# Paroxetine/Paxil dreams: only atypical, or maybe lucid (LD)?



## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

Hi, 

I'd like to find out what (if any) kind of atypical dreams do you have under the paroxetine influence. It's been written on the leaflets, that there may appear such ones. :con

What were they like? And how often did they appear at you? Every night, or only on the beginning/withdrawing?
I don't want to have any bad dreams. It'd be not very good... :um

*Is it true, that the Lucid Dreams can appear when you take the SSRI drugs? Is it actually so pleasant, as some people describe?*

It's a pretty curious question, I think.

Cheers to you! 

P.S. Here's a poll related to this topic:

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/for ... reams.html


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## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

*re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (LD)?*

I dont remember having weird dreams but the Paroxetine YAWNS really took me by surprise. WEEIIRRRD

Ross


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## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



yeah_yeah_yeah said:


> I dont remember having weird dreams but the Paroxetine YAWNS really took me by surprise. WEEIIRRRD
> 
> Ross


Yawns? It's curious... :int

Aha, one more thing - I'm wondering about the 20 mg dose.


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## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

*re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (LD)?*

Oh, even one more thing - do some strange dreams, which I have without any drugs (sometimes I have them, they're pretty weird), make the probability of SSRI-dreams appearing bigger? :con

If I've some strange dreams even now, without any drug, what can happen when I get some SSRI?... :con :um


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

*re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (LD)?*

Lucid dreams are extremely common when taking SSRIs. I remember I would always have extremely vivid dreams when I was on the SSRI merry-go-around. However, no dreams can compare to the ones the an antipsychotic can incite.


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## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



Speak Easy said:


> Lucid dreams are extremely common when taking SSRIs. I remember I would always have extremely vivid dreams when I was on the SSRI merry-go-around. However, no dreams can compare to the ones the an antipsychotic can incite.


Merry-go-around? Sorry, but I don't get this...  English isn't my native language.

Antipsychotic? Well, I don't need to take some yet, at least I think so. :lol


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## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



Speak Easy said:


> Lucid dreams are extremely common when taking SSRIs. I remember I would always have extremely vivid dreams when I was on the SSRI merry-go-around. However, no dreams can compare to the ones the an antipsychotic can incite.


you get odd dreams on antipsychotics? which one(s)? i'm on seroquel and lamictal.

maybe that would explain why i get these scary dreams that cause me to suddenly wake in the middle of the night feeling terrified for no reason (and not being able to remember most of the dreams).
oh yeah, and a while ago when i was experiencing that i taugt myself to recognize that i was dreaming and i would be able to wake myself up during the dream. can't do that anymore, though.

i got a lot of weird dreams on Prozac, and i was lucid dreaming often too (but that probably was because of the insomnia). also i was getting a really bad reaction to the prozac because i am bipolar and not supposed to be on any SSRIs.


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



nothing_to_fear said:


> you get odd dreams on antipsychotics? which one(s)? i'm on seroquel and lamictal.


I was on Zoloft, Risperdal, and Lamictal at the time


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



NihilBoni said:


> Merry-go-around? Sorry, but I don't get this...  English isn't my native language.
> 
> Antipsychotic? Well, I don't need to take some yet, at least I think so. :lol


That's alright. Your English is actually very fluent. Getting on the "SSRI Merry-go-around" is a way of speaking about trying 1 SSRI and then trying another, and another, and another (hence the reoccurrance of a merry-go-around). And antipsychotics are good for psychosis/schizophrenia (and sometimes Bipolar), but I would never recommend them for secondary use in terms of depression and/or anxiety


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

i get lucid dreams from the drugs im on. Id rather prefer not to have them as my mind never really gets to rest.


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## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



Speak Easy said:


> That's alright. Your English is actually very fluent. Getting on the "SSRI Merry-go-around" is a way of speaking about trying 1 SSRI and then trying another (...)


Thanks 

I see know. :yes


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

Noca said:


> i get lucid dreams from the drugs im on. Id rather prefer not to have them as *my mind never really gets to rest*.


I have read similar things about lucid dreams. Once you realize you're dreaming, your brain stops recuperative sleep and basically starts using its imagination/thoughts under the blanket of unconsciousness. That's just what I've read, though.

I don't think I have experienced any lucid dreams while on Paxil, but I have experienced a bunch of just plain weird dreams while on psychiatric meds in general.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

*re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (LD)?*

I've never had any such dreams on Paxil nor any other SSRI. I've never had such dreams period.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



UltraShy said:


> I've never had any such dreams on Paxil nor any other SSRI. I've never had such dreams period.


lucky


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



Noca said:


> UltraShy said:
> 
> 
> > I've never had any such dreams on Paxil nor any other SSRI. I've never had such dreams period.
> ...


I think I'm the only one who actually found some of my dreams amusing :stu


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## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

*Re: re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (L*



Speak Easy said:


> Noca said:
> 
> 
> > UltraShy said:
> ...


i love having very vivid or even lucid dreams. though mine are usually kind of terrifying and sometimes sad but i still find them very interesting and i prefer it to just remembering or being aware of small bits of my dreams.


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## coldmorning (Jul 4, 2007)

I did start remembering a lot of my dreams when taking paxil and zoloft. They were never bad dreams or scary...just memorable and I enjoyed them as some of the others here have. 

If, however, by lucid..you mean dreams where you are conscious of being in the dream and can control the events, then no, paxil did not do that for me. I have had actual lucid dreams in the past though not influenced by any SSRI. About 20 years ago there used to be a magazine called OMNI. They had a lengthy article about lucid dreams and had some exercises that would facilitate having them. I was very intrigued by it and started practicing....and it worked. Those were the only lucid dreams I ever had.

Lucid dreaming is also actually known to be a cure for nightmares.


