSOLUTELY dark as it can go. No light in through the cracks in the door. None through the window. Them, bunch up blankets (soft ones) and build yourself a nest - you don't want anything OVER you, but you'll want a sense of being padded in at all sides. Wear your normal clothing, even shoes if you wish. Lie down on your back in your 'nest', close your eyes (or keep them open, there should be no difference) and concentrate on the sound of your breathing.

Another way of doing this is in the bathroom, if you have a bath big enough to lie down in, and a bathpillow to keep your head above water. Fill the tub with water about as hot as you can stand, lie down with the lights off. Your ears should be below water level - use ear plugs if you're scared about water in your ears. This method provides the effects MUCH faster in my opinion, and the falling and floating sensations are much stronger - almost terrifying.

Visual and auditory hallucinations take about 5-10 minutes to start. Physical hallucinations (the sensation of movement or falling) may start almost immediately.

I've actually been meaning to try it some time.

[anaklio]

Sleep deprivation is another way. In most cases, nothing really dramatic happens. Yet there are subtle differences. You start to lose trust in your senses. Noises become voices, etc.

These things are wonderful and should be tried. It's important to see the world from different perspectives.

[seekinghga]

Sleep deprivation is another way. In most cases, nothing really dramatic happens. Yet there are subtle differences. You start to lose trust in your senses. Noises become voices, etc.

These things are wonderful and should be tried. It's important to see the world from different perspectives.

Yeah, sleep deprivation can get pretty harrowing.  It is an interesting state of mind to be sure.  If only one could experience it when not tired!  ; )

[anaklio]

Yeah, depriving yourself of sleep and of sensory stimulation is difficult and sometimes even dangerous. That's why we don't do too many of these studies: we're all too busy to see the world differently. That's a shame as I'm sure we'd benefit from a new perspective.

[Enigma]

Yeah, depriving yourself of sleep and of sensory stimulation is difficult and sometimes even dangerous. That's why we don't do too many of these studies: we're all too busy to see the world differently. That's a shame as I'm sure we'd benefit from a new perspective.

This is why I love psychedelic drugs.

[saved]

A friend of mine once visited a sweat lodge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_lodge).  He said that the effect was pretty incredible.  From how he described it I noticed some congruency with sensory deprivation.

That sounds awesome, how many hours do you spend in a sweat lodge?

[seekinghga]

That sounds awesome, how many hours do you spend in a sweat lodge?

My friend said it lasted about 2.5 hours.  He also said that at a regular frequency they would come out of the lodge and plunge themselves into a large stream (it was winter!) and then eat a cracker and go back into the Lodge.  He says that the hallucinations are awesome, like some kind of spiritual journey.

[anaklio]

Interestingly, a new study by Kempton et al. (2009) showed that dehydration changed the MRI scans of people's brains. Unfortunately, this study did not measure hallucinations. That's a shame because there could have been a nice correlation between the dehydration, brain changes, and hallucinations, and we could then guess the brain structures involved in the effects of the sweat lodge.

[seekinghga]

Interestingly, a new study by Kempton et al. (2009) showed that dehydration changed the MRI scans of people's brains. Unfortunately, this study did not measure hallucinations. That's a shame because there could have been a nice correlation between the dehydration, brain changes, and hallucinations, and we could then guess the brain structures involved in the effects of the sweat lodge.

Would you happen to have a link for that study?  It does sound interesting.  

[edit]
Morbid alcoholism causes dehydration by the person subsisting on alcohol all day long and having very little food intake accompanying it.  Maybe there are congruencies between their state of dehydration and the state of their mind; ie. despair, aggression, thirst for alcohol, etc.  That would be a mental deprivation I suppose; as opposed to sensory.

[anaklio]

Reference: Kemption et al. (2009)
Title: Effects of acute dehydration on brain morphology in healthy humans
Journal: Human Brain Mapping
Volume: 30
Issue: 1
Pages: 291-298
Date:  January, 2009
Conclusion: The results show ventricular expansion occurs following acute dehydration