Weird dreams...

[phyco126]

Don't know about you guys, but when I'm sick, which I am currently, I have trouble sleeping for several reasons. Passing the first bunch of reasons for those of weak-stomach types, the second bunch of reasons of lack of sleep usually come from my dreams. See, when I'm sick, I end up haveing off the wall, like, really really really really really off the wall dreams. Now, I have nightmares all the time, but there are several different kinds of nightmares that I can get. Now, these off the wall nightmares ONLY occur when I'm sick, its always been like that.

Anyway, I've been having some messed up dreams that seem to be getting worse. Normally when I get sick and have these dreams, it only effects my mental being, my nausea, and my sleep. However, this time, it's nearly gotten me into some major trouble, as I nearly called the police to tell them there was a bomb in my mom's house.

Now, once I wake up from a dream, sometimes I'm not always fully awake. However, this time, not only was I fully awake, I was running around the house trying to decide what to do, looking for the fire exstingiusher, trying to grab my phone, and getting ready to haul it out the door. Now this happened in board daylight, around the middle of the day. Even now I'm suffering from these sort of hullicinations (part of it is from lack of sleep from being sick too.)

Did that last paragraph make any sense on what happened? It may not, I'm not exactly all here myself, and it's taking me far more effort to type today. Heck, I've made so many errors in this topic alone that I've had to correct. Ack.

Actually, I went into more depth. Just ignore the rest of the journal if you want, no questions, and no I'm not dangerous. Its the first artical thingy or whatever.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/phyco126/

[Shiva Indis]

You know, I kind of envy people who have vivid dreams. Even though they can be disorienting and exhausting, as you described, I somehow wish I could have that experience anyway. And I hope the police would understand your circumstance if you had actually called, or else I don't think they don't deserve to be called defenders of civil order.

In my dreams, I have no ability to effect events, and though I am somewhat removed from what's happening, the dream takes place from my perspective. It's kind of like playing a video game actually. Exept I can't remember it after it ends...

[SSSFan]

Wow, you must feel really miserable I have nightmares when I'm sick too, but when I wake up I'm in a normal state again.
It looks like you're still kinda 'dreaming' then. like you're sleepwalking but you can experience what's going on at the same time. I wonder what it feels like...think it's kinda scary...
anyway, hope you'll be better soon.

[Alunissage]

I have pretty vivid dreams. They not infrequently show videogame influence. But things I've read or recently experienced definitely tend to pop up also. A few nights ago I dreamed I was putting out a fire in a tree near my parents' house with a garden hose, for example. I remember some of them, but generally only if I think about it after I wake up and fix it in my memory. A few I can remember from years ago (including one I used to have when I was about eight), and one of my most depressing ones was very similar to the story of a game that came out some years later. I haven't played the game yet, though, so I don't know if the parallels are as strong as I'm thinking from reading about it.

But for the most part I like having dreams. It gives me something to look forward to about sleeping. It was pretty scary waking from a nightmare about being chased to an earthquake, though.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

I tend to have really trippy dreams, when I do remember them. Not often when I'm sick -- it's usually when I eat something spicy right before bed or something that has onions in it...

Some of my most memorable dreams involve me doing RPG-like heroics in my "real life," so to speak, though often with bizarre modifications -- like the time when I saved my entire college campus from rampaging vampires using only a 2x4 as a weapon. That sort of thing.

There was also that dream where I went out for ice cream and cake with Yassir Arafat after agreeing to cosign his mortgage so he could get approval from the bank (it's a long story...).

Finally, there was that one dream where this blue dragon gave me a ring... (yes, this was an actual dream I had)

[Sonic#]

Mmmm, Arafat and ice cream! The only split's in the banana!

What game was your dream based on, Alunissage?

