Rehabilitating the mind: Avatar (2009), Inception (2010) and the science fiction imagining of lucid dreaming in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in the U.S. military.
Transcultural psychiatry December 1, 2020 Susan Smith 2 citations
The U.S. military has explored lucid dreaming as an alternative therapy to help soldiers cope with PTSD. This article examines how the popular science fiction films Avatar and Inception have been discussed in the media as illustrations of using lucid dreaming and virtual worlds to heal soldiers' minds affected by modern warfare. The author argues that these media portrayals merge psychology and science fiction to promote fantasies of the endlessly salvageable and invincible American soldier, raising concerns about effective rehabilitation and the cost of veteran care.