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Bad dreams

Discussion in 'LGBT Later in Life' started by nerdbrain, Oct 13, 2014.

  1. nerdbrain

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    Lately I've been having dreams from which I awake in a state of panic.

    Unlike some other dreams I've had over the years, the panic doesn't subside once I realize it was just a dream. I have to get out of bed and walk around, sometimes take a klonopin to settle down.

    The subject matter of the dreams varies somewhat but the pattern is clear: I have to make a decision right away, and I have no good information, and the decision is life and death.

    For example, last night after playing video games, I dreamt that I had to choose which of the character in the game I wanted to play (each has different weapons/abilities), but didn't know what the game level was like, so I had no information with which to decide. As soon as I picked one of the characters, a grenade goes off and everyone else is blown up.

    I wake up in a state of extreme anxiety, which I feel physically in my hands and groin.

    I realize this is about the fear of making the wrong choice about what to do with my life. I wonder if anyone else has experienced something similar?
     
  2. CrazyAwkward

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    Hello! I'm sorry you've been struggling with bad dreams lately. Sometimes when I have a big decision to make or I'm just under a lot of stress I can have pretty awful, vivid dreams. The awful feeling can linger for a long time after I wake up. I usually end up feeling sick to my stomach for an hour or so and I get very shaky. I don't think I've experienced anything quite near the level you're dealing with right now, but there have been some tough nights. You're not alone there. Maybe doing something calming before you go to bed would help a little bit?
     
  3. skiff

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    Hi,

    There are alternative interpretations.

    Tom
     
  4. bingostring

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    it is common for anxiety to come out in panic attacks when you are sleeping… you wake up feeling like you are about to die (literally) ??? was it like that

    it will probably go in time, or when you have let the anxiety pass by working things out
     
  5. nerdbrain

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    I would be curious to hear your thoughts...
     
  6. Snobird

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    My wife has been encouraging me to coming out lately. We were discussing it in bed last night. Well, I had a very real dream I outed myself at work. I woke up paranoid and could not even make eye contact to anyone. All day I felt like I was going to blurt out "I'm Gay".

    Not sure if I am ready for that yet!