Schizophrenia -- Dreaming State While Awake
By Ren Carter
Tuesday, March 13, 2001 8:27 AM
Schizophrenic disorder may be ascribed to the dream
state remaining in tact when a person is awake -- a waking, perpetual
nightmare.
A most unusual thing happened the other night.
My daughter Jessalyn and I were strolling down the aisles of the Mall on our
Daddy Daughter date. I noticed that one of my old friends was working at
a kiosk. We went up to say Hello and to chat about the past. I
told her about my son who died of cardiomyopythy in 1998 and she told me that
her twenty-six year old daughter had just recently died as a result of taking
her own life. My friend told me that her daughter had suffered from
schizophrenia. We shared each others feelings as we both understood what
it was like to lose a child. We said good-bye and when I got home I told
my wife what had happened. Before going to sleep I said to Susan that I
had a theory about schizophrenia.
As a bus driver, I have developed many friends -- riders -- who are
schizophrenic. I could see how schizophrenia affected them as they
talked to me. I could tell they were hearing voices behind what we were
saying. Their facial expressions were very interesting while they talked
to me. It's as though they created a world over and above the world we
are in. Yet, the two worlds are interacting with each other. I
began to explain my theory to Susan. I felt like schizophrenics
don't actually ever wake up completely.
Although they seem awake to us, a part of the brain that regulates
consciousness never completely shuts down the dreaming phase of sleep.
It is as though they are in a perpetual nightmare. When I finished
explaining this to Susan, I noticed a strong energy in the room. It felt
very magnetic! I was concerned that it was going to keep me awake.
I was so tired that I refused to stay awake. The next thing I remember
was being awakened very abruptly at 12:29. In fact I came off my pillow
so fast and noticed that very same energy in the room only stronger. In
the far corner of the room I noticed a shadowy female whose image came clearer
to me as she walked towards the corner of the bed. She was wearing a
long old-fashioned dress, and had longer hair that flipped up at the
shoulders. I couldn't make out her facial features, but she seemed very
pretty. Then her image went wavy and she disappeared. It was
pretty unnerving. I kept hearing people walking around the room and the
door opening and closing. The floor was creaking all over the
house. And a one hundred year old house creaks easily.
Quite honestly I was afraid. It scared me. Susan can vouch for
that. I woke her up. I concluded the reason this happened was that
when I awakened I wasn't completely awake. Something similar happened to
me which I had postulated happens to schizophrenics. Two worlds were
intersecting before my very eyes. Was this paranormal or simply my
dreams interfering with my earthly reality? Above all what I believe is
that it was a confirmation that my theory about schizophrenia is
accurate. In my life I have always had felt tenderly towards those
experiencing schizophrenia. This experience helped me more fully
understand their condition. Although I am not a psychologist and am not
trained as one, I do feel that my explanation is as good as any because no one
knows what causes this condition. All they know how to do is medicate
them for it and sometimes that doesn't help as in the case of my friend's
daughter. She just couldn't take the nightmare anymore. I do not
believe this poor girl will be held accountable for her suicide, but will be
healed there.
