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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by saw on September 10, 2004, at 1:35:34
I have a lot of dreams about warfare, being shot at and natural disasters such as tidal waves. I don't understand them or why I have them. Can anyone help?
Sabrina
Posted by shortelise on September 10, 2004, at 10:55:18
In reply to Dream Analyst, posted by saw on September 10, 2004, at 1:35:34
Sabrina, I love dream analysis!
The only experience I have is from doing my own dreams, first with a Gestalt analyst, then with a psychiatrist. I'm not in any (other) way qualified to analyse your dreams.
That said, I think we all have our own symbols.
If I were dreaming of being attacked, it would mean that in some part of my life, I felt attacked, assaulted.
I had dreams for a long time in therapy that I was being atttacked. Those dreams seemed to be expressing my sense of fighting with parts of myself, trying to eliminate or change those parts. It was about me attacking me.
Does that fit you at all?
And yes, at times I have felt attacked by my psychiatrist, he is, after all, helping me discover the things in me that are keeping me from leading a life of fair to middling contentment.
I have a recurrent symbol in my dreams - a black animal. I call it my "bete noire" (meaning in French, black beast, defined by Webster's "a person or thing strongly detested or avoided"). It has gone from being a huge beast to a mouse, passing though many incarnations of varying sizes. This amuses me greatly, it really does.
ShortE
Posted by shrinking violet on September 10, 2004, at 11:38:13
In reply to Dream Analyst, posted by saw on September 10, 2004, at 1:35:34
Interesting. I am often attacked or chased in my dreams.
How do you feel in the dream as a result of being attacked or threatened? Can you associate that feeling with a particular part of your life, or event?
Do you have any thoughts as to what it might mean? I'd hate to venture guesses, as they might represent so many things. I think dreams and their symbols are very personal to each of us, and often the dreamer has a better insight than they might think; after all, we know ourselves and our lives best!
Posted by Poet on September 10, 2004, at 13:32:07
In reply to Dream Analyst, posted by saw on September 10, 2004, at 1:35:34
Hi Sabrina,
I have a recurring dream that I'm a prisoner. I believe in reincarnation so for me I think it's a past life experience that's trying to connect to present day. Not that I'm a physical prisoner, but a mental one with my negative thoughts and behavior.
In your war dream, are you winning or losing? You might start from there and see if you can connect it to anything emotionally going on.
Poet
Posted by alexis6 on September 11, 2004, at 18:44:54
In reply to Re: Dream Analyst » saw, posted by Poet on September 10, 2004, at 13:32:07
Hmm. This is kind of embarrassing, but does anyone else dream chronically about having to find a washroom? I'm in a strange house or building, and desperately have to pee, but everytime I find a washroom and try to someone else walks in, or the walls disappear, or the doors won't lock and more doors appear in the room? Maybe that's just me, lol, and I do drink too much water before bed...
Posted by shortelise on September 12, 2004, at 11:09:58
In reply to Re: Dream Analyst, posted by alexis6 on September 11, 2004, at 18:44:54
Yes, I have this dream. And always when I have to pee.
I don't think that it's anything but me keeping myself from peeing the bed! If I found a nice, safe washroom and peed, well, the conseqeunce would be messy!ShortE
Posted by saw on September 13, 2004, at 1:45:40
In reply to assaults in dreams, posted by shortelise on September 10, 2004, at 10:55:18
Thanks for the responses. I cannot say how I really feel when I wake up. I am aware that some of the time the dreams induced an incredible fear but those are the dreams I cannot remember.
< had dreams for a long time in therapy that I was being atttacked. Those dreams seemed to be expressing my sense of fighting with parts of myself, trying to eliminate or change those parts. It was about me attacking me.>
Now that could fit me, I will have to give it some more thought. I am continuously fighting with myself.
I do also wish I wasn't dreaming. Sleep is hard already, and dreaming so much makes me even more tired. I am sensing my unhappiness through my dreams even when I don't remember them.
Sabrina
Posted by just plain jane on September 13, 2004, at 7:38:47
In reply to Re: assaults in dreams, posted by saw on September 13, 2004, at 1:45:40
>> Thanks for the responses. I cannot say how I really feel when I wake up. I am aware that some of the time the dreams induced an incredible fear but those are the dreams I cannot remember.>>
-- For many years I had horrifying dreams that usually woke me up. Some I remembered parts of, others, nothing, just the horror upon waking, the pervasive evil. I prayed. I would lie there and pray myself to sleep, and sleep like a babe I would. For the rest of that night, and sometimes for a few nights to follow. --
>> I do also wish I wasn't dreaming. Sleep is hard already, and dreaming so much makes me even more tired. I am sensing my unhappiness through my dreams even when I don't remember them.>>
-- That I continued to have horrifying dreams was, I would say, part of what drove me, on a subconscious level, to pursue resolution.
It has only been since I divulged having been raped when I was 19 that I have had real rest.
In fact, thank you Sabrina and fellow respondents, I only just realized this as I was reading this thread. I am smiling broadly as the realization sinks in.
The sexual assault violence perpetrated against me at 19 was not the only incidence on rape in my life, but it was the only one I could not "rationalize" the attacker's motives (and stupidity).
It was purely a violent attack on me.
