What a Nightmare!

fyllis · Nov 14, 2015

It is now 5:30 A.M. as I write this.

I went to bed just before midnight and was jolted awake in a panic! I was having a nightmare and I haven't had one of those in... 40 some years - since I was a child!

A Nightmare? Or just a really bad dream? I'm not sure how to describe it, but I am still shaking! It was VERY real and life-like. Yet, it was segmented and a bit 'watery' ?

I was in my apartment and I think I just gotten home from somewhere. I saw a man standing in my bathroom, brushing his teeth at the sink. I just stood there looking at him and he started asking me questions like, Where were you? Are you allergic to Demerol? (which I am!).

I remember looking around for my cats and they weren't there. No sign that I even had cats. No food or water bowls sitting out. No litter box. No toys or cat tree anywhere! I didn't say anything because I didn't want to alert him that I DID have cats.

Then I backed away and picked up my purse and keys and left. I went to the lobby and saw the apartment manager and, very shaken, told him there was a man in my aprtment. He just laughed at me and asked me what I wanted him to do.

I called the police and then I remember I went back IN my apartment! Why? I have NO idea! But, he was still there standing in my kitchen drinking a beer. I never have beer here because I don't drink it.

This guy just kept sneering at me and told me to get out because he didn't want me there. I was thinking, This is MY house and I am not going anywhere! I walked past him and picked up a stainless steel knife that was on the counter and started walking toward him and then I woke up!

Breathing fast and heavy - my heart racing like a steam engine! Both of my cats jumped on the bed and started rubbing on me. I turned on the lights, sat on the edge of the bed and started taking slow, deep breaths. Then I got up and got a drink of water and used the bathroom. Then I came out to my desk and immediately sketched a drawing of the guy in my dreams! (I will post it below).

He was about 5'10", Caucasian, maybe late 40's. He had medium long, dirty dark brown hair streaked with grey/white. Full beard - somewhat trimmed, but unkempt. He wore a navy blue bandanna on his head with some sort of paisley design and a black muscle shirt and old jeans. He looked like he just crawled out of the gutter because he was dirty and looked like he maybe worked on cars or something. Just a 'greasy' look about him. His eyes were dark brown and had very dark circles. They almost looked slightly bruised and his left eye was a little puffy. Maybe he had recently been in a bar fight? His eyes and face were expressionless and there was something very arrogant about him. I don't remember seeing any tattoos anywhere on him.

Now, can anyone explain to me why I had such a vivid dream like this? From what I can recall, it was mostly in black and white, but I can clearly remember his bandanna was navy blue and his eyes were brown! I don't recognize him from anywhere - don't think I have ever seen him before. Why would he be in my apartment brushing his teeth like he lived here and tell me "I" had to leave? And where were my cats and all their things? And most of all, why would I have picked up a knife and walked toward him?!

This has me totally baffled and I am still... not scared, but slightly shaken up. It was just SO very real feeling!

Anyway, I will survive. But I just had to get this off my chest!

Here is the drawing I did of him. I am going to show it to a few people i know and ask if he looks familiar to them. It makes me wonder - Am I psychic? Or just psychotic? LOL *sigh*

Have any of you ever had a nightmare or strange dream that effected you in a creepy way?

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ladybellac17 · Nov 14, 2015

Wow sorry you had such a vivid dream! I use to dream a horrible dream that I had cats coming in my house from every window and in the dream I was scared and killing cats left to right. It was very weird dream and very vivid. I hated it because I love cats and would never hurt them. I've only had that dream twice in my life but I still remember it. Our brains always busy. Take care have some tea and relaxing music and your kitties on hand and you'll feel better. Have a nice day!

