06.22.07: Dream a Little Dream of Me
Ok, ok, well I haven’t much been blogging about my time in WoW. But I have been dreaming about it.
Thrilling caption.
I’m not even joking. For the last three nights in a row, I’ve had dreams (or the memory of having a dream) that had, at the very least, Warcraft-like elements. The first night I was dual-wielding (a skill I had trained that evening in WoW), the second night it was just some muddled imagery. From last night, I don’t really remember anything about the dream – just that it happened. And these started only after my second day of coming back to the game (after a break which lasted over 3 months), and it makes me wonder about something. Sometimes people say that dreaming about WoW, or any other videogame, was something that happened at the height of their problems, and was a key reason for their quitting that game, or gaming in general. Dreaming is also one of Kim Young’s suggested criteria for addiction, whether to the internet or videogaming. I’ve gotta wonder if this is warranted.
Neils Clark :: Jun.22.2007 :: Neils' Gaming Journal ::
Hanging out with self-identified addicts (I’m talking heroin here) and alcoholics, I’ve often heard them describe “drunk dreams” in which they re-experienced the feelings they had when high. Some people would express anxiety over the dreams, feeling like it pushed them toward a relapse they were desperate to avoid.
When I was MMOing all night long, I’d always go to sleep and dream of being in the game. The imagery and emotions were very powerful.
My guess is it has something to do with the brain and neuro-hormones.
By the way, did I remind you that “relapse” is often part of “recovery?”
You may choose to do something different the minute you feel ready, or even before you feel ready. In fact you may be the most ready before you feel ready…you don’t have to feel it to allow that part of you inside that knows what you need to do to make a decision to do one small thing differently before you even realize you’ve done it…if your eyelids become heavy and want to close it might really feel nice to let them…and let that heaviness move all the way down through your fingertips as they relax and decide they don’t need to touch the keyboard because that sense of hope and peace and joy is so great every time you see the sun outside the window tomorrow you’ll be reminded of how good it feels to be outside and breathe the fresh air…
(don’t blame me, I love Erickson)