A fascinating chapter. I found this quote particularly truthful:
"We would surely be missing something important about our own nature if we refused to face up to the fact that hallucinations are part of being human. However, none of this makes hallucinations part of an external rather than an internal reality."
The other evening (last Thursday) I was sleeping when I awoke to the most frightening racket downstairs. I bolted upright in bed, and ran to get my police-issue nightstick from the dresser (don't askan officer I did a video for gave it to me on the sly.) I flipped it out and ran downstairs just as my wife woke up, crying: "What? What is it?"
"Stay here, Gail. If you hear anything unusual, call the police."
It was around 12:30 a.m. There was a dog barking outside. My dog, looking groggy, sheepishly scuttled up the stairs. I deduced that whatever was down there had scared him.
I must have searched that house for 30 minutesdoors, closets, windowsnothing. I couldn't understand it. Sometimes my cat and dog get into it late at night, but nothing was misplaced or knocked over that would have made that sound.
Finally, my wife said, "What IS IT? Did you hear something?"
I couldn't believe it. I assumed she had heard it, too. How could she not hear that incredible banging? I was positive I had heard something. I even checked the house again to make sure. Then, I realized that my dogwho barks at every relative, friend, mailman, and pizza delivery guy who comes to the doorhad not even so much as growled. He just ran upstairs frightened, probably by my actions as much as anything. He probably thought I had finally lost it.
So, in the end, I had to conclude it was one of those half-asleep dream hallucinations. I've had them beforeeven the so-called "sleep paralysis"and the hallucinations usually have to deal with intruders. I lie there, hearing voices and movement in the bedroom, but I can't get up. I am frozen. Then, I wake upnothing. No one there.
It's plain to me the huge psychological component fueling my dream hallucinations. The need to protect my family, especially with the baby coming. However, they do seem very real at the time, and I can imagine those who have similar experiences with intruders, aliens, or whatever could have a difficult time separating reality from fantasy.
"We would surely be missing something important about our own nature if we refused to face up to the fact that hallucinations are part of being human. However, none of this makes hallucinations part of an external rather than an internal reality."
The other evening (last Thursday) I was sleeping when I awoke to the most frightening racket downstairs. I bolted upright in bed, and ran to get my police-issue nightstick from the dresser (don't askan officer I did a video for gave it to me on the sly.) I flipped it out and ran downstairs just as my wife woke up, crying: "What? What is it?"
"Stay here, Gail. If you hear anything unusual, call the police."
It was around 12:30 a.m. There was a dog barking outside. My dog, looking groggy, sheepishly scuttled up the stairs. I deduced that whatever was down there had scared him.
I must have searched that house for 30 minutesdoors, closets, windowsnothing. I couldn't understand it. Sometimes my cat and dog get into it late at night, but nothing was misplaced or knocked over that would have made that sound.
Finally, my wife said, "What IS IT? Did you hear something?"
I couldn't believe it. I assumed she had heard it, too. How could she not hear that incredible banging? I was positive I had heard something. I even checked the house again to make sure. Then, I realized that my dogwho barks at every relative, friend, mailman, and pizza delivery guy who comes to the doorhad not even so much as growled. He just ran upstairs frightened, probably by my actions as much as anything. He probably thought I had finally lost it.
So, in the end, I had to conclude it was one of those half-asleep dream hallucinations. I've had them beforeeven the so-called "sleep paralysis"and the hallucinations usually have to deal with intruders. I lie there, hearing voices and movement in the bedroom, but I can't get up. I am frozen. Then, I wake upnothing. No one there.
It's plain to me the huge psychological component fueling my dream hallucinations. The need to protect my family, especially with the baby coming. However, they do seem very real at the time, and I can imagine those who have similar experiences with intruders, aliens, or whatever could have a difficult time separating reality from fantasy.