As for me... I have lots of weird ones. Or, at least I consider them that. Most of them are just a very strange take on life, with elements of the fantastical or absurd. Looking for a book in a library in only a towel, before emerging at my mamaw's house to find a fleet of four-wheelers renegading across the countryside... or the one where after spending time with Al from Home Improvement figuring out strange exercise equipment and having greek TV in the background, basketball came on, I was in my kitchen, and a girl knocked on the back door looking for my brother. Somehow (I have lots of gaps), I end up outside, with some celestial object representing God telling me to accomplish more before my life comes to an end.

I have had a few that have scared me though. Most recently, it was one involving a little puppet thing, about a foot high, with scraggly purple hair. I had to help it by amputating its arms and legs to little stubs. After this, I went up some stairs to my room and talked to some friends.

It followed, crawling up on its little bloody stubs. Feeling pity or... something, I try to pet it, cupping its head in the palm of my hand. Then... it starts gnawing my hand off!

The thing that really gets me about this dream is that I think I thought, "What if it bites my hand?" right before that happened...

But yeah. phyco... if it happens occasionally it isn't too bad. When I'm first awake, I have to think for a moment to realize it was just a dream. It's tough to help that very much...

[Angelalex242]

Thankfully...or perhaps, sadly...never had a dream in my life.

Many live a dreamless existence, and I am such a one...

[Dragonmaster Lou]

Thankfully...or perhaps, sadly...never had a dream in my life.

Many live a dreamless existence, and I am such a one...

Well, and I'm being really technical here, everyone dreams several times every time they get a full night's sleep. Dreaming is part of the brain's resting cycle, and if you didn't really dream, well, your mental health would be worse for it.

That said, many people don't remember their dreams. I think typically you only remember the dreams you had closest to when you wake up, and if your sleep cycle doesn't have you dreaming around the time you usually wake up, you won't be able to remember squat.

I have heard a trick that sometimes works is to keep a notebook and pencil by your bed and conscious say to yourself "I will remember my dreams." Then you write down any dreams you remember immediately upon waking up. Maybe you'll have something interesting then?

[Alunissage]

I've had dreams based on several videogames, but the one I remember the most vividly involved screw attacking into breakable blocks a la Super Metroid. Only it was sorta-kinda in 3D -- a one-block-wide 3D, kind of like walking on the top of a wall. I remember vaguely wondering why I didn't get dizzy.

If you're asking about the depressing one, it somewhat resembled the very basic outline of Grow III -- I think; I only got bits of the story from Grow II. I had the dream long before the game came out, probably eight or ten years ago at least. It was that the whole world needed to be evacuated (permanently) because the earth was slowing down in its revolutions and so air was no longer being held to the ground and was drifting off to space. I'm not sure where everyone went, because I wasn't among them...I was one of thirteen people who had to stay behind and do something to ensure some disaster didn't happen. I'm not sure what that something was, but it involved orbiting the earth rapidly in a ship. Maybe it was to ensure the evacuation. Anyway, my family and friends were all leaving, of course, and I told my little sister -- who was about five -- that I'd catch up with them and meet them later at the new place. And I was lying, so she'd go cheerfully; I was one of the ones staying behind. My parents and my friend would tell her when they got there that she, and they, would never see me again. And then it was just the thirteen of us in our ship, orbiting...and dying from lack of oxygen. The other twelve were all in couples and at least could die together, but at the end I was the only one left, to die alone...

That one still upsets me. The details aren't anything like the game, I think, but the basic premise is that a planet is dying and the entire population needs to leave and one person makes that possible through personal sacrifice -- don't know if it's the same sacrifice of staying behind, though.

[phyco126]

Well, I have more nightmares than not. Also, my nightmares tend to be, disturbing. Very. Disturbing. My nightmares tend to focus on 3 things: Something physically happening to me and no one wants to get help, I am being attacked or chased by someone, or my grandmother. Usually, all 3 points get thrown into one dream, which basically leaves me emotionally drained and depressed, or sometimes angry and in a bad mood. However, there are times when a 4th aspect is involved in my nightmares, and that is losing someone I know (though this is a bit rarer than the rest.)

