Abaissement du niveau mental (Jung)

Jung described this as a relaxing and letting go of psychic restraints, and one which corresponded "pretty exactly" to the primitive state of consciousness in which myths were formed originally. Concentration and attention are lacking, consciousness being of reduced intensity. There may be unexpected contents arising from the unconscious. The play of opposites is released and a relative reversal of values brought about. Latent psychotic tendencies may emerge. Although such a state arises naturally in mental illness, it may also be consciously fostered or arise under the influence of certain drugs. Abaissement du niveau mental normally accompanies vision. It has been compared with the [soul loss]

of primitive peoples.