Dreaming as a physiological psychosis
Armando D'Agostino, Ivan Limosani, Silvio Scarone
Advances in Consciousness Research October 28, 2010 DOI: 10.1075/aicr.79.29dag
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe subjective experience of dreaming and psychosis share features: periodicity, hallucinatory phenomena, and a lack of awareness of detachment from reality. Both are considered fully conscious states of the brain/mind, with non-conscious elements influencing them due to impaired interaction with the external world. Inducing lucidity in dreams through psychological or pharmacological methods may aid understanding of acute psychoses and have clinical applications.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Dreaming and psychosis share features of periodicity, hallucinatory phenomena, and lack of awareness of detachment from reality, and inducing lucidity in dreams may help understand acute psychoses. |
Abstract
Periodicity, hallucinatory phenomena and lack of awareness of one’s detachment from reality seem to connect the subjective experience of dreaming to that of psychosis. Both can be considered fully conscious states of the brain/mind, with an immediate influence of non-conscious elements caused by an impaired interaction with the external world. Psychological and pharmacological induction of lucidity in dreams may prove useful in the comprehension of acute psychoses and in clinical practice.