Dreams or hallucinations?

[Lexie30]

How do you know what was a dream and what wasn't? Or will I just never know..

[Sepsur]

I would describe a hallucination to describe an unlikely visualisation whilst awake, the opposite being the case with a dream. I’m not sure I would subjectively be able to tell the difference.

[muncii in reply to Sepsur]

agree. In my own ICU experience, a lot of things got very confused, particularly waking and sleeping, dreaming, hallucinating, and reality. I can't speak for others, but I was often in a disorientated condition. During my month in ICU, I had eight 'scenarios' which I can still remember, 7 years on. They were highly improbable (delusional) and sometimes paranoid - eg I thought the man in the next bed was trying to kill me by thought control- but at the time, they seemed very realistic. But two of the scenarios may have been triggered by an actual event or by real people. I'm still not sure.

[RichardNeill]

Hi, for me the hallucinations felt far more real than any dream I have ever had. Sometimes when I came too, I would feel certain that these events had or were happening. In the hallucinations all of my senses were aware, I can remember smells, touch, noise etc. and all of these are very vivid. In terms of feelings, the fear with the hallucinations is very difficult to understand.

[stevet11753]

I would agree with Sepsur. Most of what I can recall I would describe as dreams, but the difference between the dreaming world and the waking world was often indistinguishable and they merged imperceptibly. The dreams I had were every bit as real to me as the 'real' world.

[angelrock]

Mine were weird to the point I was totally unaware of them, even to this day I think of them as normal - bizarre.

[LesAnne]

Hi Lexie I experienced dreams, hallucinations and delirium. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to dissect all of it. I do know however that I was not held hostage!! Healing thoughts 🤗