To start I am very new to this sight and to the research of Lucid Dreaming. I've looked at it the past but after 3 times of sleeping (night of sleep, nap,night of sleep) and past experiences that sound very much like lucid dreaming I am very very interested on this subject, specially when many say it is all theory. As well I find out of body experiences to be a compelling thought.

So, naturally a lucid dreamer or is it a side effect of medication or has medication brought this hidden dreaming experience to light? Like many I am bipolar and suffer most from long major depression episodes. Also, probably from being bipolar I am a chronic insomniac, so I take Lamtical, Celexa, Ambien , Birth Control, and of course Kolonapin (anxiety medication) sometimes Seroquel. Obviously the big red flag in this is ambien since it is a hallucinogen many have reported tripping while on it. This does not happen to me though.

A little history. When I was younger I specifically remember sleeping at friends houses waking up in a dream state feeling, smelling, hearing, and seeing as if I was in my own bed at home. Then I would wake up in a bit of a panic to see I'm not at home.

In the midst of my teen years I do not remember dreams and was not on medication. Then I was on mood stabilizers for about a year and then on no medication for about two years.

In the most depressing days of my life at 16-18 I was forced into a living situation that is not conventional; living in a small hotel room. Still not on any medication. Then I started having very odd dreams. A lot of dreams I had were things that would happen months or even years later. I was kinda freaked out by that idea when it started to occur. I would have dreams of sitting in a room with people then a year later find myself in the situation with the same faces as in my dreams with people I had just met! Believe it or not. This is when I became more aware of when I was dreaming and what I was dreaming about. Many times I would have dreams and did notice I could control a certain extent of my dreams.

Along, came my first psychologist in almost 2 years. I was confirmed of bipolar/ major depression, and chronic insomnia, and adhd, but was refused any medication for adhd. This is when I was but on Lamictal which seemed to almost balance me out and seroquel. Well I did not dream at all on seroquel. I would only become extremely tired and sleep for about 12 hours a day and was unable to wake up. My whole body would be paralyzed, so I stopped taking it. Then I was on no sleep medication and was very aware of my dreams.

A savior arises! My good friend Ambien. This for a long time now has been the only sleep aid that has been able to give me a normal night of sleep as well as control my sleeping patterns. Now the thing is ambien is very well known for enhancing your dreaming experience. I love my dreams! I've had many many dreams that show me signs of myself through animals and or disasters and I've become very invested in deciphering dreams. But I have always been very aware of when I was dreaming and what I was able to control in my dreams and even wake up then fall back asleep to have the same dream sometimes good and sometimes nightmarish, but I already love horror as it is so I don't mind and most of the time I find more meaning and personality in my nightmares. Odd.

A big thing I've noticed that has brought me hear is my latest episodes. The last 3 times I have fallen asleep I have this dream that I traveled to Massachusetts (I live in Chicago such a state does not interest a city girl) to a high school and am unable to leave. The first time I was riding a unicycle to a song by Real Big Fish and was able to control playing the song over and over and able to control where I would go on my unicycle expect when I tried to leave I would lose control of where I went. Second time I was back at the same school with my dad riding a motorcycle unable to leave once again but could control where I went and what I said and what others said. Third time was out of control chaos. It was much longer than the previous ones and involved several of my friends and other various people from my real life and t.v. The main focus on this third one was religion and virginity. I had control over a few things. Who I was hanging around, clothing, hair color, some speech, and tried and tried to leave on a bike but every time I would be thrusted back to the high school and every time I came back the more the place looked like it was turning into hell. Scary right.

Anyway, the last 3 times I have fallen asleep I have not taken any ambien. Could taking ambien for so long have helped me get in touch with my dreams more? Possibly the other medication I'm on also plays a factor? Since I've had experiences when I was young was I suppressing my dreams in my teen years? Well, in my opinion it is a bit of both, but I believe ambien has opened my dreams more since I have been taking it. Is this a way to cheat your way into a lucid state? Do those who are trained well in lucid dreaming recommend a more natural way?

What is your opinion on taking sleep aids such as ambien or even pot to enhance dreams? Do medications bring out your natural creativity and awareness of dreams or do you find it to be a joke to the art of lucid dreaming?