Dreams

[Black]

Had a good couple of days but ocd crept into my dreams during the early hours and has triggered a bit of anxiety. Has anyone experienced this? Seems very underhand to sneak in while I’m sleeping.

[malina]

I think it's natural to dream about things that we are thinking about in our everyday lives. I had really bad issues with guilt growing up. I always knew that my parents would have been furious with me if I ever started smoking and I also knew that, if I ever tried it, I'd feel so guilty and have to confess to them. So I'd have these recurring dreams where I tried a cigarette and was then feeling really guilty in the dream. This one I find kind of funny but I've had lots of other dreams and then when I was going through really bad anxiety, I had recurring nightmares. Your brain is just processing everything as you sleep, if you think about it a lot, it's inevitable that it'll sneak in while you're asleep as well. 

[Black]

Yes true I guess. It’s not set me up for a good day but what you say makes sense.

[malina]

You're trying to fight the OCD, but it's also trying to fight back. It's just jumping up and shouting "hey I'm still here!". So you just have to think to yourself "I know you're still there you ******, but that's okay because I can go about my day even if you are in the background trying to get my attention" and try to go ahead with your day. That annoying voice will get quieter and quieter the more you are able to stay engaged with your life, in spite of the intrusive thoughts and weird dreams. 

[taurean]

A spot on take from Malina. 

When we are fighting, it ups its game. We just need to see this; if we have an unpleasant OCD dream, well nothing we could do about it when asleep, but we don't have to allow it to throw us off course when we awake. 

OCD recognises no rules, it plays dirty. But if it doesn't get attention it does weaken in due course. 

Keep on the path Black and I hope you sleep better next evening  

[Black]

Thankyou both 

[njb]

On ‎19‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 22:21, taurean said:

A spot on take from Malina. 

When we are fighting, it ups its game. We just need to see this; if we have an unpleasant OCD dream, well nothing we could do about it when asleep, but we don't have to allow it to throw us off course when we awake. 

OCD recognises no rules, it plays dirty. But if it doesn't get attention it does weaken in due course. 

Keep on the path Black and I hope you sleep better next evening  

Hi Taurean,

Your quote resonates with me. I had a really intense dream about underage sex with a 14yr old last night - like I was saying yes I really want it and felt it as nice but woke utterly fraught. You think this is perhaps OCD upping the game ? All I recall is saying 'yes, give in, it is what you want, do it...' I feel utterly ashamed etc as this is not of course what I want but what I very much fear and obsess over. Seems in the dream ocd is able to 'make it enjoyable' as it appears to try to do in waking life. I guess that answers it anyway in that if the dream did not appear convincing then I would not have feared it so it needed to be 'real'. Just left me with the horrid doubt that secretly if I gave in I would def want to do it.

[njb]

Black - sorry as I had initially replied to your thread but somehow deleted it when quoting Taurean - very much so and yes you are not alone mate.