vivid bad dream: where did it come from?

[Poison Ivy]

I had a dream last night in which my ex appeared and engaged in a behavior that shook me, in the dream and after I woke up. It's not something I think he'd do in real life and not illegal. Why do we have dreams like this? When you have bad dreams, do you try to get them out of your head or do you think about them and try to process why you're so bothered?

[Andeza]

I interpret them. Takes time sometimes, but in the end I'm always glad I did. From the outside looking in, I'd say while this isn't something your conscious mind believes he is capable of, your subconscious just might. And I am generally inclined to think the subconscious is intrinsically tied to our "gut instinct" defense system. Personally, I listen when it speaks.

[Poison Ivy]

Thank you, Andeza.

[blacksheep7]

Hi Poison Ivy,

Dreams matter, they tell us in some distorted matter what is bothering us.  I for one has looked into it.

Here is a link that I had posted a while back in the Cafe section.

Hope it gives you some insight.

https://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-analyze-your-dreams-and-why-its-important?slot_pos=article_3&utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Em

[Poison Ivy]

Thank you, blacksheep7. I'll take a look at that article later.

[square]

I think it's worth thinking about. The good news is that your unconscious might not be thinking your ex is capable of the literal behavior shown in the dream - it may be somewhat metaphorical. But I would certainly also consider the possibility of a more literal warning from your unconscious.

You did see him somewhat recently (right? My memory is not great anymore) and you may be processing something from that interaction.

But it's possible you're just processing that you were right to get away, that some metaphorical harm was occuring or could occur if you had kept going.

[Poison Ivy]

Thank you, square.

[JustKeepTrying]

Sounds like you have a dream hangover.  Ugh.

I was told by a neuropsychiatrist that dreams can be triggered by real events and often a manifestation of our anxiety working itself out.  He told me that your subconscious is reading cues faster than your conscious mind.  Picking up minute details that you may not see and then in a dream works out that fear or anxiety.  So I was told to pay attention if the dream was scary - because somewhere my mind read fear and there was definite reason for it - but I wasn't consciously reading it.

Hope this helps and you get some rest!

[1footouttadefog]

I would reply mu h the same as Square did.

It's likely about process g his capacity for more than you would have previously thought.

Whether literal or figurative, you are telling yourself not to trust and to be aware of him