Champix or Chantix is a well-familiar quit smoking treatment in the United Kingdom. The active ingredient, varenicline tartrate, is thought to work by binding to nicotine receptors in the brain, which aids withdrawal symptoms and reduces cravings. The medication can result in depression, psychosis, and self-harm among people taking or withdrawing from it. However, no study has shown Chantix causes hallucinations in non-habitual smokers or non-users of drugs. Even if a person does experience a strange aftereffect from the medicine when they stop taking it, doctors say there is no need to worry because the effect dissipates on its own. In addition, you can manage the drug-induced side effects with supportive care and discontinuation of treatment.
A spokesperson for Pfizer, which manufactures the drug, says the company has not received reports of this type of adverse event with this prescription medication. Moreover, no clinical trials report such facts. On the contrary, recently published research suggests substances within the class of drugs, including varenicline, may influence dreaming.
Does any piece of research verify the link between Champix and psychedelic illusions?
The study reflects some people who took a drug similar to varenicline had more lucid dreams when they realize they are dreaming and can control the outcome. These dreams have both bizarre and wonderful experiences. However, they can also be terrifying because you feel you cannot wake from the dream.
The study published in the journal ‘Nature Neuroscience’ was small, involving 17 men who were given a drug called levodopa or a placebo for three consecutive nights before they went to bed. It is a quit smoking treatment, which temporarily boosts dopamine levels in the brain, which affects mood and motivation.
People who took levodopa, an alternative to Champix, had an 80% success rate in having lucid dreams, while those on placebo experienced this only once. In general, psychedelic dreams do not harm. People who suffer from anxiety or mental health issues may find lucid dreams distressing as they struggle to accept this is not really happening. Indeed, this could result in further distress because psychedelic dreaming is so realistic that can make someone believe them as real events.
What is Lucid dreaming?
Lucid dreams are when people realize that they are actually inside a dream. It can happen during normal dreams. For example, when someone chases a person and he suddenly realizes that it is a nightmare, and there is no danger. This experience simultaneously triggers a wave of intense emotion as well as feelings of relief.
The ability to become lucid during a non-lucid dream can come from how we view our own thoughts and self-perspective. In other words, if you think this doesn’t feel right, your brain may be able to link this up with the idea that you are dreaming. It is because those types of thoughts don’t happen while you are awake or asleep.
In addition, many people who have such dreams say their emotions become more intense. So perhaps there is something about human awareness, which opens people up to deeper feelings of fear and joy. This may be why we associate some dreams with heightened senses and emotions.
What do studies say about lucid visions?
The study on people using levodopa, a substitute for Champix also identifies those who experienced psychedelic dreaming had more intense illusions. They may include denying or frightening components.
Those taking the placebo did not report a marked difference in their overall experiences between their lucid and non-lucid dreams. The researchers said the frequency of psychedelic dreaming was unexpected, given only 17 people took part in the research. However, they acknowledged that their findings are limited because they did not consider whether participants were frequent dreamers before the trial began.
Any substance, which can enhance dopamine levels, can trigger lucid dreams. This is because this neurotransmitter affects sleep, learning, and moods. However, these drugs do not increase memory recall during waking hours or boost attention or creativity.
How common are illusions?
Everybody dreams each night, and most people experience three to five vivid dreams per week. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the average person spends around six years of their life dreaming.
It is also ordinary to wake during dreams, especially when someone’s dream is a nightmare. Studies suggest that 52% of women and 62% of men have experienced nightmares at least once in their lives.
Why do you see nightmares?
The most frightening or distressing fantasies probably occur several times throughout our lives before fading away. The accurate grounds of awful visions are still not clear. However, they are more frequent in kids than in adults. Scientists say stress may trigger them. Some drugs, including marijuana, may induce nightmares too. However, nightmares can become a symptom in people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. If you have dreadful illusions while using Champix, you should consult your doctor.
Nightmares in childhood often relate to factors like learning about death, which is ordinary during this age. It happens because children discover the world around them during the phase. Although they may express their fears through repeated dreams involving monsters under the bed or dark figures, many grow out of these by puberty.
What are the different types of visions?
There are different types of dreams. Some of them are-
REM sleep (rapid eye movement)
It is when most dreaming takes place and where emotions and memories get stored.
NREM sleep (non-rapid-eye movement)
It is when your breathing, heart rate, and body temperature drop to prepare you for rest. According to The National Sleep Foundation, it is during this time that healing of the body occurs.
Atypical Rapid Eye Movement (Sleep Behaviour Disorder)
People with this condition are acting out their dreams, which can result in injuries while asleep.
False awakenings
When people wake up thinking they have already done so, only to fall back into another dream state again. They often occur at the end of a night’s sleep. However, if someone has them frequently, it may indicate other critical conditions or mental health issues.
Lucid dreaming
When people are aware that they are dreaming and can sometimes even control what happens, such illusions are lucid dreams. There are some claims that using alternatives to Champix can result in psychedelic dreams. However, talk with your doctor before going for any treatment.
Are lucid dreams harmful?
The effects of psychedelic dreaming are mainly psychological, as the physical experience is similar to that of dreaming.
According to Dr. Denholm Aspy from the University of Adelaide, who has carried out several studies on the subject, lucid dreams will not harm you physically. Therefore, we view them as a completely safe state in which you can experiment with your consciousness – and it’s exciting. However, he cautions, “These occurrences are unusual. It would be possible for someone who is out of their mind on drink or drugs and having a poor trip to have an unfavourable reaction.”
