Is it normal to dream while you are awake?

Do you mean like a Daydream?

i guess so not always happy though

No. You may sleep with your eyes open though. Dreams only happen during sleep. You may be psychotic or have hallucinations while awake.

What you describe is hallucination, not dreaming. Check the date on those mushrooms!

Yes, it is quite normal for extremely intelligent people to daydream due to the extreme boredom their less intelligent neighbors tend to induce.

I must only be half awake much of the time then. Of course, there are some people that would argue that I am psychotic…

That’s interesting @Ben_Dover. If the less intelligent are “inducing” boredom upon the extremely intelligent, then the less intelligent actually possess some form of control over the extremely intelligent. I had no idea.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies Yes, the things you learn here on Fluther!

However, if you think that inducing boredom is a form of control, you are living in a strange place.

i don’t do drugs – apart from the occasional night out with friends for a few drinks

When one induces something upon another, then one is enacting some form of control upon that other from the induction.

Maybe they aren’t dreams. Perhaps they are visions.

@aveffects : This doesn’t sound normal. I’m not a doctor nor do I play one on TV, but I would suggest talking to one. I don’t know where you live, so I don’t know what kind of medical help is available to you, but I would highly suggest that you seek some out and explain openly and fully what is happening to you.

I read an article the other day that said it is actually perfectly normal… if you do it intentionally. Different from daydreaming, but literally dreaming while awake. I’m trying to find the article for you.. no luck so far.
I was really skeptical when I read it, however. I would still discuss it with a doctor.

@aveffects – To clarify, are these images confined to your mind? Are they particularly vivid imaginings or are they actually imposed on the world before you?

Not since I used to drop acid in high school.

Alongside that which has already been said it is a genuine possibility that you simply have a particularly active imagination. You say this happens quite often though which is somewhat odd. Might I inquire how many hours of sleep you get on average each night? Mild hallucinations can be brought on by sleep deprivation.

I have a form of OCD that involves unwanted images flashing up in my brain. Like still pictures or short film clips of disturbing images (generally some grisly accident). I don’t mistake them for a real happening, so it’s not a hallucination… more like the way you ‘see’ a memory in your mind. Except they aren’t memories, but thoughts, with gory visual aids. These things only last for seconds at a time. Does it seem like this could be the same thing that’s happening to you?

Mine are similar to those of @augustlan actually…I get these before I fall asleep…definitely still awake though and only short film flashes, which are totally unrelated to every day things… I often get strange distorted faces, frightening images and sometimes just downright odd! I don’t tend to get them during the day…but how cool!!
Could you describe some or one for us?
Is the visual phenomenologically the same as a dream?
Do you have your eyes closed?
Are you a watcher of the action or a manipulator? (this question seems particularly pertinent I think…)

It could be a form of hallucinations…This talk given by Oliver Sacks could be helpful… I don’t know whether these are similar experiences to your own…but it’s worth a look…

I think Hypnogogia may be very common, I certainly get it, especially in the morning after waking up, but also times like the bus home from work when I sometimes take short naps:
One instance in particular was when I was very slightly self-aware of them, and then had the random thought The ‘Gogics! They do nothing! (and yes, I was aware at the time that it was a misquote, my own subconscious didn’t care)

yes its called day dreaming. you imagine things and sometimes your mind will actually let your eyes see it like youre watching a movie. like youre watching yourself or other events happening through a glass window.