Thread: ADHD & Lucid dreaming

After reading about adult ADHD (Attention-deficit Hyperactivity disorder , I believe this perfectly describes me.
The question is how this affects my ability to lucid dream. I have the most active and off-the wall dreams in places allover the world and at different time era. I remember these dreams very well when I wake and record them into my dream log. However, after trying off/on for about 3 years to lucid dream, I have yet to experience my first. I will continue to try different techniques as described in this site.
Does ADHD interfere with the ability to lucid dream or even get to the reality check in the dream? Is there anything specific that you would recommend? Long meditation periods (30 min - yes, this is long for me) prior to sleep?

The healer needs some healing too.

Healer, I don't have ADHD (tho my son was diagnosed with it and eventually learned to deal without medication).

He isn't into lucid dreaming so I couldn't ask him but I did a search and found a few past threads on the subject:

http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...highlight=adhd

http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...highlight=adhd

Hopefully you will receive additional replies to this posting. If not, you could always PM one of the members in these threads and see if they have any advice for you.

I am ADHD, life-long. I spent a couple years on meds a while back and have chosen to live without. I honestly see it as a gift, not a handicap.

I've had pretty good success with lucid dreaming, especially for somebody of my age. I honestly don't think it is a factor, unless you consider the difficulty of trying to keep attention focused long enough to do some of the induction techniques.

Meditation is a great tool for anybody. It is an especially great tool for people who are wired the way we are.

Originally Posted by pj

I am ADHD, life-long. I spent a couple years on meds a while back and have chosen to live without. I honestly see it as a gift, not a handicap.

I've had pretty good success with lucid dreaming, especially for somebody of my age. I honestly don't think it is a factor, unless you consider the difficulty of trying to keep attention focused long enough to do some of the induction techniques.

Meditation is a great tool for anybody. It is an especially great tool for people who are wired the way we are.

Thanks for the quick replies and to hear from another ADHD. Glad to hear a positive spin on the so called "disorder". :-)

Originally Posted by pj

I honestly don't think it is a factor, unless you consider the difficulty of trying to keep attention focused long enough to do some of the induction techniques.

Meditation is a great tool for anybody. It is an especially great tool for people who are wired the way we are.

I dont know much about ADHD pj but that comment got me thinking as there could possibly be some truth in that. I have a condition called fibromyalgia and among other things it causes something called brain fog (honestly lol) This seems to be the opposite end of the scale to what you have described. I tend to lapse off quite often, and its as if my mind goes a complete blank. Because of this when Im going to sleep I am completely relaxed within seconds of lying down. I have lots of lucid dreams and have since I was little. Of course it could just be a coincidence but you never know.

Loads of good luck with achieving the lucid dreaming Healer

Maybe deep relaxation will help prior to your attempt? =S

Originally Posted by Healer

After reading about adult ADHD (Attention-deficit Hyperactivity disorder , I believe this perfectly describes me.
The question is how this affects my ability to lucid dream. I have the most active and off-the wall dreams in places allover the world and at different time era. I remember these dreams very well when I wake and record them into my dream log. However, after trying off/on for about 3 years to lucid dream, I have yet to experience my first. I will continue to try different techniques as described in this site.
Does ADHD interfere with the ability to lucid dream or even get to the reality check in the dream? Is there anything specific that you would recommend? Long meditation periods (30 min - yes, this is long for me) prior to sleep?

The healer needs some healing too.

I have ADHD. It only interferes with certain techniques like WILD or dream paralysis.

With WILD it's hard to remember what to do and your body seems to get up or move on its own.

With Sleep Paralysis it's hard to sit still and you move uncontrollably.

This is because ADHD makes it harder to focus and you start focusing on other things.

Don't give up though! And remember to take breaks between tries at least three nights you're actually more likely to have a lucid dream in this time!

I'm not an expert by any means but I think there is some controversy around ADHD being a real thing / problem. Thinking a lot about this "problem" you have is most likely just adding fuel to it.

Most people can't handle 30 minutes of meditation, or focusing, or sitting still, or have a hard time not moving during WILD.

Meditation teaches you these things, they are not a requirement, they are skills that you gain through practice. So start with 10 minutes of meditation every day, the key is to do it frequently, not for a long periods and you will get better at it. Same with WILD, which has a lot in common with meditation.

The controversy only exists because people like you dont do any research whatsoever before sharing your beliefs. Doctors and scientists do actual research. They look at MRI scans of the brain. They've found genetic markers for the disorder.

Controversy means nothing more than that there are uneducated people who insist on denying scientific evidence.

I am also dealing with ADHD. I do take meds, just not now over the summer. I also have been practicing LD for about a month now and finally almost had one but i woke myself up. I was stuck on REM atonia for a bit then started to play in my first lucid world for about 5 minutes before i woke myself up, got a bit scared. But yeah, i have been practicing it and so far good results.

The only reason I could see ADHD getting into the way of anything is with ADA, in a sense, as well as certain techniques such as WILD or SSILD or anything that requires long time concentration or to be relaxed.

Otherwise, you have the potential to be as good as anyone else.

Do you think it would make it harder to control dreams. Adhd?

For me, someone that has suffered from ADHD, in my youth I posessed outlets to subsist with this prognosis. Examples: every athletic or physical outdoor means to adapt without being prescribed Ritalin in my adolescent years. With comparison to ADHD and lucid dreaming, I feel you are more likely, such as myself, to master the capability of conscience dreaming as a result of ADHD. Personally lucid dreaming is second nature. The competence to know I am in a dream realm, and not only control my actions, but to whom I desire is more than satisfactory. There is however a downside to lucid dreaming in some instances; occasionally this dexterity of controlling the subconscious mind may default in my own hypothesis dubbed the "rewind" mode. Let me further explain; for those natural lucid dreamers, the impulse to control every aspect of their dream is critical. I myself as a lucid dreamer, feel others with this capacity not only view themselves in first person but identify themselves simultaneously in the third person spectrum. Controlling the dialogue and demeanor of each character in a lucid dream may seem overwhelming to most. Along with myself and others who have mastered this art of R.E.M. sleep, may not only control ones self and significant role players, but if not satisfied with the original exchange of views, can and will apply the "rewind" until the lucid dreamer is content with the discourse of his/her or other inhabitants to justify the conscience state of dreaming