It happened when I was in the Army, 29 years ago. At that time I told no one. A few months later it came out among a few of my friends, as the attacker was caught. He raped some of his neighbors' daughters. Once I gave my deposition, I considered the matter closed. (yes, I was a tougha$$)
A couple years back I found myself discussing unrelated subjects with a Veteran's Affairs Rep I know. He told me he thought I should seek counseling and perhaps be rated for a psych disability. (I had been married to a fellow soldier, a wildly violent Viet Nam veteran, among other things.)
When I was screened, one of the questions asked was "Were you ever sexually assaulted by a member of the Armed Forces during your service?"
Panic overwhelmed me. Agony, horror, fear... so many emotions.
Tears poured down my face as I weakly admitted, "yes", so quietly I don't know if he even heard it. But he could not have misinterpreted the unbidden reaction to his question. A meltdown which lasted the rest of the time I was there, over an hour. I managed to answer the rest of the questions and sign the necessary paperwork to get health care and counseling inititated, the screener was so very patient.
Since then I have still had many bad dreams, but I know why, as having control over myself threatened has always been at the base of my dreams. Therapy has helped greatly.
(I know, this is long.)
I wonder if, perhaps, your dreams can be attributed to your trauma(s), if you can accept that this is the underlying source of them and let it rest at that, for the time being anyway. Once I did this, I had taken control of MY RESPONSE to the dreams, even if I couldn't take control of the dreams, and the self-empowerment has made a vast, calming difference in my life, sleeping or awake.Every little bit of power regained is a colossal step toward a relative peace.
hoping to help,
just plain ol' jane
Posted by saw on September 13, 2004, at 7:48:40
In reply to Re: assaults in dreams » saw, posted by just plain jane on September 13, 2004, at 7:38:47
Dear Jane
Thank you so much for sharing what you have been through. I sense an acceptance of the trauma you suffered and know that must have been very hard to do indeed. We all suffer different kinds of trauma and mine was a very bad relationship and marriage that spanned about 8 years. I have not seen him for 6 years and have been divorced for most of that time. I keep reassuring myself that I have dealt with all the baggage but it seems that there is so much more that is so deeply rooted and I just want to hide away and forget about it. While many of my dreams feature him - AND I HATE THAT! I am not sure how the evil aspect of my dreams are related to that trauma. Anyhow, thank you again for sharing.
Sabrina
Posted by Susan47 on September 17, 2004, at 2:44:31
In reply to Re: Dream Analyst, posted by alexis6 on September 11, 2004, at 18:44:54
Sounds like the same dream I've complained of having in the past. They faded after I left my lousy marriage. Now they happen oncein a while but I think mine are associated with failures. Like, leaving my kids with their father. I see them every day, feed them breakfast and read to them before school. Spend at least one night a week with them, but it's not the same as being a fulltime mother. Not at all. :/
Posted by Susan47 on September 17, 2004, at 2:52:34
In reply to Re: assaults in dreams » saw, posted by just plain jane on September 13, 2004, at 7:38:47
Your post relating your experiences brought up a lot of memories I keep pushing aside. I say they're not relevant so I don't think about them normally, but reading what you said seemed to bring it up again. I'm just so ashamed, when it's not an experience I wanted and I gave in becaus I was afraid. I might've actually goten away except that I was taught to respect men and give them what they wanted. Ouch, oh shit, I know I shouldn't push "Confirm your Post" but I've been a fool today how culd it get any worse! And maybe it will help someone else.
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 17, 2004, at 9:05:38
In reply to Re: assaults in dreams:justplainjane, posted by Susan47 on September 17, 2004, at 2:52:34
> Ouch, oh sh[*]t, I know I shouldn't push "Confirm your Post" ...
I'm sorry you're not feeling better, but please don't use language that could offend others.
If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please see the FAQ:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil
Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above post, should of course themselves be civil.
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by Susan47 on September 17, 2004, at 9:19:08
In reply to Re: please be civil » Susan47, posted by Dr. Bob on September 17, 2004, at 9:05:38
I'm sorry Dr. Bob, I didn't realize I'd used that word. Please accept my apologies. I certainly was out of line. :)
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 18, 2004, at 1:43:53
In reply to Re: please be civil, posted by Susan47 on September 17, 2004, at 9:19:08
Posted by tai daluna on September 18, 2004, at 4:52:37
In reply to Dream Analyst, posted by saw on September 10, 2004, at 1:35:34
i guess what's important is how the dream made you feel.
often i have dreams of tidal waves. usually they happen when i am emotionally overwhelmed. it is a pretty clear metaphor for me. in these dreams, i am always in hawaii (the only tropical place i have ever visited) and the tidal waves come out of nowhere. but somehow i always live, which is encouraging.
i have also had dreams of warfare, during a much darker period of my life when i was actively, terribly, self-destructive. i remember once i dreamt i was in the first world war, in the trenches, in hand-to-hand combat. i fought so violently that i busted my lip open on the dresser a few feet from my bed. needless to say, at that time in my life, a part of me was fighting, very hard, just to stay alive.
recently, i had a dream in which i was murdered. later, in my dream, i was a reporter, documenting my own slaying. i found a wallet with my id, as i was a "jane doe"; unsolved homicide. this, incidently, coincided with some memories i was dredging up re: childhood sexual abuse. interesting how i ended the dream detached, as a different person, exhuming my own identity, bearing witness to my own death. hmmmm...
hey, i don't know if this helps, but don't fear your dreams! they are useful tools to unlock your own meaning. i love dreaming, even when they hurt.
peace.
tai
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