# Sleep and Dreams > General Dream Discussion >  >  Purposely Inducing Nightmares

## ExoByte

(Posting here due to activity compared to Nightmares and Recurring Dreams)

Lets say I want to purposely induce nightmares. Not just dreams that have such content, but actual nightmares that induce fear, fright, panic, and sometimes terror. 

At this point, do not ask why. I will merely say it is for experimental purposes. More will be revealed upon success.

How do you think would be a good way about doing this?


EDIT: NON-LUCID METHODS OR IDEAS PLEASE

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## Loaf

I induced a nightmare when I wasn't lucid by opening up a coffin and sticking my face right at the corpse and screaming loudly. Making noise always terrifies me in dreams. You'll have to be lucid though, or you probably won't remember to do what I just said.

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## Somniloquist

Watch David Firth's video "Crooked Rot" on YouTube.

... Really, it was so disturbing it made me slightly nauseous... but then again mannequins have always made me nervous.

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## nina

I'm pretty sure there are some specific vitamins/supplements etc. that can have the side effect of causing nightmares, especially if you take a little more than the suggested dosage. Unfortunately I'm only going off snipits of memories from things I've read and have no sources for you, and am not sure what some of them might be. Maybe B6? I've actually had nightmares before from taking too much B6. Maybe try googling "nightmare side effect" or something like that?

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## ExoByte

B6 is definitely something I'm going to be trying. One thing I heard when I first joined was B6 tended to have the side effect of nightmares. I never noticed anything, but I think I'm going to start trying again.

Anyone else have any ideas?

I tend to be desensitized to horror and disturbing things, so watching a horror movie or otherwise disturbing video will have little to no effect on me.

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## TheWeirdnessSymposium

Do something in the day that is irrationally scary but ultimately safe: eg, public speaking, bungee jumping.

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## Robot_Butler

What are you scared of?  You could start by figuring that out, then see how to incubate it in a safe way.

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## DeeryTheDeer

Eat lots of pizza and sugary candy before bedtime.

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## ExoByte

> Do something in the day that is irrationally scary but ultimately safe: eg, public speaking, bungee jumping.



Thought of that, but unfortunately things like that tend to give me more of a thrill and confidence boost, making them fun but counter intuitive.
 




> What are you scared of?  You could start by figuring that out, then see how to incubate it in a safe way.



The things I fear tend to have relations to a loved one or someone I care for, usually something bad happening to them. Typically this stems from worry, but usually is only related to extreme situations. I'm not sure how to utilize it. If possible, I'd like to avoid using 'that kind' of fear, though in the end it may be exactly what I need and have the effect I am looking for. I'll file this under 'Plan B' and look for ways to utilize it later.

Typical fears (spiders, fire, water/drowning, falling & heights, public speaking, ghosts. etc.) etc. don't tend to have much of an effect on me and therefore are unable to be utilized to cause fearful nightmares.





> Eat lots of pizza and sugary candy before bedtime.



Alright, I'll give it a shot.

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## TempletonEsquire

In dreaming, go where you feel you are not supposed to go.  For me, nightmares usually happen to aright me back under control of the dream.  Whenever I venture too far off into the unknown, a nightmarish visage of what could be, is used to get me to either wake up or stop fighting.

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## Loaf

You could look in a mirror and think about something horrible too. Some people have had ghouls try to pull them into the mirror.

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## The Cusp

Horror movie marathon.

Dreams reflect what you have your attention focused on.  So focus on that, especially in bed as you're falling asleep.  Mantras can help.

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## bigj_1992

eat lots of cheese or any dairy product before bed.. always does the trick.. i also think i heard somewhere chocolate could induce messed up dreams 2

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## J.D.

Read a scary book before bed. Always works for me (not that I'm doing it intentionally!). That way your own imagination is more involved in the creation of scary situations and it might stick in your subconscious. Any luck so fay by the way?

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## Loaf

LD you are awake but paralyzed during an operation.  :Sad:

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## The Rhino

The best way I could say to do would involve already being lucid, so I suppose this post is worthless. Sorry. ^^

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## IndigoGhost

> (Posting here due to activity compared to Nightmares and Recurring Dreams)
> 
> Lets say I want to purposely induce nightmares. Not just dreams that have such content, but actual nightmares that induce fear, fright, panic, and sometimes terror. 
> 
> At this point, do not ask why. I will merely say it is for experimental purposes. More will be revealed upon success.
> 
> How do you think would be a good way about doing this?
> 
> 
> EDIT: NON-LUCID METHODS OR IDEAS PLEASE



Thats easy mate.

You just find what someone fears and then flood there brain with that fear all day in small intervals and then in one giant mash up in the last 30 mins before sleep. 

If snakes, then use snakes ect.

PM me if you want more info, Also i have studied nightmares so i know quite a bit  :smiley:

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## ExoByte

I've already discussed this issue. The problem is, conventional fears have no effect. I have no fears of a specific thing (snakes, spiders, the dark, heights, fire, etc.) nor do I have any fears related to concepts (demons, death, etc.) directly. I have no readily apparent fears in relation to myself (murdered, attacked, robbed etc.) nor do conventional methods of raising such fears effect me (purposely trying to induce them via movies, books, content, stories.)

That said, the easiest method is impossible. Therefore I am looking for alternatives.

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## Hyperborean

I don't know whether it's an exaggerated myth or not, but have you ever tried eating plentifully before going to bed? Personally, I don't favour such a method, by the notion that it's generally unwise to indulge in large quantums of food right before going to bed. Though I guess you could give it a go, if not just once, and see if it has any effect. 

Good luck, nonetheless!

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## Lucidness

Experimenting with different dreams and nightmares is always good i think. Just experimenting with your mind.

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## Mzzkc

Well, if the traditional stuff doesn't work on you I say go with your "Plan B." Just intensely focus on those fears and worries before bed. Imagine and visualize your fears becoming reality. The more terrified or worried you are when you fall asleep, the better.

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## s6x

I'm a little late on this, but an almost guaranteed way to have a nightmare, at least for me, was to listen to binaural beats and isochronic tones (just look them up on youtube). I was actually attempting astral projection and I listened to these tones and it induced a lucid nightmare. Seriously, I was scared out of my mind and it was stuff that I didn't even know could scare me/wouldn't normally scare me.

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