Man who 'took lucid dreaming too far' revealed the 'disturbing' effects it had on his body
Warning: This article contains themes which some readers may find distressing.
A man described the impact that lucid dreaming 'too much' can have on a person.
Lucid dreaming is where you are asleep and dreaming but are aware that you are dreaming.
This means you can even gain some level of control within your dreams and be able to consciously influence the environment around you.
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Astonishingly this is a skill that you can actually learn to do as well, rather than something which is inherent. Though it is not recommended for people who have mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, psychosis or bipolar disorder.
Lucid dreaming has also been used in a number of religions around the world, including Hinduism, and Buddhism.
Even Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle described something which sounded a lot like gaining awareness while dreaming.
As with many things, there is also an online community where people can share their thoughts on the common interest.
One man posted a video on YouTube, describing how lucid dreaming had affected someone he had seen online.
He recalled how the person - who regularly shared posts about their experience - claimed to be able to control things in the real world as well as then they were dreaming.
The YouTuber admitted that they had tried it themselves as a 13-year-old, but didn't have any results from it.
They went on to explain how they had also touched on 'time dilation' within dreaming, which is where time passes at a different rate.
So you can be asleep for two hours but it feels like a day has gone by.
The YouTuber said that the person alleged to have a lucid dream in every dream.
In a disturbing development, the YouTuber claimed the person had wanted to 'have a nightmare' which didn't wake them up.
He also described how a moderator had allegedly warned other users that the person may have been fantasising about lucid dreaming rather than it actually happening.
An even more alarming development allegedly saw the person describe how they had wanted to dream 'permanently', saying they might go into a 'coma or even die' if they did.
Finally, the poster claimed they would have an 'eternal dream' and they did not post again after that.
It's not exactly clear what happened but it seems we will never know.
While lucid dreaming is a skill that can be learned, like anything you should always be safe when you're doing it.
As per the BBC, Nirit Soffer-Dudek, a clinical psychology researcher at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, said: "In popular media, everyone talks about how lucid dreaming will change your life, and [how] it's so great… [But] almost no one talks about any dangers or caution.
"I think that more carefulness is needed, in terms of thinking about who this is good for and who it isn't."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Kit Roberts