I seldom get good dreams, or neutral dreams. When I do get them, I try my best to remember. It helped that I would keep a Dream Diary on my computer, so I could type it out (faster than writing.) I have found that the more I wrote of the dream, the more I remember. However, even good dreams can be, disturbing at times.

Then I have nightterrors. This is when I wake up, see things in the room moving around or moving toward me, and I freak out and run to a different part of the house or apartment (generally the bathroom.) In the process, I'm able to turn on all the lights on the way. I scream sometimes when that happens, not on purpose, but almost like a reflex that you just can't stop (like a hiccup.)

All of these take their toll on my mental health. Each nightmare/nightterror is very draining. However, there are times in which I am able to grow stronger after an event.

As for video game dreams, I only have them when.... 1.) I'm sick, so I'm having those crazy nightmare dreams and 2.) I play the game a lot.

[Rune Lai]

I remember in college I had a Lunar dream where Ghaleon and I were fighting a war (on opposite sides). It was one of my few dreams where I was myself and getting to be heroic. Usually when I have more long-winded action-y dreams I'm someone else so it becomes more like watching a movie or playing a video game.

[Ardekh]

I had a dream about Roland Orzabal last night. ^_^ I always have weird dreams, when I can remember them. Most people do. I haven't had a nightmare for a while, and I hope I don't jinx myself.

When I go days without sleeping, I can get a bit hallucinatory myself.

I don't think that's a word, but you get what I mean.

[localflick]

Phyco, are you taking any medication before you go to bed? Anything for the nausea, or a sleep aid might have side effects that are causing the dreams. Sometimes Nyquil gives me strange dreams.

I used to have some pretty horrific (frequent) nightmares myself, but when I woke up, I just had the adrenaline to deal with. The dream was gone. I always had flashbacks to a very traumatizing moment in my life. Really I don't remember how I got rid of them, but it took a long time, and was very gradual. Now I just try to clear my mind and fall asleep without thinking about anything.

Psychologists usually try to find the source of what causes these things to end them, but it's not always clear.

I'm not sure what would help you sleep better, but I wish I could think of something. Anyway, good luck.

[phyco126]

Yeah, I take medication before I go to sleep. However, even before I took meds I still had the same dreams.

As for a lunar dream, hehe. I only had one or two of those. The one that sticks in my mind the most was pretty sad, and dealt with Lucia

[knuckles90]

i have some strange dreams. And, I have found myself in different places after a bad dream. I have some really strange things cross my mind through the day, like once i sat in bed thinkin, and like before i fell asleep i had the feeling a i was being watched. So i keep thinkin, what if someone was there, then i had like 2 red lights pictured in my head, like eyes. And then i had a body form around them, and it was a little kid with red eyes and a knife in his hand sitting at the end of my bed. I jumped up in shock at the sight and looked around my room, to see that i was alone. That night i had about 6 consecutive dreams about how that kid got there and how he was gonna do me in. And, i usually get this often maybe up to 4 times a month. I dont know if anyone else does that but it happens alot. I also cant walk through my house alone because i always have the feeling that someone is right there. Like now im in the basement alone and have that feelin...and its 6 here...Its not like im afraid of being alone. More like i always feel like someone is out to get me. And i can help but feel this when im at my house and my house alone...Like never at a friends or anythin. Maybe its cause my Grandmother died in the room across the hall from me. But when i think about that i dont feel like thats the case. I dont know if that relates to anyone. Thats just how it is to me.

[Agawa]

Well, I have more nightmares than not. Also, my nightmares tend to be, disturbing. Very. Disturbing.

Then I have nightterrors. This is when I wake up, see things in the room moving around or moving toward me, and I freak out and run to a different part of the house or apartment (generally the bathroom.) In the process, I'm able to turn on all the lights on the way. I scream sometimes when that happens, not on purpose, but almost like a reflex that you just can't stop (like a hiccup.)

Unfortunatly (for me, at least) I can relate with you on both issues. I don't get nightmares often, but when I do they're quite terrifiying.

