Thread: Positive/Negative reinforcement (slightly NSFW)

Originally Posted by siuol

Last month I broke my habit of biting my fingernails. I did it by, well, this is a bit awkward, but every time I wanted to bite my fingernail, I would, but if I did I could not masturbate that day. There, I said it. Anyway I plan to apply this to lucid dreaming to break my dryspell, but go about it in a slightly different way. Instead of negative reinforcement (I do this I don't get this), I will do it with positive reinforcement (I do this I get this). Of course, It could also be seen as I don't do this I don't get that, so it is all in how you look at it. Anyway, my plan is to not masturbate until I have a lucid dream. Usually I would not want to resort to this to end a dryspell, but I am desperate, and desperate times call for desperate measures. It is a simple concept, but carrying it out will be quite difficult, in fact I am only posting this since I will be more likely to follow through with it now that I have told others about it. Anyway, if and when it works, I will be back to tell of my success story. Otherwise I may turn into Mr. Grumpy for a while.

It would work but not for very long. The subconscious would sooner or later get comfortable with this 'threat' and decide it's nothing to abide to. I did a similar thing.

IMJ

Originally Posted by imj

It would work but not for very long. The subconscious would sooner or later get comfortable with this 'threat' and decide it's nothing to abide to. I did a similar thing.

IMJ

You are using craving to induce a lucid dream which is very uncomfortable especially if it's sexually oriented but sexual arousal is very powerfull so it would have a high chance to get you your lucid request but after masturbating the threat is gone and you may have to wait another few or so days to chocjk up the sexual tension again..not a nice feeling.

IMJ

Personally, I really would not do this at all. Masturbation relieves stress and from what it sounds like, you will probably turn into Mr Grumpy from the sexual tension as imj has said, anyway.
Also, imj, merged your posts together.

Originally Posted by fOrceez

Personally, I really would not do this at all. Masturbation relieves stress and from what it sounds like, you will probably turn into Mr Grumpy from the sexual tension as imj has said, anyway.
Also, imj, merged your posts together.

I din't do it..the forrum did.

IMJ

Don't give up on beating the monkey, how about when you lucid dream you get some chocolate cake or a cheese stick.

Yea I might give up on it after reading some of this advice, however I might pick it back up later just because I may get sexual dreams, which I think are awesome. In other words I failed on day 4

Originally Posted by imj

I din't do it..the forrum did.

IMJ

No, i am saying I merged your posts together.

I think the idea of positive reinforcement is not a bad idea at all, it is just something you have to have in your control. When you mention masturbating -- if you don't masturbate for a long enough time, you will have a wet dream. So it's not 100% in your control. Also, the human sex drive is very strong.
I worked with something a little easier, just to improve my dream recall. I gave up sweets and desserts, and I *only* ate a small candy immediately after remembering a dream. My brain caught on quickly. In fact, while still sucking on a candy, and falling back asleep, the flavor of the candy in my mouth will bring back memories of the previous dream. But I am extremely disciplined about this. If I don't remember a dream -- no candy.
This works well for me, as I live alone and cook my own meals, and buy my own food.

That sounds good, I'm wondering what else I can use to do this. Another problem is that for using this for lucidity rather than recall, I would have to get a lucid first to tell my subconscious that I get a reward for it. So for example, if I gave up video games, I would not be able to play until I got a lucid.

I think you need to be careful when you are toying with reinforcement. Positive reinforcement can be a good thing (the fun in lucid dreams is positive reinforcement in itself!) but with negative reinforcement you have to sit back, reflect, and realise that you are, essentially, "punishing" yourself and you don't want to do that; you have to like yourself and treat yourself well. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to tie in masturbation with your lucid goals. I masturbate about twelve times a day because I am in a really boring job and it doesn't affect my ability to achieve lucid dreams. At the end of the day I am ready for a good night's rest.