This experimental trial aims to describe the experiences felt by a group of patients diagnosed with different psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, delusional chronic disorder, etc.) in which the use of Benzodiazepine derivatives were related to emergence of lucid dreaming and dissociative events (to see oneself out of your one body, etc.), and to a lesser extent had subsequent depressive symptoms. Fifty-six patients were monitored and linked to the emergence of depressive symptoms related to the use of Benzodiazepines or sedative-hypnotic. While on this treatment, they had vivid or lucid dreaming.

To explore the relationship between occurrence of drug dreams (DDs) and daytime negative affect with lucid awakening during the course of a 9-week treatment.

Using the dream journal methodology, 56 participants reported occurrence of dreams, dream content, and ratings of affect. The relationships between the experience of DD, dream content (“active” vs “passive”), and affect were analysed using mixed model methods.

The experience of DD was associated with higher levels of negative affect (P < 0.001). The occurrence of DD did not decrease significantly over the 9 weeks of the study. Benzodiazepine users reported a higher occurrence of Lucid Awakening (P < 0.05) than the other drug groups (zolpidem and clometiazol).

These results are consistent with the hypothesis that DD can act as drug-conditioned stimuli to elevate negative affect. Although correlational, such findings support the implementation of psychological and pharmacological interventions aimed at minimizing the impact of DD on patients with lucid awakening and psychosis.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.