Identity alteration: Difference between revisions

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'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if it encompasses different concepts than that which it did ~~previously~~. For example, if one usually feels that they are exclusively their body or "ego", this may change to feel as if their sense of identity now includes the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, they could feel as if their sense of self no longer identifies with anything at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].

'''Identity''' can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that gives one the experience of a sensation which leads them to feel as if they are a separate system that is differentiated from that which is around them. This is commonly referred to as one's identity, ego or sense of self. In linguistic conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.

However, it is important to note that one's identity is not a static, unmoving or objective concept and it can be experienced in many different ways. There is no component of the human brain or body which can be singled out as the part of them which is inherently where they as an individual are located. The self is thus likely a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common cultural conception that human beings each contain a separate physical identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.

Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on its specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>

'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if it encompasses different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, if one usually feels that they are exclusively their body or "ego", this may change to feel as if their sense of identity now includes the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, they could feel as if their sense of self no longer identifies with anything at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].

There are a total of 5 distinct levels of identity which a person can experience during this state. These various specific alterations have been arranged into a formalized descriptive leveling system below:

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====1. Total absence of attributed identity====

The lowest level of identity can be described as the complete absence of it. ~~In the medical literature, this~~ is referred to as ''depersonalization'~~' (or ''depersonalisation~~''). It ~~is defined~~ as an anomaly of self-awareness that ~~can occur as a result of prolonged stress or while under the influence of [[hallucinogen]]ic substances, particularly [[dissociative]]s or [[cannabis]]. It~~ consists of a feeling of watching oneself act as ~~they~~ normally would while having no control over a situation due to ~~an absence~~ of a feeling of ~~agency.<ref>American Psychiatric Association (2004). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision). American Psychiatric Association. ISBN 0-89042-024-6~~.~~</ref>~~

The lowest level of identity can be described as the sensation that there is a complete absence of having any sense of self at all. This is referred to in psychiatry as '''depersonalization'''. It can be described as an anomaly of self-awareness that consists of a feeling of watching oneself act as one normally would while having no control over a situation due to the loss of the feeling that one has an identity attributed to any part of themselves.

During this state, ~~one~~ may feel ~~like they are~~ on autopilot and that the world has become vague, ~~dream-like~~, less real, or lacking in significance. Individuals who experience depersonalization feel divorced from their own personal physicality ~~and identity~~ by sensing their body sensations, feelings, emotions and behaviors as ~~not~~ belonging to ~~them~~.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depersonalization-derealization-disorder/basics/definition/con-20033401</ref> ~~Often a person~~ who ~~has experienced~~ depersonalization ~~claims~~ that ~~things seem~~ unreal or hazy ~~during this state~~. ~~This is because during depersonalisation~~, ~~one lacks~~ a ~~feeling~~ of ~~identity which results in being incapable~~ of ~~feeling present during a situation~~.

This can occur under the influence of [[hallucinogen]]ic substances, particularly [[dissociative]]s, and may persist for some time after sobriety.<ref>American Psychiatric Association (2004). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision). American Psychiatric Association. ISBN 0-89042-024-6.</ref> During this state, the affected person may feel that he or she is "[[physical autonomy|on autopilot]]" and that the world has become vague, dreamlike, less real, or lacking in significance. Individuals who experience depersonalization often feel divorced from their own personal physicality by no longer sensing their body sensations, feelings, emotions and behaviors as belonging to a person or identity.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depersonalization-derealization-disorder/basics/definition/con-20033401</ref> It is often claimed by people who have depersonalization that reality seems unreal, distant or hazy. Depersonalization can sometimes be distressing to the user, who may become disoriented by the loss of a sense that their self is the origin of their thoughts and actions. However, it does not have to be an inherently negative altered state of awareness, as it does not directly affect one's emotions or thought patterns.

It is perfectly normal for many people to slip into this state temporarily, often without even realizing it. For example, many people often note that they enter a detached state of autopilot during stressful situations or when performing monotonous routine tasks such as driving. Though degrees of temporary depersonalization can happen to anyone, chronic depersonalization is more related to individuals who have experienced severe trauma or prolonged stress or anxiety.