Winchester · Nov 14, 2015

Fyllis, I understand and it's creepy as heck. I've had a recurrent nightmare for the last 20-30 years. It's only been within the last 2-3 years that the nightmare has not come back. It's very possible that you watched something (or had something even if you weren't watching) on TV with this guy or saw the man somewhere, even if you weren't paying close attention to you, your subconscious may have been. Or something in a book triggered this. It's scary and you are still frightened. I hope it doesn't come back.

fyllis · Nov 14, 2015

Winchester said:
Fyllis, I understand and it's creepy as heck. I've had a recurrent nightmare for the last 20-30 years. It's only been within the last 2-3 years that the nightmare has not come back. It's very possible that you watched something (or had something even if you weren't watching) on TV with this guy or saw the man somewhere, even if you weren't paying close attention to you, your subconscious may have been. Or something in a book triggered this. It's scary and you are still frightened. I hope it doesn't come back.

I've only had one recurring nightmare that kept coming back to me for years. I can still remember it vividly to this day!

There was an old (old? LOL He was probably in his 40's! I was just a kid and played with his kids!) German man who lived a mile up the road when I was in grade school and he was always asking my Dad to let him 'borrow' my horse (a black Morgan) so he could plow his garden. I detested that man and begged my Dad to never let him use my horse to plow!

Well, in the dream, I was riding through a neighbor's wheat field and I saw the man walking through the field toward us with a rope in his hand. When we got closer, I slid off my horse and slapped his butt and told him to run home! He took off and the man approached me and told me that one day he was going to get my horse from me! I was SO mad! I reached down in the wheat field and picked up a pitch fork (I have NO idea where it came from or why it was there) and I stabbed him multiple times until he died! Then I walked home and found my horse standing in the barn aisle waiting for me and I promised him no one would ever hurt him...ever! (My Dad never did let him use my horse to plow, either!)

OMG! I was only about 10 years old! But I had that dream probably 20 or more times over the years. I think I was maybe in my 40's the last time I did.

But, the 'dream' I had last night/this morning totally creeped me out! I am going to keep an eye on the local news and see if he shows up anywhere! LOL God knows, I live in Southeast Indiana and everybody and their brother resembles the guy. (tongue-in-cheek). Hold me back if I walk into Walmart later and see him in aisle 4! LOL

Who knows why we dream some of the goofy stuff we dream? I'm OK, now... but it really had me rattled for a while this morning!

stewball · Nov 14, 2015

When I was very young, still in England with no idea I would leave ever, I had a horrible dream about my mum.
She'd gone to our railway station, bought her ticket and fell down the stairs except in my dream she rolled down the stairs and onto the electric lines. That's when I woke up. I was in a terrible state when my dad came to wake me for school. He told me that there had been an article in the newspaper the day before of a man jumping in front of a train. That was really a horrid dream.

artiemom · Nov 14, 2015

OMG, Fyllis....tha tis a real nightmare....maybe psychic...

What gets me is that it is so vivid...enough that you can draw a sketch..that is eerie...

Just keep an eye on the news--just in case...

stay safe..please...

do not take any chances...

I know I have a couple of re-occuring nightmares from my youth...hard to describe, but I am trapped...another where I am falling..

common, I know, but re-occuring...

Both of them keep creeping into my dreams, and in different surrounding circumstances....it is very unnerving...

((hugs)))

swampwitch · Nov 15, 2015

First of all… WOW on your drawing! Not only did you remember amazing details from your dream, but you are able to show others exactly what the guy looked like which is all very impressive!

I personally wouldn't worry about the dream being prophetic, unless you usually have dreams that come true. I've always heard to pay attention to how you felt in the dream, more than the actual events. It seems your dream has feelings of not being comfortable or safe in your home, or that you might be forced to leave it. Regardless of the details, your brain is probably trying to process something threatening.

I used to have repeater nightmares when I was a kid. They can be really harsh. My childhood took place in a very bad environment of violence, abuse, and neglect. I had nightmares and night terrors all the time, so much so that I tried to stop sleeping when I was 3. I got pretty good at staying up all night. I can still feel myself crying and the sheer terror I felt when the sun was going down. I was never safe in my home which is a bad bad feeling when you are a little kid.

