Thread: Abuse Potential - Neglecting Real Life For LD? Only If Per Technical Shortcut?

Originally Posted by Zoth

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It kinda reminds me of that experiment with the pleasure center, where the rat just kept pushing the lewer to get a huge pleasure. One thing I wonder though: could you really get addicted to a specific memory in a lucid dream? I mean, wouldn't you get bored of reliving your best birthday over and over, in the same way as you build tolerance for a drug?

Desensitization would be inevitable.
But to again dwell in the dangerous powers of lucid dreaming, we're not talking about a single memory. ..Which brings us to a big question: if you were omni-potent, could you be happy?

Originally Posted by StephL

Do you not feel lonely, in a way - can that be completely over-ridden? Or is it maybe even regularly over-ridden?

I'm not completely sure I understood the question, so let me know if not. Do you mean to be able to abstract yourself in the dream while lucid? Well, that is certainly present in some part of the way (especially in the beginning, when people tend to distantiate themselves so much from the dream they end waking up), and I think that to some degree you are indeed lonely, but maybe it's a matter of perspective you know?

I meant it differently.
You are surely right with the desensitization - but up to then - I strongly doubt that it is a good idea.
If I would replay old happy memories over and over - how can I first of all not become unhappy, because I remind myself of what I do not have anymore in real life.
And secondly - if I simulate a person for this re-playing - I will always be aware, that this person is not real - that ultimately I have created it and it follows my whim.
So - lets say I replay a scene with a lost loved person - lets say, somebody who died - will I not feel lonely from knowing, it is not a real person, I play at enjoying time with?

This to Sageous as well..

lf though - I would manage to give up full lucidity for that episode - so that I forget about having created that character - then I would not feel lonely in that dream anymore.
But upon waking up - I guess I would be really sad, because this person would still be dead - but now I have her freshly in my mind again - to all the more miss her.

We have the drug metaphor already - so maybe this would be like a come-down from an inebriation?
Waiting for the next fix - the next LD all day and neglect life for this mere illusoriness?

Also - no - I would not want to be omnipotent, because if I would be - all other people would be mere DCs - no new input, no surprises, no company - I could kill and re-animate people - run them differently - make them illusions like that ultimately - playthings.
Nope - not in the least tempted.
Neither by total immortality - I want extreme longevity - but also the ability to kill myself eventually.

MelSchaedlich - the psychology researcher from Germany on here - was taking part/involved with a documentary on TV, which I saw on Thursday.
In the material on the net, belonging to that feature, was an interesting information.
It says, that in the around 5-10% of the population (Germany I suppose..) doing LD - mental health problems are significantly less common than in the general population!

Where the cause lies, is a good question - maybe the more healthy are more likely to experiment with it/succeed at it - maybe it is a direct effect LD has on mental health - who knows..

But anyway - this is good news!!

^^ My guess is that "the more healthy are more likely to experiment with it/succeed at it." Though it would be nice if LD'ing made us mentally (and physically) healthier, a thing of which I'm still not too sure about, I'm pretty sure that LD'ing works much better on people with clear, healthy minds. So that stat makes sense, but indicates no real health benefit, I think.