Within the context of [[identity alteration|identity altering]] effects, depersonalization can be considered as being at the opposite end of the identity spectrum relative to states of [[unity and interconnectedness]]. This is because during depersonalisation, a person senses and attributes their identity to nothing, giving a sense of having no self. However, during a state of unity and interconnectedness, one senses and attributes their identity to everything, giving a sense that the entirety of existence is their self.

====2. Self-contained separate identity====

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*'''[http://beingtheuniverse.tumblr.com/ Being The Universe (tumblr)]'''

=~~==Identity===~~

===See also===

'''Identity''' can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that gives one the experience of a sensation which leads them to feel as if they are a separate system that is differentiated from that which is around them. This is commonly referred to as one's identity, ego or sense of self. In linguistic conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.

However, it is important to note that one's identity is not a static, unmoving or objective concept and it can be experienced in many different ways. There is no component of the human brain or body which can be singled out as the part of them which is inherently where they as an individual are located. The self is thus likely a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common cultural conception that human beings each contain a separate physical identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.

Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on its specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>

==See also==

*[[Responsible use]]

*[[Unity and interconnectedness]]

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*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-concept Self-concept (Wikipedia)]

==References==

===References===

[[Category:Psychology]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if it encompasses different concepts than that which it did previously. For example, if one usually feels that they are exclusively their body or "ego", this may change to feel as if their sense of identity now includes the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, they could feel as if their sense of self no longer identifies with anything at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].
+[[File:Self-concept.jpg|thumb|right|upright|238px|One's self-concept is made up of self-schemas, and their past, present, and future selves.]]
+'''Identity''' can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that gives one the experience of a sensation which leads them to feel as if they are a separate system that is differentiated from that which is around them. This is commonly referred to as one's identity, ego or sense of self. In linguistic conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.
+However, it is important to note that one's identity is not a static, unmoving or objective concept and it can be experienced in many different ways. There is no component of the human brain or body which can be singled out as the part of them which is inherently where they as an individual are located. The self is thus likely a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common cultural conception that human beings each contain a separate physical identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.
+Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on its specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>
+'''Identity alteration''' can be defined as the experience of one's sense of self becoming temporarily changed to feel as if it encompasses different concepts than that which it previously did. For example, if one usually feels that they are exclusively their body or "ego", this may change to feel as if their sense of identity now includes the external environment or an object they are interacting with. Alternatively, they could feel as if their sense of self no longer identifies with anything at all which is an experience commonly referred to as [[depersonalisation]].
 There are a total of 5 distinct levels of identity which a person can experience during this state. These various specific alterations have been arranged into a formalized descriptive leveling system below:
@@ Line 5: / Line 12: @@
 ====1. Total absence of attributed identity====
 {{Main|Depersonalization}}
-The lowest level of identity can be described as the complete absence of it. In the medical literature, this is referred to as ''depersonalization'' (or ''depersonalisation''). It is defined as an anomaly of self-awareness that can occur as a result of prolonged stress or while under the influence of [[hallucinogen]]ic substances, particularly [[dissociative]]s or [[cannabis]]. It consists of a feeling of watching oneself act as they normally would while having no control over a situation due to an absence of a feeling of agency.<ref>American Psychiatric Association (2004). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision). American Psychiatric Association. ISBN 0-89042-024-6.</ref>
+The lowest level of identity can be described as the sensation that there is a complete absence of having any sense of self at all. This is referred to in psychiatry as '''depersonalization'''. It can be described as an anomaly of self-awareness that consists of a feeling of watching oneself act as one normally would while having no control over a situation due to the loss of the feeling that one has an identity attributed to any part of themselves.