Anyway, I vividly remember my repeater nightmares, even today. In one, I went around the house locking the doors to try to feel safe. When I got to the back door, it was yanked open just as I am lowering the lock, and on the other side is a monster. I run into the house, desperately looking for a hiding place. But the monster always comes in, and always finds me, he knows ALL of my hiding places so I can never escape.

(When I was a kid usually at this time I would be having an asthma attack and unable to breathe. I would try to scream but couldn't get enough air. In my little kid brain my only protection was to stop sleeping altogether.)

I never really understood the dream, other than the feelings of terror, until several decades later when I had it for the last time. I guess it was about 7-8 years ago. I dreamed that there were some bad people out on the street, so I went out to asses the situation so I could protect myself and my family.

Suddenly I was transported back to the house I grew up in, and I was by the back door again, reaching for the lock. I knew the door would be opened before I could lock it, so this time I yanked the door open and surprised the monster! I started screaming at him, told him if he didn't leave, I was going to call the police. I was really furious, and not only yelling but hitting him to push him away. Stunned, the monster left and I felt a huge relief and triumph that lasted long after I (calmly) woke up.

I never understood the dream until the last time I had it. I thought it was just a scary dream, but I know now the monster was my mother. I couldn't get away from her, I was a little kid who depended on her to stay alive, and I couldn't hide because she knew all my hiding places. She was never a protector of her children; she was the threat, and it took me decades to be able to stand up to the monster and push it away so it couldn't hurt me any more.

When I read both of your dreams, I was reminded of my monster. It seems there's a threat somewhere your brain is trying to process and deal. Looks like you usually deal by stabbing, lol.

fyllis · Nov 15, 2015

SwampWitch said:
First of all… WOW on your drawing! Not only did you remember amazing details from your dream, but you are able to show others exactly what the guy looked like which is all very impressive!

I personally wouldn't worry about the dream being prophetic, unless you usually have dreams that come true. I've always heard to pay attention to how you felt in the dream, more than the actual events. It seems your dream has feelings of not being comfortable or safe in your home, or that you might be forced to leave it. Regardless of the details, your brain is probably trying to process something threatening.

I used to have repeater nightmares when I was a kid. They can be really harsh. My childhood took place in a very bad environment of violence, abuse, and neglect. I had nightmares and night terrors all the time, so much so that I tried to stop sleeping when I was 3. I got pretty good at staying up all night. I can still feel myself crying and the sheer terror I felt when the sun was going down. I was never safe in my home which is a bad bad feeling when you are a little kid.

Anyway, I vividly remember my repeater nightmares, even today. In one, I went around the house locking the doors to try to feel safe. When I got to the back door, it was yanked open just as I am lowering the lock, and on the other side is a monster. I run into the house, desperately looking for a hiding place. But the monster always comes in, and always finds me, he knows ALL of my hiding places so I can never escape.

(When I was a kid usually at this time I would be having an asthma attack and unable to breathe. I would try to scream but couldn't get enough air. In my little kid brain my only protection was to stop sleeping altogether.)

I never really understood the dream, other than the feelings of terror, until several decades later when I had it for the last time. I guess it was about 7-8 years ago. I dreamed that there were some bad people out on the street, so I went out to asses the situation so I could protect myself and my family.

Suddenly I was transported back to the house I grew up in, and I was by the back door again, reaching for the lock. I knew the door would be yanked out of my hand, before I could lock it, so this time I yanked the door open and surprised the monster! I started screaming at him, told him if he didn't leave, I was going to call the police. I was really furious, and not only yelling but I think I even started hitting him to push him away. Stunned, the monster left and I felt a huge relief and triumph that lasted long after I (calmly) woke up.

