When I was very young, I was afraid of a lot of things. I lived in a crime-ridden area, just on the edge of a forest of dangerous animals. Add that to the superstitions of the local people and the care of an over cautious mother and you get to be afraid of a lot of things. It was not uncommon for me to step out the door and have my foot land right next to a poisonous snake. We’d check our shoes in the morning for snakes, spiders, or angry reptiles. The appearance of peeping toms or men with firearms were uncommon, but they still happened. The area’s strong belief in spirits, ghosts, and even demons had seeped into my mind. Needless to say, I was perpetually scared.

To follow suit, my dreams were dangerous too. Giant beast would commonly make appearances to attack me. I’d be paralyzed and swallowed by a snake. Extraterrestrials would chase me down. Big dogs would use me as a chew toy. I got rid of these nightmares the hard way – waiting it out. I had been lucid dreaming on occasion, but I still didn’t know the name for it, nor the uses. Luckily, the nightmares faded as I realized that I didn’t have as much to fear as I though. But still, when I found out people had been using lucid dreaming to battle nightmares, I was a little pissed. I had suffered for ages when I really did not have to. It is too late for me (besides the occasional stress-caused night terror) but if you suffer from nightmares, or have friends that do, I suggest lucid dreaming as an answer.

In premise, people use lucid dreaming to face their fears. Turn a nightmare into a lucid dream, and you’re in control. Turn the tables on a common monster, and you’ll be terrorizing your nightmares. This might just give you the comfort and confidence to rid yourself of your personal demons and start enjoying your sleep.