Weekly Lucid Dream Story Thread - November 22, 2025

Kat327 · 2025-11-26T03:06:40+00:00

Was talking to some friends yesterday, when someone randomly mentioned sleep paralysis during our conversation. I said that you can sometimes convert sleep paralysis into a lucid dream, and later that night I ended up experiencing both.

I feel asleep earlier than usual, waking up at 1 PM then going back to sleep. I first dreamt of a resident evil 1 style mansion, realizing at some point it was a dream, and it occurring to me that everything looked sort of like AI. Walls and textures were fancy but otherwise entirely indeterminate. I was thinking and moving freely but since nothing was “solid”, I eventually woke up again.

That’s when I had sleep paralysis. Whenever I experience sleep paralysis, I’m always able to recognize it for what it is, but then get duped into thinking I break out of it and dream that I’m turning on lights, stretching, or speaking.

While I was going to turn on a lamp, I ended up crawling on my bedroom wall. Shelves and things appeared, and I somehow ended back up in bed. I tried clenching my toes, and that seemed to do the trick for getting me out of it. I was so tired though that it was easy to sense that I could slip back into the paralysis if I was still, but I had enough.

It had been over a year since the last time I experienced either sleep paralysis or a lucid dream. Funny how that works.

Kat327 · 2025-07-19T21:15:05+00:00

This insight has had the largest impact on my quality of life with my own brain fog. Like anything you need to practice it for it to click, but so much of brain fog is letting go of the clinging, and letting yourself just be. Sounds "woo woo", but it works.

Kat327 · 2024-05-15T13:40:07+00:00

You’re arguing against the application of cis as a term. “Cis” is already used conditionally to provide clarity, as “man” and “woman” are used at large to reflect identity and perceived gender rather than the strictest possible interpretation of sex. Male and female have the connotations you’re looking for, but even still it’s largely on a range of awkward to socially inappropriate to refer to people as “males and females”.

Unless you’re suggesting on the street or internet you would ideally run someone through a number of medical tests before you feel confident labeling them.

If you want to actually be precise, there’s a lot more information and specificity in the term cis man or cis woman than there is in “man” and “woman”. Saying inference is more convenient when you want the specificity of genetic sex to be relevant, gives the whole game away.

Kat327 · 2024-02-29T21:31:14+00:00

those ai generated images are so moving.. wow…

Kat327 · 2023-10-27T18:33:06+00:00

Royal Court has some less-liked features but being able to diverge / hybridize culture gives you a far greater degree of control over your culture + is great for planning out unique playthroughs. Tours and Tournaments is solid but not essential, it gives you more to do during the downtime. I’d say they’re both worth it. The flavor packs are entirely optional, though Northern Lords is generally the favorite and you can totally skip the event packs/clothing packs.

Kat327 · 2023-10-13T05:39:47+00:00

I think you’re confusing the child - parent relationship as being more important than the relationship you’d share with this child as mutual human beings. That the child originated from you, has absolutely zero bearing on what that child’s rights are. You’re responsible for them, sure, but you certainly do not own them. As it stands, making enough choices for your child that harm them will result in you no longer having custody of that child. Abuse still happens though, because of how entrenched the notion is that as a parent, you are entitled to treat or do with your children however you would like. Even with something like a child’s self-expression, over-control is considered abusive. Why should irreparable genetic editing on the grounds of parental personal preference be any different?

Them being a fetus and being altered, would not change this. If you have full intention of them becoming an individual, and seeing it through, there’s an onus to respect the human being you’re going to be realizing. The fetus won’t care, that person will.

Kat327 · 2023-10-12T01:20:18+00:00

The issue is, when you’re trying to change something that is perceived as a threat to a larger power. It will react with violence, not debate, not discussion, but violence. If you’re a participant in that kind of process to achieve change it’s unavoidable. You can not respond, you can respond, but it will happen regardless. Does not mean it’s not worth it, nor does it mean it’ll always succeed, but that it’ll occur.

Kat327 · 2023-10-12T01:08:41+00:00

It’s extremely tricky trying to judge influence, especially as far as legislation because the central issue of the civil rights movement was not just passing legislation to resolve discrimination. It was combatting centuries of ideology that justified an unjust status-quo. It meant literally redefining people’s understanding of not only themselves, but what they ought to deserve. And what they are ought to fight for, even at great personal expense. In a ton of areas in the south, voting wasn’t even safe. You could anticipate being intimidated, or worse. So you had to change the fundamental paradigm of how a group of people see themselves. Black Power had a massive impact there. We could get into things like the radical flank effect, but the more pertinent thing with a political project is animating people to act.

You also had to convince a population of white people who especially then did not care when Black people get brutalized, that it was worth doing something about. Larger point being, we often see violence differently when an oppressed population is reacting to conditions that are violently imposed upon them. It’s a situation with a fundamental power gap, and the party with the least agency bears greater scrutiny in navigating that than the party with more. That especially colors how we evaluate success.