I never understood the dream until the last time I had it. I thought it was just a scary dream, but I know now the monster was my mother. I couldn't get away from her, I was a little kid who depended on her to stay alive, and I couldn't hide because she knew all my hiding places. She was never a protector of her children; she was the threat, and it took me decades to be able to stand up to the monster and push it away so it couldn't hurt me any more.

When I read both of your dreams, I was reminded of my monster. It seems there's a threat somewhere your brain is trying to process and deal. Looks like you usually deal by stabbing, lol.

I could bruise my brain trying to figure it out. It was just that I hadn't had a 'scary' dream since I was a kid and, all of a sudden, I am jolted awake in the midst of a nightmare! And yea, the reason I immediately drew a picture was because his face was SO vivid and real in the dream and it carried over after I woke up. I could see his face right in front of me! I thought that if I had the picture, I could eventually figure out who is is/was and give some meaning as to why he was the subject of my dream.

I don't think it was prophetic either, and I have never had a dream come true.

Thinking back, I had a few different 'feelings' throughout the dream at different times. I was angry because he was in my home (uninvited). I was confused as to why he was there. I was cautious and anxious because I didn't know his intent. I felt vulnerable. I was scared because he looked 'scary' - the puffy eye, dark circles, grubby dress, general 'dirty' appearance, and his attitude. (This is just a stereotypical description of a 'bad guy'). I felt worried because i couldn't find my cats or anything that indicated they were ever there. I was ticked off because the apartment manager laughed and blew me off when I told him I had an intruder! But, in the end, I was feeling invincible, determined and confident when I took control of the situation.

All these various feelings and emotions had me shaken and that is how I felt when I woke up! I was literally shaking and actually talked out loud to myself to bring me to a calmer state. I remember pulling both my cats to me (they jumped on the bed when I sat up) and I told them that everything was OK because Mommy chased the bad guy away. I wasn't concerned about me... I was concerned for them! I had to protect them and reassure them that things were alright. Actually, I was talking to myself and reassuring myself - not them - but it worked.

I really haven't given it much thought after I calmed down and posted this thread. I resumed my normal routine and I slept well with no drems at all last night. I suppose many different things could have triggered my subconscious mind, but I am not going to dwell on it. If there is a threat somewhere, I will confront it when it becomes more concrete.

You, on the other hand, had a direct correlation between your dream and your monster. I'm sorry if I triggered memories for you. I am also proud of you for standing up to your threat! You are a strong woman.

misty8723 · Nov 15, 2015

Maybe a past life memory coming up?

Mamanyt1953 · Nov 16, 2015

Just a thought here, but sometimes I can be reasonably good at dreams...

Do you have some new situation (not person, situation) in your life that is making you feel uneasy and not totally at home in your own skin? Something that you feel you have little control over, that is cutting you off from your usual comfort-place?

The dream is probably not past life stuff. Those are generally in vivid color, and are complete with smells, because they are actual memories. Possible, but not probable. Psychic dreams are trickier, because they are so often highly symbolic, and the man you dreamed of may not be an actual person at all.

Best of luck...and the best way to get rid of a dream is to recount it to someone. Good start, Darlin.

fyllis · Nov 17, 2015

Mamanyt1953 said:
Just a thought here, but sometimes I can be reasonably good at dreams...

Do you have some new situation (not person, situation) in your life that is making you feel uneasy and not totally at home in your own skin? Something that you feel you have little control over, that is cutting you off from your usual comfort-place?

The dream is probably not past life stuff. Those are generally in vivid color, and are complete with smells, because they are actual memories. Possible, but not probable. Psychic dreams are trickier, because they are so often highly symbolic, and the man you dreamed of may not be an actual person at all.

Best of luck...and the best way to get rid of a dream is to recount it to someone. Good start, Darlin.

