Lucid Trauma Therapy

**Bansheet** · 01-24-2013 10:09 PM

I have two questions first one is related to myself and the other one is just a general thing I've been wondering about.

1. A couple months ago my mom mentioned me seeing a boy die from heartfailure in school when i was maybe around 7-9 years old. I don't remember why she mentioned it so don't ask

I do remember that the boy died and the details of his death. But I remember it like I was told about it and not like I was actually watching. When I asked my mom if she was sure I actually saw it she became unsure.
I know it's possible to completely shut out traumatic memories but I have been extremely curious as to wheter I saw it or not and I was wondering if I could find out in a lucid dream somehow?

2. If someone has traumatic experiences would you be able to give yourself therapy through lucid dreaming? Like exploring your traume and comming to terms with it etc.?

ps. There is one detail about the boys dead that I hardly think I would have been told about cause it was pretty gross. But again I do in fact remember it like i was just told about it.

Can't wait to see what you answer guys!

**MRH92** · 01-24-2013 10:52 PM

I imagine it would be possible to do this but it might take some work. I have done something similar. I have hallucinations and I wanted to ask my subconscious what one of them represented. I kept finding him in my dreams but he was behind a blurry wall and every time I asked the question the words "ACCESS DENIED" flashed up in red. This happened quite a lot but I kept trying. Eventually I had a dream where I found him and I approached him. We spoke for a bit but then I asked "Why do you exist? What are you?" and he passed me his mobile (cell) phone and I read a message that said "You are only a small part of something much bigger"

I don't really know what that means but I assume it means there is more to this hallucination, and indeed my overall mental health. Therefore I imagine that you might be able to unlock buried memories or trauma.

**oniman7** · 01-25-2013 04:30 AM

I imagine there's varied success just like guided meditation or something. It definitely has potential but no more than other methods, in my opinion.

**nina** · 01-25-2013 11:29 PM

It's tricky to try and attempt any sort of regressive therapy to uncover memories through dreams. Dreaming distorts memories quite frequently and changes people's perspective of past events, and even changes people's memory of those events. There have been so many times that I have felt one way in a dream, only to wake and realize that those feelings were untrue. Due to the untrue/embellished nature of dreams, I wouldn't recommend it for memory purposes. Deep meditation would probably be better. Shut down as much external interference as possible and allow the mind to become completely dissociated. Maybe try a ganzfield setting? It takes a ton of practice to be able to remain conscious/meditate in deeper mind states like delta, but if you can accomplish it, you'll discover some amazing things. (I didn't practice a ton of meditation, I cheated and took dissociatives...but I wouldn't recommend anyone else do that)

**Bansheet** · 01-26-2013 01:04 AM

I would really like to be able to meditate but it just seems like a really huge thing to me and I don't really know where to start. I don't think that I would have an easy time meditating cause it's hard for me to consentrate for extendet periods of time. On the other hand I'm a quick learner so perhaps it won't be too hard after all, who knows

It's just really weird to not be sure if you experienced something or not, and the more I think about it the more confused i get

**Scionox** · 01-26-2013 06:46 AM

I think it's indeed very possible to deal with psychological traumas through lucid dreaming, though can't suggest anything in particular, didn't had any. As for uncovering memories, it might be possible with some good dream control, i think.

**nina** · 01-26-2013 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by Checker666

I think it's indeed very possible to deal with psychological traumas through lucid dreaming, though can't suggest anything in particular, didn't had any. As for uncovering memories, it might be possible with some good dream control, i think.

You would think so...it seems logical to make such an assumption. I did. However when I actually tried to go down memory road in any lucid dream, I was pretty astonished how real the "memories" felt in my dream...and how ridiculous I realized they were after I woke up. One thing I noticed, the feelings are usually real...whatever feelings are evoked during that dream/memory are often (but not always) true...and what your mind shows you in pictures/sounds/colors etc. are often false. So perhaps if you approach it from that perspective, and realize that what you are seeing probably isn't real, but what is important are the feelings being induced by that dream or memory.

I also want to be clear that I never said you can't deal with psychological traumas with lucid dreaming. I definitely think you can. I just think it's tricky if you go searching for memories.

**Darkmatters** · 01-26-2013 11:47 AM

Here's an article about the neuroscience of memories, how they're formed and the fact that each time we remember them, we actually somewhat re-shape the memory - so remembering isn't just a passive act of information retrieval, but an active one that changes the memory in the process. The actual subject of the article is the so-called Forgetting Pill, which can be used to literally wipe out traumatic memories (or any memories) and do so in a very specifically targeted way, while supposedly leaving other memories untouched. But it does go into the science of memory creation, storage, and recall. I haven't read the whole thing yet, on page 2 so far, and it's fascinating stuff that I thought was relevant to this thread.

Oh, the link: The Forgetting Pill Erases Painful Memories Forever | Wired Magazine | Wired.com
(Sorry, I forgot!

)

**Bansheet** · 01-26-2013 03:46 PM

Guess I'll never know for sure then

I find anything related to how the brain works extremely fascinating, I will definetly read that article.
Perhaps hypnosis could help me remember or would I just go down the same path of creating my own memories? I have heard about people remembering little details under hypnosis to help the police etc. I guess you can't make that up.
Anyway what's your thoughts?

**nina** · 01-26-2013 03:54 PM

We used to have a hypnotherapist here, I can't remember who it was though or if they are still around. They could answer your question much better than I.

**Darkmatters** · 01-26-2013 11:39 PM

The article goes into great detail about traumatic memories - in fact the main focus of it is on PTSD and ways to cure it. I think the article can answer your question better than any of us can.