Identity alteration: Difference between revisions

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

The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to their brain or body. This is often said to feel as if one is a consciousness located within a body which is ~~approaching~~ and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. It is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency which results in ~~one~~ feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily ~~controlled~~ by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.

The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to their brain and/or body. This is often said to feel as if one is a consciousness, the guiding force located within a body which is immersed in and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. It is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency over all the thoughts and actions one makes, which results in the person feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily determined by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.

A self-contained separate identity is by far the most common form of identity. ~~It is typically considered by mainstream~~ cultural notions to be ~~a factual~~ or logical way to perceive the world and the only form of identity which isn't intrinsically [[delusions|delusional]]. ~~However~~, this ~~notion~~ has received considerable debate and criticism within modern neuroscience and philosophy.<ref>The self is an illusion: a conceptual framework for psychotherapy (sagepub.com) | http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1039856216689531</ref><ref>The self-illusion and psychotherapy (PsychologyToday) | https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-shrink/201703/the-self-illusion-and-psychotherapy</ref>

A self-contained separate identity is by far the most common form of identity. Mainstream western cultural notions consider this conception of the self to be the self-evident or logical way to perceive the world and the only form of identity which isn't intrinsically [[delusions|delusional]]. Despite being culturally normative, this belief has received considerable debate and criticism within modern neuroscience and philosophy.<ref>The self is an illusion: a conceptual framework for psychotherapy (sagepub.com) | http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1039856216689531</ref><ref>The self-illusion and psychotherapy (PsychologyToday) | https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-shrink/201703/the-self-illusion-and-psychotherapy</ref>

<ref>The Self is Not an Illusion (PsychologyToday)https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-self-illusion/201205/what-is-the-self-illusion</ref><ref>The Ego Tunnel (pdf) | http://xenopraxis.net/readings/metzinger_egotunnel.pdf</ref><ref>The Illusion of the Self An Interview with Bruce Hood | https://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-illusion-of-the-self2</ref><ref>The illusion of the self (philosophynow) | https://philosophynow.org/issues/97/The_Illusion_of_the_Self</ref><ref>https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201704/the-self-is-not-illusion</ref>

Although drastically altered in comparison to that of sobriety, it is worth noting that hallucinatory states such as [[ego replacement]] and [[Internal_hallucinations#Perspective_alterations|2nd person perspective alterations]] typically still fall under the classification of this level.

Although drastically altered in comparison to that of sobriety, it is worth noting that hallucinatory states such as [[ego replacement]] and [[Internal_hallucinations#Perspective_alterations|2nd person perspective alterations]] typically still fall under the classification of this level. In both cases, a person still feels as if they are a separate agent facing the external world, but have the perception of being a different identity than their sober self.

====3. Identifying with specific "external" systems====

The third level of identity alteration can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to specific external systems or concepts within the immediate environment, particularly those that would usually be considered as intrinsically separate from one's own being.

The third level of identity alteration can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to (in addition to the body and/or brain) specific external systems or concepts within the immediate environment, particularly those that would usually be considered as intrinsically separate from one's own being.

The experience itself is often described as a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently ~~comprising~~ their ~~central point of cognitive~~ focus. This creates a sensation of becoming inextricably "connected to", "one with", "the same as", or "unified" with whatever the perceived external system happens to be.

The experience itself is often described as a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently the subjects of their thoughts or focus. This creates a sensation of becoming inextricably "connected to", "one with", "the same as", or "unified" with whatever the perceived external system happens to be.

There are an endless number of ways in which this level manifests itself, but common examples of the experience often include:

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 ====2. Self-contained separate identity====
-The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to their brain or body. This is often said to feel as if one is a consciousness located within a body which is approaching and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. It is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency which results in one feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily controlled by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.
+The second level of identity can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to their brain and/or body. This is often said to feel as if one is a consciousness, the guiding force located within a body which is immersed in and interacting with a distinctly separate external environment. It is usually accompanied with a sense of free will or agency over all the thoughts and actions one makes, which results in the person feeling as if their decision-making processes are arising from an internal source which is not necessarily determined by cause and effect in the same manner as external systems.
-A self-contained separate identity is by far the most common form of identity. It is typically considered by mainstream cultural notions to be a factual or logical way to perceive the world and the only form of identity which isn't intrinsically [[delusions|delusional]]. However, this notion has received considerable debate and criticism within modern neuroscience and philosophy.<ref>The self is an illusion: a conceptual framework for psychotherapy (sagepub.com) | http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1039856216689531</ref><ref>The self-illusion and psychotherapy (PsychologyToday) | https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-shrink/201703/the-self-illusion-and-psychotherapy</ref>
+A self-contained separate identity is by far the most common form of identity. Mainstream western cultural notions consider this conception of the self to be the self-evident or logical way to perceive the world and the only form of identity which isn't intrinsically [[delusions|delusional]]. Despite being culturally normative, this belief has received considerable debate and criticism within modern neuroscience and philosophy.<ref>The self is an illusion: a conceptual framework for psychotherapy (sagepub.com) | http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1039856216689531</ref><ref>The self-illusion and psychotherapy (PsychologyToday) | https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-shrink/201703/the-self-illusion-and-psychotherapy</ref>
 <ref>The Self is Not an Illusion (PsychologyToday)https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-self-illusion/201205/what-is-the-self-illusion</ref><ref>The Ego Tunnel (pdf) | http://xenopraxis.net/readings/metzinger_egotunnel.pdf</ref><ref>The Illusion of the Self An Interview with Bruce Hood | https://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-illusion-of-the-self2</ref><ref>The illusion of the self (philosophynow) | https://philosophynow.org/issues/97/The_Illusion_of_the_Self</ref><ref>https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201704/the-self-is-not-illusion</ref>
-Although drastically altered in comparison to that of sobriety, it is worth noting that hallucinatory states such as [[ego replacement]] and [[Internal_hallucinations#Perspective_alterations|2nd person perspective alterations]] typically still fall under the classification of this level.
+Although drastically altered in comparison to that of sobriety, it is worth noting that hallucinatory states such as [[ego replacement]] and [[Internal_hallucinations#Perspective_alterations|2nd person perspective alterations]] typically still fall under the classification of this level. In both cases, a person still feels as if they are a separate agent facing the external world, but have the perception of being a different identity than their sober self.
 ====3. Identifying with specific "external" systems====
-The third level of identity alteration can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to specific external systems or concepts within the immediate environment, particularly those that would usually be considered as intrinsically separate from one's own being.
+The third level of identity alteration can be described as feeling as if one's identity is attributed to (in addition to the body and/or brain) specific external systems or concepts within the immediate environment, particularly those that would usually be considered as intrinsically separate from one's own being.
-The experience itself is often described as a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently comprising their central point of cognitive focus. This creates a sensation of becoming inextricably "connected to", "one with", "the same as", or "unified" with whatever the perceived external system happens to be.
+The experience itself is often described as a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s identity and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently the subjects of their thoughts or focus. This creates a sensation of becoming inextricably "connected to", "one with", "the same as", or "unified" with whatever the perceived external system happens to be.
 There are an endless number of ways in which this level manifests itself, but common examples of the experience often include: