James, your experience is almost a reflection of mine. I had to find SOME way out of a reoccurring childhood nightmare.
Then, I too started reading and learning about dream manipulation. This led to my (life long) interest in other "New Age" concepts I, AM A NUT CASE. As early as 6th grade, I found some magazine that had an article on OBEs and tried it. It freaked me out, but boy did it really grab me. Lost interest for a while, (11th grade revisited) but it really blossomed when I had the kids and escalated when I lived in a house with a gas leak. Now, they are less frequent and I can't induce them as I once could.
In college I had one HIDEOUS experience that I swear was straight from Amityville-flies and all. (I am SOOO convinced we lived in a really "bad" place.) That's when I decided there was far more to this world than what we see with our eyes and what we are taught/told to believe by others. It also convinced me there are some areas where one should not venture if one is inexperienced or unprepared!
