I saw a thread by a user who said he had never experienced SP, but I wanted to make a new one because my situation is a bit different. I experienced it once when I was younger (10 or 12) and have been terrified of it since. I think this anxiety has really prevented me from being able to lucid dream even well into my twenties.
For about two weeks preceding that episode I had been having regular false awakenings every day. I would wake up, get up, eat breakfast, watch some TV, get dressed, brush my teeth, get my books together in my bag, head out the door and start off to school, and then... wake up again. I hated it. After many daily occurrences of this I woke up one morning and was unable to move for something like 5 minutes. I had no idea what was happening, and I'm pretty sure I hallucinated hardcore, though I don't remember of what. All I remember is extreme dread and panic. As soon as I could, I started screaming for my mom (hey, I was a kid, don't make fun of me). I was convinced I had been possessed. So, now, I fidget all the time when I'm in bed, always making sure I can still move, especially when I'm getting ready to try lucid dreaming. Makes for some intolerable insomnia. I haven't had another false awakening since my SP.
I'm not afraid of anything physical -- I'm a science guy, I'm no longer religious, I don't believe in monsters or gods or souls, I'm not afraid of the dark, and I know it's all in my head, but I think I'm afraid of becoming panicked due to being unable to move or speak and just can't help myself. I know what it's like to have a bad trip, as I have experimented with psychedelics in the past, and I know that if I start down a dark path at all, it can descend from there very quickly. I'm concerned about how long it will last as well -- I can handle a few seconds, but minutes? Hours? Is there a way to break out of it more quickly? I'm afraid I would be reminded of a particularly bad mushroom trip in which I came very close to literally killing myself. (Set and setting, kids. Don't have weapons and possibly dangerous tools lying around where you're tripping, it's a really bad idea.)
I've read that sleeping on your back (the position I normally end up in) makes it more likely and that some methods (WILD?) are more conducive to it. But maybe I just need to bite the bullet and make it happen, so I can get over my fear? I'm dubious that simply knowing what is happening will make it all better, though I've read up on it a bit here and elsewhere. Seeing is believing, so if I see dark hallucinations, that's going to be disturbing even if I 'know' somewhere in my head that it isn't real.
Anyone else ever have a similar problem? I would appreciate any advice on the matter, as I've been wanting to lucid dream for several years now.
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