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

coldmorning said:


> If, however, by lucid..you mean dreams where you are conscious of being in the dream and can control the events, then no, paxil did not do that for me.


If an SSRI could induce an out of body experience and/or astral projection, I think the FDA would have a goddamn field day, as would Pfizer, GSK, Lilly, and any other large SSRI producing pharmaceutical company. "Oh that's alright", says FDA commissioner von Eschenbach, "we'll simply add a little note on the SSRI safety leaflets saying: this medication may aggravate and/or induce clairvoyance". 
**FDA/DEA administrative members erupt into standing ovation at the genius ideas of a genius, himself!**


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## trekster (Jul 16, 2007)

I don't remember when was the last time I had a dream.


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## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

*re: Paroxetine dreams - only atypical, or maybe lucid (LD)?*

Oh, it's a real pity... :sigh


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## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

*re: Paroxetine/Paxil dreams: only atypical, or maybe lucid (*

I've recently had some psychedelic dream again, I was afraid if a car will run me over and I wasn't able to escape. It's curious that I've such dreams when med-free. :con


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## Snaefridhur (May 18, 2007)

*re: Paroxetine/Paxil dreams: only atypical, or maybe lucid (*

I am about to start Paroxetine soon. I hope I get the lucid dreams due to it. :yes :yes :yes :lol


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## NihilBoni (May 4, 2007)

*Re: re: Paroxetine/Paxil dreams: only atypical, or maybe lucid (*



Snaefridhur said:


> I am about to start Paroxetine soon. I hope I get the lucid dreams due to it. :yes :yes :yes :lol


Well, it depends on what you expect from these dreams. But I've read that LDs can be controlled very well. :eyes


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## awakedreamer (Jul 27, 2010)

*Paxil and lucid dreaming*

I took paxil in different dosages for the period of about 5 years and experienced dreams that I never had otherwise. My personal experience was mainly that each night they picked up exactly where I had left off the previous night and I was able to remember them in great detail the next day when I awoke. Some of them were mind- changing in a way that is hard to explain except to say that I have viewed my waking life quite differently than I had previously.

Also, I began lucid dreaming during this time and although each of those dreams were quite intense, and I can still recall them today as if I had just had them last week or so. This is nearing 10 years ago, however; and even though I was learning how to realize my dreams separate from my waking life while in them, I have not had any (lucid dreams) after I discontinued taking the medication.

I feel like I benefited from the medication while on it, and it seemed to help me control some emotional reactions I used to have in my daily life that otherwise I wouldn't have been able to and still function. However, I miss those types of dreams and the control of my perception distinguishing dreaming life from waking life that I no longer have. The medication has helped me overall, and the dream experiences I had have helped me in other ways as well.

I just wanted to post a reply in case this helps anyone or in case anyone felt isolated in their experiences with paxil or prozac.


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## heyJude (Aug 1, 2009)

Yeah, I take Paxil and for the first 6 months of taking it, I have had very vivid, very strange dreams. Nothing scary, though. But over the past couple of months, they've kind of subsided. Bummer, because my dreams are WAAAY more interesting than my real life!


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## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

I've taken 5 or 6 antipsychotics and never had noticeable dreams on them. However without medication the entire night is made up of lucid dreams. I actually feel exhausted in the morning because my mind has been working all night long. It's not anything bad it's just a constant stream of thought. Maybe there was a time I tried to get involved in my lucid dreams but by now I just shove them away until something interesting comes up. Boring illogical dream, next, dream involving something that happened on a bad day last week, next, ooo look bunnies *spends the next 3 hours dreaming about bunnies*


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## MarshmallowGuru (Jul 11, 2011)

I actually remember buying a little "Lucid Dream Kit". I had to anoint my forehead with oil and listen to a cassette tape with a nice-sounding British man and crashing waves. Wierd.


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## CD700 (Apr 22, 2010)

It was years ago but I remember Effexor gave me Awesome Lucid dreams that once in a while turned bad.
In fact after a while, the people in the dreams seemed to notice i knew i was dreaming and would try and kill me. Kind of like in inception the movie


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## ncloutz87 (Jul 11, 2011)

i have never heard anyone having lucid dreams with paxil...i've been on it 3 maybe 4 years now. even in the first 2 weeks of taking never got lucid dreams...not even when they upped it from 10 to 20 to 30 to 40. if you are on other medication that may play role


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## Cuauhtemoc (Jul 22, 2010)

I get lucid dreams sometimes, and I love it, damn I can't even imagine my life without Paxil, no fun at all lol


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Mirtazapine gives me lucid dreams, but SSRI/SNRI's don't. :stu


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## Brooke11 (Jun 15, 2012)

I have been having very realistic, semi lucid dreams since taking paroxetine. I am in control of what I am doing in these dreams and act as if I would consciously but I am unaware I am dreaming. The dream content is realistic but bizarre. Is this in fact a recognised side effect?


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## CD700 (Apr 22, 2010)

Brooke11 said:


> I have been having very realistic, semi lucid dreams since taking paroxetine. I am in control of what I am doing in these dreams and act as if I would consciously but I am unaware I am dreaming. The dream content is realistic but bizarre. Is this in fact a recognised side effect?


Yeah definitely
Some people are bothered by them to the point they go off the drug 
I kind of miss the dreams I had while on Effexor


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## DoxieDogFan (Jun 20, 2013)

Hi I have been having incredibly vivid dreams on this medication, I think all of them have a sense of anxiety theme running through them. And they stay with me for hours after waking, which I never used to experience. Anyone else experiencing this?


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## andydav267 (Jun 26, 2010)

I have been on paxil for a few months , and every morning I awake and recall my dreams quite vividly .. I enjoy the experience , and enjoy paxil in general


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