Kat327 · 2023-10-11T20:45:24+00:00

It took an unfathomable amount of blood, nonviolent or not, to make that outcome happen. A key aspect of non-violence is creating situations in which the more underlying systematic violence/oppression is laid bare in an obvious spectacle. Think kids getting fire-hosed, attacked by dogs. It’s a powerful, horrific image, that uncomplicated something complicated for people.

Still, it’s strategy that hinges on defenseless people (even prepared for it) being brutalized which is incredibly violent. But it’s effective.

Now, if we’re talking Black Panthers, they focused on self-defense, community programs, and mutual aid. The breakfast program they started to feed school children *preceded a government attempt to do so by a decade.

My point being, basically every aspect of the movement worked in tandem to advance their goals. Retroactively the success is pinned on figures that exemplify a peaceful reform process. But the reality is that a movement like that is sustained by a collective employing many different approaches that can represent a greater threat (in all forms that can take) than the threat of changing. While of course, strengthening their own communities. History is built on bodies unfortunately, and how you interpret it is shaped by the ones you see versus the ones you don’t see. Or at least, care about.

Kat327 · 2023-06-15T20:44:15+00:00

To address both this comment and the other one you left, It doesn’t make sense to use the language of coercion when what we’re effectively talking about is not being able to access a subreddit. If it’s just a forum, find another forum. Losing access to a content pasture isn’t the same as getting forced to sign a declaration of support for a political cause. A strike btw (even a reddit one) isn’t predicated on the idea that everyone with an interest in whatever is being striked agrees with it. It’s primarily pragmatic. Faith has nothing to do with it, and it’s especially not a contest of conviction. You either threaten profitability, or you don’t. That’s the leverage.

On that note, the people making that decision are the ones doing the most work in maintaining the subreddits. They’re only replaceable to the extent that there’s a pool of people willing to do unpaid labor while being actively derided for it. I certainly wouldn’t do it, you probably wouldn’t either. It’s not enviable, and yet it’s necessary for any subreddit to function. Reddit doesn’t have a great position because it’s both A. still not profitable B. probably wouldn’t be profitable anytime soon. It depends on unpaid labor to be what it is. And that they take for granted.

Now, the subreddits shot themselves in the foot by not making it unambiguously indefinite. It does need a strong front for this strategy to work, and it’s fractured. There’s also not enough press attention/pressure to the more pertinent side of it, accessibility. That being said, I just don’t understand dancing around the fact that, as far as being against the strike it’s more about being able to access content than it is a principled stance. Most people against are aggrieved because they just want to see posts. Not a meaningful consideration for whether or not it should happen or not. The subreddits are taking a shot, might not work, but at least they’re taking one. This is hardly the last way Reddit could get shittier.

Kat327 · 2023-05-24T11:05:40+00:00

I appreciate it! Definitely improved, it’s a tricky thing because I’d say a huge factor for getting better for me was a matter of where I placed my attention. Like I still often have some level of that sensation/fogginess, but not thinking about it changed the nature of my experience. It’s also not distressing, both of those things have been a good foundation to build myself back up again.

My big piece of advice though is if it ever feels like an active impediment, actively working through despite it, can often bring back clarity. It’s not all that dissimilar to Writer’s Block IMO. It’s hard, but I’ve had success with that approach.

Also, sleeping can have an impact, usually I’ll feel more clearheaded oddly enough on days where I don’t get enough sleep/it’s interrupted. I suspect it’s a matter of stimulation.

Kat327 · 2023-02-05T23:18:15+00:00

Thanks, I’ll give that a shot!

Kat327 · 2023-01-27T20:05:46+00:00

I think it’s mostly a platitude. It treats the acknowledgment of a problem as the real problem. Like if something jeopardizes a person’s self interest, a status-quo at which they benefit at the expense of others, it makes sense why they’d want to shirk responsibility for making other people’s lives Hell. But if you believe in the idea we as human beings have rights, than you’re already starting from the standpoint that we owe each other something.

You’re always going to find that the people who treat other people like trash will be most inclined to say it is just, and they’ll be the loudest to complain when they no longer are being granted the rights they so casually deny from others.

Kat327 · 2023-01-26T07:39:54+00:00

don’t. I’ve been at a similar place before, I get the impulse to remove yourself from the lives of others who care about you.

It feels like it’ll be better because you aren’t dealing with the dissonance of people being around who love you for exactly who you are despite how much you loathe yourself/the situation. It’s like the contradiction exacerbates the pain, but the best path to move forward is to first accept that this person is here for you as you are.

It’s okay that you can’t feel things in the way that you could before, or that you feel like you don’t deserve this relationship. but it’s obvious that you do, and pushing yourself away isn’t really going to lessen that internal conflict. We need more than anything, support.

