Schizophrenia + LDs

Quest for Lucidity
1

hey. this is my first time really trying to discuss my dreams, but when i read through the threads this morning, i figured i would share a WILD experience of mine.

first of all, most of my lucid dreams are DILDs - i often just ‘snap out’ of dreaming and realize i’m in the dream. i don’t always become fully lucid, but i do become lucid ENOUGH to realize it’s a dream and explore a little before losing lucidity (and having some trouble getting it back). i’ve been able to do this almost at will lately because of how focused i am at becoming lucid and recognizing dream signs, but my dreams are just attempts to WILD that failed.

to become lucid, i usually notice my reflection in the mirror. for example, my first lucid dream was a nightmare of me in a hospital, running away from doctors. when i hid in the bathroom, i saw myself in the mirror and was pretty excited to discover i had become lucid. luckily, i was able to keep the dream stable, too! the other reality check that instantly works for me tends to be looking down at my hands - yet i forget to rub them together almost every time.

then, another time, i remember taking a nap and, quite suddenly, finding myself in the kitchen of my house. i didn’t think i was dreaming, but all of a sudden i began to float off the ground and the world around me started to just… fade away. i could hear a sound like the ‘ocean’ when you put a seashell to your ear, but was so confused about the whole thing that i ended up waking myself up and found myself in bed.

later on i realized this was probably a WILD i could have succeeded in completing, and yet i have a lot of trouble making it work again. i don’t remember doing anything special aside from the typical WBTB (i had woken up to use the bathroom and it happened when i went back to sleep), but i really want to master this!

i should add that i’m an unmedicated schizophrenia sufferer, which i hear changes the rules for people like me a little bit. perhaps what i thought was a WILD was actually an OBE, but since i’ve never completed a WILD (to my knowledge), i’m not so sure what that experience may have been.

are there any tips anyone could give to a schizophrenic young adult who already has a decent grasp on DILDs, and is trying to learn WILD? what is the best technique for a schizophrenic? i’d like to know more!

thanks.

2

I think not to say “consult a doctor” would be irresponsible here. I could imagine that the problem of distinguishing between dream and reality could cause a schizophrenic episode.

I’m quite sure that the topic of dreaming, especially of lucid dreaming is not very well explored. So probably noone really knows about the consequences of combining active dream induction and psychic diseases.

Let me say something personal: I know two persons who suffer from schizophrenia, both medicated (though one of them denies medics frequently). Both of them I would not advise to lose only one more bit of reality. Maybe you really should not try to actively induce lucid dreams.

3

Unfortunately, I agree. Or at least get yourself A LOT more information on it. Like see a doctor, medication, etc, maybe even find one that knows what LD’ing is and discuss it. Of course, I say this without knowing how severe your condition is, we just want to be safe here :smile:

4

If you are able to function in real life without your mental stability being compromised…I’d say it’s alright to continue. If lucid dreaming gives you comfort from your condition then it would be therapeutic to your disturbed mind. For me I do not have schizophrenia but I have OCD so doing reality checks has made the condition worse so I stopped it for some years already…only you know if it’s causing you discomfort or not. So if you can LD at will even with schizophrenia…I think you shouldn’t give it up.

IMJ

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I heard Schyzophranics dream alot more then normal. I wonder if there is away to cure it through LDing?