ALTERED STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IV: The “package”

The extent to which people enter into an altered state of consciousness in impact play is never just a result of our efforts and skills as Top. People differ widely in their capacity to enter and maintain such a state of mind. This variation is influenced by situational factors (e.g., environment, mood, trust - factors that we can control) as well as stable personality traits, some of which have genetic components, and thus externally uncontrollable.

It’s important to remember that you can never fully control another person's experience during impact play - or any trance-inducing interaction. No matter how carefully the scene is constructed or how skilled the practitioner, each individual brings a unique set of traits to the experience, many of which are influenced by biology and genetics. Some people easily enter deep altered states, while others may stay closer to the surface. When you also consider the genetic variability in pain perception and the complex interplay of individual neural systems, it becomes clear that a significant part of the experience lies beyond your control. The best you can do is create a framework that supports and amplifies what the person naturally brings with them.

Factors beyond our control in altered states of consciousness:

• Genetics. Research suggests that individual susceptibility to trance-like or altered states has a partly genetic basis—estimates often range around 30–50% of the variance, depending on the study and the specific measure (e.g., hypnotizability, absorption, or pain modulation). This is a large part of the experience!

• Level of hunger. Blood sugar levels influence concentration, mood, and pain tolerance. Being hungry can make it harder to relax into altered states, but once the person reached that state, the experience usually becomes more intense.

• Amount of sleep. Sleep deprivation reduces emotional regulation and increases sensitivity to pain, often making it more difficult to enter or sustain a trance-like state.

• Emotional state. Stress, anxiety, or preoccupation can pull attention away, while calmness or positive anticipation can support immersion. People sometimes report being in a personally difficult situation, such as after a breakup - this naturally shifts emotions to the negative side during the session. In this case an impact session can actually be very therapeutic (but not therapy!).

• Subjective sense of safety and trust. The ability to “let go” is strongly shaped by personal history, attachment patterns, and previous experiences. Even in a safe environment, some people may find surrender harder than others - this is also a factor that we never have 100% control over.

• Hormonal and neurochemical fluctuations. For example, menstrual cycle phases, cortisol levels (basically stress), or endorphin baseline can all affect pain perception and depth of altered states.

• Sensitivity to rhythm and sensory input. Some nervous systems are naturally more responsive to repetitive stimuli (sound, touch, impact), which makes entering trance more accessible. Yes, this part is strongly related to neurodivergence.

• Prior experience with altered states. While not “controllable” in the moment, a person’s past exposure to meditation, hypnosis, or deep play can influence how easily they slip into altered states, and past experiences provide a starting “shade” to our session.

So be mindful and respectful of the ‘package’ a person carries into the session - our role is to meet them where they are.

In the next part (Part 5) we will look at why go through all the trouble: why does an impact-induced altered state of consciousness feel so good in the first place.