Funny you should say that. I was diagnosed with Major Depression several years ago and was on medication for a few years. There are times when I feel myself falling into a depression and it usually occurs around this time of year. SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder. I know what causes it and I take precautions to avoid it and cope with it. I now go to bed with my curtains open so when the sun comes up my apartment is light and bright and I am not in a dark cave first thing in the morning. I also have increased my Omega-3 fatty acids and I take Melatonin. I have a social support system in place and I try to get outside as often as I can. I've even made a point of putting my trash in smaller bags so I have to go out to the dumpster at least every day or two instead of weekly.

It's a daily struggle, but I handle it fairly well. I think I am a little more fortunate than most because I was a nurse for 22 years and I understand depression and can recognize the symptoms when they start rearing their ugly heads.

The weather here has been getting cooler and the sun is going down much sooner. I really dislike winter as a rule - my body doesn't tolerate the cold very well because I also have arthritis secondary to a car accident I had several years ago, which left me with a spinal cord injury.

So, in hind-sight, I can see how the dream could have been triggered simply by my changing mood lately. I need to make a doctor appointment and get back on a SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) to enhance my mood. Fortunately, I am not, and never have been, suicidal! That's just not an option for me!

And I agree - the best way to overcome your fears (such as I had with the nightmare) is to talk yourself through them and confront them head-on! That's probably what I was doing in the dream when I grabbed the knife? I was confronting the threat!

Mamanyt1953 · Nov 17, 2015

I think you might have hit the nail on the head. Take another look at your sketch. The man is threatening, but in a non-specific way...and those droopy eyes...He's the very image of what I would think depression might look like, unkempt, a little angry, a little sad, and utterly without direction.

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. If you don't mind another, and rather silly, suggestion...AFV. At least once a week. Smiling and laughing actually change your brain chemistry. I literally laughed myself off of anti-depressants years ago. The hardest thing I ever did was learn to really give a cheek-stretching smile when I was in the depths. Those muscles tensing in a smile releases all sorts of nice little chemicals in your brain. Hey, it couldn't hurt.

Also sorry that you have to deal with arthritis. I do too, but only in my ankles, hips and hands. A spine would be so much worse. And SAD is rough, I'm told. Now me, I get all icky and antsy when that big yellow ball is in the sky for too long at a time. I'm a total dark-half girl. Winter and the night are my times. Which I'm told is odd, because I was born on a lovely spring morning. Oh, well...Mom always said I was contrary.

Get that appointment! Drive that intruder right off! I'm rooting for you!

roobear · Nov 19, 2015

I don't tend to think dream mean anything on have an psychic quality to them. But I've had some real crackers in my time. I know the weirdest ones were when I first went on citalopram but i can't remember them and they were just one of the many side effects I got from that medication. between the ages of 4 and 14 I had a recurring nightmare which if I tried to describe I to you you'd have no idea what was scary about it and tbh I don't know either i just know that every time I had it I woke up screaming with my mum beside me soothing me back to sleep., odd because my mum was the main character in the nightmare. I'm not scared of my mum, she's lovely, honest. The weirdest drama I had recently was about snakes, I work in a food store in Coventry the last place you would really find snakes, but for some reason we had a tank at the front of the store with two pythons in it. A customer decided that these pythons weren't real and so to prove it put her toddler in the tank and I had to rescue this child as the pythons started to coil themselves around her. Later in the same dream I spotted a Black Mamba (highly venomous snake) in the store and in trying to catch it a contain it three of my colleagues got bitten. When I woke up and told my fiance about this dream he felt the need to tell what i should do if I discovered a venomous snake in my store, I highly doubt I will need that knowledge.

You dream sounds scary but your drawing is good. I wouldn't bother showing it to people, dreams rarely have any particular meaning and I frequently dream up fictitious characters, I once dreamt I was having and affair with Jarvis Cocker's non-existent brother, lol.

What a Nightmare!

fyllis

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ladybellac17

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Winchester

In the kitchen with my cookies

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artiemom

Artie, my Angel; a part of my heart

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Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw

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Rules my home with an iron paw

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