Thread: Mental Disease And Dreaming

When people with mental diseases such as parkinsons disease and alzheimer's dream, do they still have the disease in their dream?

Good question! I feel that they have them in their dreams only if they allow themselves to. It should be a simple matter for them to just override these physical problems and be free to move around without any hinderance in their lucid dreams.

I know that I don't feel any of my physical limitations when I LD. It's really nice


EDIT: I have reconsidered, Alzheimers probably is experienced in a dream since it is a cognitive disorder, disorders like Parkinsons though are motor related and most likely can be overcome in dreams. Same should hold true for MS and MD.

Well, we also have to consider if the person has had the experience or memory of a normally functioning body. For example, people who are blind since birth could not possibly dream of the same images we see or recognize color, no? Since Parkinson's is a progressive dissorder, then this might not apply - but I just thought I'd mention it.

this sounds like a question for O'nus

I havent seen O'nus around latley, does he still post on DV?

I used to think he made really informative posts.

Originally posted by Tornado Joe
Well, we also have to consider if the person has had the experience or memory of a normally functioning body. For example, people who are blind since birth could not possibly dream of the same images we see or recognize color, no? Since Parkinson's is a progressive dissorder, then this might not apply - but I just thought I'd mention it.

This is an essential point when considering the dreams of those who suffer from mental illnessess. If the person's illness is within them since birth then it is most likely they will dream normally with the excpetions of what their illness circumvents. However, if they acquire the illness later in life then it depends on the illness. Most people whom have ADD or an alteration in their NMDA development, it usually causes naturally pleasurable dreams. Commonly you would find dreams with a perennial element of megalomania. Because of the distorted NMDA or serotonin reproduction, it may cause the individual to become very self-concerned and perhaps anti-social. Incidentally, this will only motivate selfish desires.

Although, this is the generality. In the opposite light (ie. higher serotonin production), individuals may suffer several nightmarish dreams or simply an overwhelming emotion of fear, anxiety, and desperation.

I've tried to speak to an old neighbour of mine about their dreams. They have alzheimers and so it makes for several tedious introductions. What I noticed is that her dreams were usually the same. They would often be reflections of her happiest times or things that she missed (her children). Or, they would be her fear of losing her children. They would normally be the simplistic fears of a typical mother rather than dreaming about (what could be interpreted as) the deep desire to buy that luxury item you've always wanted. It seemed as though she was stuck in the past.

As for parkinsons, I would assume that the over-production of dopamine might create dreams of either euphoric type themes or the total opposite. I havn't stumbled accross much dream research on parkinsons yet but I will do a little research and come back later to post what I have found.

~

i guess that answers my question

Originally posted by Tornado Joe
For example, people who are blind since birth could not possibly dream of the same images we see or recognize color, no?

Actually, I think even people blind since birth are able to perceive color, just not in the same way as we could, as they don't really have a concept of what color is or ways to describe it.