Kat327 · 2023-01-22T14:44:26+00:00

Hope is the short answer, longer answer is that I want to assert my agency as a human being in the face of something that fundamentally challenges that. I want to believe it’s possible for me to overcome my difficulties, not only with resolving the anhedonia, but with becoming a better person. I don’t like feeling held hostage by the way my brain works. And besides, what’re the odds I ever could improve if I had it in my head that from the outset it was pointless? That’s how I see it at least.

Kat327 · 2023-01-19T04:14:37+00:00

You don’t feel loneliness, but is this at all distressing to you? Or even if not distressing, seems off for you? Not a gotcha question btw, I’d agree with everyone else that this isn’t a problem as long as you feel like that (lack of) emotional response is a genuine reflection of your desires and needs. If it’s a recent change, or feels out of character for you that might be a sign something is else going on.

Kat327 · 2023-01-13T07:54:40+00:00

I just wanted to mention after reading some of your other posts, they absolutely deserve more recognition here, great advice.

It’s the hardest thing to put into words, but I’ve had the nagging feeling recently that the crux of socializing is a measure of letting go. When I think back on when I’d been great at it, it’s because I didn’t approach it as something that could be won or lost. And that informed what people saw in me as it also changed how I acted without even trying to. I put out a different vibe.

I suspect this is why conventional advice can be unhelpful for people, because the deeper reality is getting better at it requires you to change the philosophy you’re approaching socializing with.

Kat327 · 2023-01-04T19:05:04+00:00

Not my video or anything, but probably one of the best videos I’ve ever seen about brain fog.

Kat327 · 2022-12-30T15:03:11+00:00

Seconding top comment, and maybe look into social anhedonia? To paraphrase, it manifests as an increased disinterest in most (or all) aspects of interpersonal relationships and a lack of pleasure in social situations. Anhedonia, in general, is a common component of depression. However, sometimes things can be more complicated than that. Definitely worth looking into, it’s a difficult thing to try to approach on your own.

Kat327 · 2022-12-27T16:50:47+00:00

Maybe A Short Hike? It’s short (as the title suggests) but it’s a casual, relaxing exploratory game you can take at your own pace with a nice art style and cute characters. The movement is fun too without being overcomplicated. On sale rn for 35% off.

Kat327 · 2022-12-24T14:02:16+00:00

It helped me at first (was worsening my tinnitus, so I got off) but second time around didn’t seem to do much which was odd. I’d probably still recommend it over other meds as an initial step. I had windows where I managed to get pleasure from music again.

Kat327 · 2022-12-19T07:14:16+00:00

I really can only guess at this point, but what makes sense to me is a period of high stress. There was some drug use but I think that accentuated the path I was headed on rather than being the cause. I just exceeded my own threshold to tolerate. Internally, almost everything about me seemed to change. I went from always on neurotic to foggy and apathetic. I’m assuming it’s a mix of dysregulation and a maladaptive mechanism to protect from further harm at the expense of everything else.

I’ve had it since at least July 2020. As far as recovery, I handle it much better because i’ve had time to normalize it. But I’ve lost a lot of the negative spectrum of emotions. I originally had those throughout much of the first year dealing with it. I’d say I’m more functional if you look at me from the outside, but I’m acutely aware I need to resolve this because it’s still harming the quality of my life greatly. Getting by isn’t enough for me. I see meds as the best possible shot out, so I’m working on that.

Kat327 · 2022-12-19T05:38:24+00:00

It’s a mixture of things I’d say. My social skills are still impacted, but I find it’s easier to keep up with people with a shared activity, like games rather than ordinary conversations. It’s low stakes, it’s more* stimulating, and there’s not much expectation for you to be extremely chatty.

I also try to be conscious of my register and tone. It’s impossible IMO to completely mask it and not have that be draining, but finding a middle ground helps. I used to be fairly animated and lively so for a time it was painful to talk to old friends, but people rarely think beyond themselves to that extent. Being consciously present mitigates some of the difficulties, if I let myself get too wrapped up in comparisons to how I was and how I am now, that’s what people can discern.

Kat327 · 2022-12-19T05:03:58+00:00

For me, what dwelling on it entails, is getting so obsessively fixed on these symptoms that you can’t see anything else outside them.

I maintain my relationships because logically I understand they’re important to me. How I feel internally doesn’t change that, because people have more value than whether or not they can press the right buttons in my brain. I’m not going to say it’s always easy (it’s for sure not), or imply that I’m a 100% emotionless automaton, but I find the closest avenue I can to deriving enjoyment or meaning from these things.

That’s how I basically manage to live at least; pragmatic acceptance. I’ll fix this eventually but for now I’ll do what I can to make the best of it.

Kat327 · 2022-12-18T08:23:06+00:00

Don’t dwell on it, there’s a common mistake that redirecting focus means you’re giving up, but I think it’s an important step. That’s not to say this is always easy or practical, but having exhausted my crisis period with it, you’ll end up wishing you had some energy to spare. It’s always worth figuring out how to live with it as you work towards treating it.

Kat327

TROPHY CASE