Seeing things at night actually affects me quite a bit more than my nightmares- while those are bad, they're also pretty infrequent. (I got one last night, but it's my first really memorable one in quite some time.) Nightterrors I get all the time. The other problem is, they're usually more bonded with reality for me. Nightmares scare me, but they usually don't cross that boundry. However, my mind often warps sounds and images in my mind so that they appear to be something frightening.
For example, I'll hear footsteps even though I know nobody's around, or (the most common one) I'll hear the door situated right below my bedroom open. Even though I know somewhere that this is just my brain, my mind can't help but hear what it does, and I freak out. I also make faces out of lights and shadows, which I why I have no mirrors, and all highly reflective surfaces in my room have scarves on them after dark. It's not much fun.

Personally, I've found the only two things that help me are reading a relaxing book before I sleep, and taking a sleeping pill if I'm scared. This doesn't work if I'm too worked up though- then I'm just incredibly tired, and too frightened to sleep.)

Pardon for ranting on about this, but what can I say- the experience hits close to home.

[phyco126]

I can relate to hearing/seeing things when I start feeling creeped out. It usually happens even worse when I read a scary book, or a book with collective ghost stories.

The good news about my dreams, are that when I have good dreams, I have the ability to continue the dream after I wake up. However, there is a limit to that. I can't wake up, work or do whatever for the next 2-24 hours and still continue that dream. Normally, if I have a good dream and wake up, either naturally, unnaturally (cat, noise, roomy, etc...) or to go to the bathroom, as long as I jump right back in bed and keep a calm and non-active mind, I am able to continue my dream. Fortunatly, it doesn't work for nightmares.

Still, I can't do much to control the dreams themselves. I have some power, but I will say it is rather limited in what I can do before the dream litterally adapts into something I can't control. Point in case, I have a dream where I can fly. Eventually, I end up no longer being able to fly (I guess to can say my "flying power" ran out) and end up running along a field or road hopping into the air, trying to lift off. Now, if I can realize its a dream without waking myself up or changing the dream, then I've taking the first step. The second step is far trickier and harder, as it pretty much involves me concentrating very hard on knowing that it is my dream and I can do what I want. Saddly, the best I've really ever gotten to do is lift off ground for a few seconds, basically nothing more than experiencing zero gravity for 2-3 seconds before touching ground again.

As for nightmares, mine end up being pretty realistic. Some dreams, I'm involved in a fight for my life, whether against an unknown enemy or someone I'm very close to (friend, family.) Others are pretty mundane, like I'll have a nightmare about being pulled over after running a stop like, having no insurance, having no drivers license, and not noticing the cop trying to pull me over for several minutes. (Thankfully, the last dream hasn't occured nearly as often as it did before I got my license to drive.)

Now heres the odd part. Despite having far more nightmares and nightterrors than good or neutral dreams, I tend to sleep far more when I'm depressed. 2 reasons, 1. laying in bed acts as a shield against the world and 2. the good dreams. For every several nightmares, I at least have one good dream, and sometimes that's all I want to do. Live in my own dream world. I never understood that myself, considering my nightmares, but what the hey.

Though there was something else I was going to rant on about... I just can't remember what O_o

[localflick]

A lot of these aspects of controlling a dream seem to go with the concept of lucid dreaming. People sell lucid dreaming kits that condition you to know when you are dreaming, and the idea is that you have 100% total freedom and control of your dream to make it whatever you want it to be. One of the hardest parts of it is to stay asleep once you realize you're dreaming. (That always happend to me, once I know I'm dreaming I wake right up). I've never tried lucid dreaming, but maybe some of the control techniques they have can help you in some way. Like commanding force over whatever you face in a dream.

They sell facemasks that cover your eyes to sleep which blink a soft light when you have R.E.M. so you know you're dreaming. Maybe that could help in some way. Like taking the mask off being a mental signal that you are in fact awake now.

I dunno, I really want to help in some way because these things REALLY suck, but I really don't know what to tell you. Again, good luck!