-During this state, one may feel like they are on autopilot and that the world has become vague, dream-like, less real, or lacking in significance. Individuals who experience depersonalization feel divorced from their own personal physicality and identity by sensing their body sensations, feelings, emotions and behaviors as not belonging to them.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depersonalization-derealization-disorder/basics/definition/con-20033401</ref> Often a person who has experienced depersonalization claims that things seem unreal or hazy during this state. This is because during depersonalisation, one lacks a feeling of identity which results in being incapable of feeling present during a situation.
+This can occur under the influence of [[hallucinogen]]ic substances, particularly [[dissociative]]s, and may persist for some time after sobriety.<ref>American Psychiatric Association (2004). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision). American Psychiatric Association. ISBN 0-89042-024-6.</ref> During this state, the affected person may feel that he or she is "[[physical autonomy|on autopilot]]" and that the world has become vague, dreamlike, less real, or lacking in significance. Individuals who experience depersonalization often feel divorced from their own personal physicality by no longer sensing their body sensations, feelings, emotions and behaviors as belonging to a person or identity.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depersonalization-derealization-disorder/basics/definition/con-20033401</ref> It is often claimed by people who have depersonalization that reality seems unreal, distant or hazy. Depersonalization can sometimes be distressing to the user, who may become disoriented by the loss of a sense that their self is the origin of their thoughts and actions. However, it does not have to be an inherently negative altered state of awareness, as it does not directly affect one's emotions or thought patterns.
 It is perfectly normal for many people to slip into this state temporarily, often without even realizing it. For example, many people often note that they enter a detached state of autopilot during stressful situations or when performing monotonous routine tasks such as driving. Though degrees of temporary depersonalization can happen to anyone, chronic depersonalization is more related to individuals who have experienced severe trauma or prolonged stress or anxiety.
+Within the context of [[identity alteration|identity altering]] effects, depersonalization can be considered as being at the opposite end of the identity spectrum relative to states of [[unity and interconnectedness]]. This is because during depersonalisation, a person senses and attributes their identity to nothing, giving a sense of having no self. However, during a state of unity and interconnectedness, one senses and attributes their identity to everything, giving a sense that the entirety of existence is their self.
 ====2. Self-contained separate identity====
@@ Line 77: / Line 86: @@
 *'''[http://beingtheuniverse.tumblr.com/ Being The Universe (tumblr)]'''
-===Identity===
+===See also===
-[[File:Self-concept.jpg|thumb|right|upright|238px|One's self-concept is made up of self-schemas, and their past, present, and future selves.]]
-'''Identity''' can be defined as an essential or at least near universal component of human perception that gives one the experience of a sensation which leads them to feel as if they are a separate system that is differentiated from that which is around them. This is commonly referred to as one's identity, ego or sense of self. In linguistic conversation, it is referred to through the use of pronouns such as "I", "me", "mine" and "myself" as a tool for contrasting one's self from other people or any other system which is not felt to be them.
-However, it is important to note that one's identity is not a static, unmoving or objective concept and it can be experienced in many different ways. There is no component of the human brain or body which can be singled out as the part of them which is inherently where they as an individual are located. The self is thus likely a learned and constructed concept that arises through a combination of experience, language and social interactions with other people. This notion is in stark contrast to the common cultural conception that human beings each contain a separate physical identity that is a real and separate system from that which resides around it.
-Within traditional religions, the intrinsic nature of human identity differs depending on its specific doctrine. For example, Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam use an inherently dualist approach which claims that the self is a soul which resides within the body and is inherently separate from its external environment.<ref>The Oxford Handbook of the Abrahamic Religions (Dualism) | https://books.google.com/books?id=IR6DCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=abrahamic+religions+dualism&source=bl&ots=QbSwQ9NwFL&sig=DbBYFrrpk9MYJG7RDNNmu3h3dtY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwik9K3HkvnOAhWJyyYKHZOnBWMQ6AEILTAC#v=onepage&q=abrahamic%20religions%20dualism&f=false</ref> In contrast, eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism take an approach known as nondualism which generally speaking, assumes that the separate self is illusory and that there is no difference between one's identity or soul and the "external" universe which it resides in.<ref>Hindu and Buddhist Nonduality: Conflict in the New Church Mind? | http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/isi-news-nonduality.html</ref>
-==See also==
 *[[Responsible use]]
 *[[Unity and interconnectedness]]
@@ Line 93: / Line 94: @@
 *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-concept Self-concept (Wikipedia)]
-==References==
+===References===
 [[Category:Psychology]]