Thanks to the wonderful world of Reddit – people who have experienced the unconscious state have shared their experiences – and boy are they fascinating.
People appeared to fall into two camps – with one lot reporting having very vivid, involved dreams that seemed to go on forever, while the other said they felt and remembered nothing.
One user reported that during a 4 week coma he dream he was a NASCAR driver, the event stretching from the beginning of his career, to moving up the ranks to becoming the best. Strangely, he had never watched NASCAR races in his life.
Another described: “I had extremely vivid dreams during the coma. In the one I remember I was inside of a life-sized blender and I would get chopped up to bits and pieces. Then I would get dropped out of the blender, reform into myself again, only to drop into another blender and get chopped up again. On and on continuously. When I finally woke up, it definitely felt shorter than 5 days but it didn’t feel instantaneous either.”
Many patients described vivid dreams during the coma
In contrast, others said their coma period was a blank – with one writing: “One second I’m inside my friend’s car the next I’m in a hospital bed a few days after. I have no recollection of what happened in between and no dreams. Just in a blink of an eye and I was in the bed.”
Another agreed, saying: “In 2000 I was in a coma from injuries sustained in a boxing match. A coma is nothingness. It’s a big black void that you are a part of but don’t know it, all you know is that you’re nothing or that you are part of nothing. Somewhere along the way (I’m guessing if you are going to make it) the void disappears and you dream.”
Spookily, one user said his coma felt like an instant but he could later remember things that his mum had told him during it his unconscious state, showing how the mind can still receive information during it.
“Blackness,” described another Redditer. “All I remember is blackness, but a soft black. It seemed to last a long time. I remember being very comfortable and warm. I did not hear voices or see any changes in light. If I did not know any better, this was the afterlife. Honestly, it was the most goddamn peaceful experience I’ve ever had.”
