Strange, strange dream!

I am a chronic insomniac and I rely on sleep meds so I can sleep (been an insomniac for 7 years). Just recently I started having really strong vivid dreams and I am not sure why - I've been on OTC sleep meds for about 6 1/2 years and these dreams just started the past year. Last night I had a dream that when I would lie on one side of my body, there would be all these swords, spears and a trident stabbing toward me, so then I would roll over and I would have shotguns, rifles, pistols aimed at me. And in my dream, I woke up, went on the computer to look up what my dream meant and in big red letters it said: ANXIETY. I then sort of woke up, shook my husband awake and simply told him "I'm dreaming" and I went back to bed. My poor hubby gets the brunt of these weird dreams like one time I was dreaming he was sleeping to close to a cliff and in real life I was stealing his pillow to "save" him from falling off the cliff.

Does your anxiety ever enter your dreams in such a strong vivid state????

The subconscious is such a complicated and strange place. I think you just gave me an ah-ha moment Kitt. I seen my therapist yesterday and we were talking about anxiety. So maybe that is why I was dreaming about it...not sure where the weapons came from though.

Hi Sherry,

I've always had really interesting dreams and I love to analyze them in the morning (when I remember). In my case, the dream itself is often very weird, but always makes sense in time. Once I started on medication for anxiety the dreams became much more vivid and clear. I can describe facial features now, where I used to see just blurs for instance.

All the weapons you mentioned pointing at you makes me wonder if you feel attacked. You may feel like someone or something (if not anxiety itself) has you cornered. No matter which way you turn you don't feel safe.

I would suggest if you haven't already done so to keep a pad (or journal) and pen by your bed and write down every detail you can remember immediately upon waking up. Then when you're more awake (and thinking more clearly than when you're still half asleep) you can go back and examine it (without fear of forgetting the details). You may also want to write down any emotions associated with the dreams themselves or that you feel upon waking up.

Good idea on keeping a pad handy, Fugs. I will try that.

I do not sleep well in general, but when in the midst of an anxiety cycle, I am almost afraid to go to sleep because I know I will have some kind of strange, vivid, dream. And looking back, many times they do relate to feeling cornered, trapped, desperate. Then the more tired I am from not sleeping, the worse the dreams get.

I also have very vivid dreams Sherry, and don't know how I don't instantly wake up on some of them when they can be quite bizarre. . . I hope that you find the answers to being able to control your dreams and to get a good nights sleep.

Take care now!
Sam :)

Sleep and dreams are really interesting things. Did you know that when you fall asleep your body from the neck down is essentially paralyzed? That's because dreams are so real in your mind that your body would otherwise act out the motions, which would clearly be very dangerous. But it's that sense of reality in your mind that causes us to jump up out of a bad dream, feel scared and look under the bed, grab a pillow as though it were a weapon, or in your case ROYGBIV perhaps why you felt pain (your mind expected pain).

Interestingly, you mentioned recurring dreams. If you asked me a week ago if I've ever had a recurring dream I'd say no. But a few nights ago I had a dream that I began to remember having had before. I hadn't had the dream in 15-20 years, until this week. This week's dream was clearer, there were new components to it, and things previously hidden from me were revealed. Without going into the details (which are long and complex) I believe the message was an indication that I no longer need today something I felt I needed back then. It was like recognition of my personal growth which allowed me to close the door on this recurring dream.

Same here...my dreams are so vivid and real that there are some nights that I am definitely not paralyzed! LOL