OCD Action

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Hi all, after having some distressing dreams last night that were OCD-related, I decided it might be helpful to start a post about this. If you feel you would like to share any dreams/nightmares you have had then please do, as talking about them might help to take the anxiety out of them. If we can find a funny side to our nightmares then that would be great. This illness seems to get everywhere, like there's nowhere to hide- even our sleep is being invaded! But we musn't let it win.

Ok, so I'll start with my dreams from last night:

I had several, and they left me feeling quite worried when I first woke up, as I was unsure whether they had been real or not. One of them involved everyone in my house using an apple to wash their hands rather than soap, so no one's hands were being cleaned properly, and I got really distressed. It sounds really silly now, but I woke up in a cold sweat practically! I worry a lot about people washing their hands, so that's obviously where this came from.

Another dream was about using the toilet with my coat on, and brushing it up against the edge of the loo seat which had poo on it, and then worrying about putting it in the wash before the germs spread. And my mother was interrogating me about why I'd put in the wash when she'd only just done it, and I couldn't explain it to her. This kind of thing happens a lot in real life, so I suppose it reflects how I find it hard to voice my concerns to my family and how they perhaps don't understand.

The third dream I had was about hand washing. I was at school, even though I left there in June, and I was washing my hands after using the toilet. I was obsessing over the types of taps, because at first I used a normal manual turn off/on tap but I didn't like it because I couldn't touch it to turn it off, so then I moved on to an automatic turning off tap, but it was frustating because it only came on for a few seconds and I didn't have time to get the soap off. So I just kept washing my hands over and over and people were looking at me. When I finally managed it my hand touched the sink so I wanted to wash it again but I think I pulled myself away, which was something at least. But then I was worrying so much that I had to go back to the toilet and wash my hands again. But I couldn't find the toilets and I was looking round the whole school for more but they were all closed for refurbishment or cleaning. It was very weird and frustrating. I was glad to wake up. This dream definitely relates to my fear of using public toilets and the taps in particular. Especially since all the taps at uni have to be turned off manually.

So, those were my dreams. They seem really silly now when I think about them, so I'm trying to laugh them off, but at the same time I'm trying not to ignore them, because I think they say a lot about my concerns at the moment.

Please share your own dreams if you feel you can, thanks.

Sun Jan 3 2010 15:50:48 #
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P.S. I have to go for now, but I will back on later, so please don't worry if you post but I don't reply straight away.

Sun Jan 3 2010 15:55:31 #
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Hi Helz

If these dreams help you to share your worries with others including your parents it will help. My mother always found it hard to understand my OCD and I never could explain it properly.

I often have dreams about my fears. Usually about toilets overflowing and my clothes getting contaminated. But I also dream about being unable to find a toilet that is clean - or, indeed, any toilet whatsoever.

At my best I can cope with the overflow bit and find myself cleaning everything up. I feel pleased with myself when I wake up. At my worst I can't find enough soap to wash the germs off and end up with tiny little flakes of soap to wash with.

These dreams are rather frustrating aren't they as you hope that when you finally get to sleep at night you will have dreams about handsome men or holidays in the sun. This OCD can be really unfair.

But as I wrote earlier, last nights' black dogs one was really helpful. I think the smiling dog was OCD and the snarling ones were depression and self doubt. As I escaped the room, hopefully, I am on the mend. What a pity someone stole my lap top on the way home and replaced it with a second hand one. But maybe that was not part of the same dream.

Best
Anne

Sun Jan 3 2010 17:54:54 #
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(Just realised I spelt nightmare wrong in the title, sorry about that!)

I've had the toilet overflowing one as well. It really shook me up. It's good to hear you're tackling the OCD in your dreams as well as real life, I'm not quite able to do that yet. I usually end up in a such a panic in my dreams.

Haha, it's so strange how dreams change from one thing to another. I think the handwashing/toilet dream changed into something else last night, but I can't quite remember what...

Sun Jan 3 2010 18:32:33 #
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Hi Helz

Actually I loved the misspelling. It conjures up visions of Arthurian legends with Merlin and white chargers. If only night mares were this romantic.

Love
Anne

Sun Jan 3 2010 19:35:17 #
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Yes, if only...

Sun Jan 3 2010 19:37:32 #
Truddles
Member

I thought that it was deliberate, just like the misspellings you get on signs in shops such as green grocers.
I too had images of knights on chargers coming to my rescue in my dreams. It beats hands down the nightmares that I get, I even thought I could get him to vanquish my nightmares. And now you tell me there isn't a knight - well I'm broken hearted.

Sun Jan 3 2010 20:19:51 #
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I'm sorry Truddles, they can be knightmares if you want. If you think about something hard enough before you sleep sometimes you can dream about it, so think about knights before bed and you could be treated to something nice.

Sun Jan 3 2010 21:49:29 #
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Hi all

Unfortuanately, I had the nasty one about tunnels last night. I was in a place called Lee on solent or Lee on Sea (don't know how to spell it as I have never been there in my life). I was trying to find the shops but ended up on the beach where people were swimming in the sea. All the surrounding area was flooded and the tide was coming up fast. The only way off the beach was to go down the dreaded tunnels. They were only about four foot high and dirty and there was water dripping from the roof. I never actually got out because, by the time I had the courage to do the first few feet, a war broke out and I found myself under attack by little people (possibly elves).

Weird or what?
Any explantations folks?
Love
Anne

Mon Jan 4 2010 10:09:07 #
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Hi Glad, that certainly sounds strange. I'm probably just trying to be too clever here, but perhaps it's about you combatting your anxieties- represented by the dirty, frightening tunnels- and finding that there are things stopping you along the way, challenges, that make you feel like you're being attacked. The war could be the battle that goes on inside your head when you try to fight the negative thoughts. The fact that the people were little could be suggesting that you are actually bigger and more powerful than your anxieties, and that if you try you could just swat the annoying little buggers away and continue down that tunnel. Easier said than done, I know, but from what you've been saying recently it sounds like you have been managing this successfully. Maybe this dream was just reminding you that you can do it.

Sorry for rambling on!

Mon Jan 4 2010 16:51:10 #
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Hi Helz
What a lovely interpretation. Thankyou. Next time I will defintely have a go at swatting them.
Love
Glad

Mon Jan 4 2010 17:19:14 #
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No problem.

Mon Jan 4 2010 17:36:44 #
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Hi all

Any interesting dreams(k)nightmares to share. We have three inches of snow here in Devon. I do not believe it - I have never seen anything like it in the 40 years I hav lived here.

Lat night I was in Chinatown, San Francisco. Yes, I recognized it because I actually did go there. I got lost and ended up in a country lane and couldn't find my way back to the city. Well what was all that about Helz?

Have a good day folks
Annex

Tue Jan 5 2010 11:57:46 #
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Hello,

No snow here as of yet (I'm near London) , but it's on the way, apparently!

Hmm, I suppose it could be about getting off track, or being challenged on your way to being in control, like when you were attacked in the tunnel. Or perhaps you feel that you've lost yourself and can't go back to who you were.

According to this site I found (probably mumbo-jumbo, but who knows)...

"To dream that you are lost, suggests that you have lost your direction in life or that you have lost sight of your goals. You may be feeling worried and insecure about the path you are taking in life. Alternatively, you may be trying to adjust and get accustomed to a new situation in which the rules and conditions are ever changing.

To see a city in your dream, signifies a sense of community and your social environment. If you dream of a big city, then it suggests that you need to develop closer ties and relationships. You are feeling alienated and alone. To dream that you are in a deserted city, indicates that you feel rejected by those around you.

To dream of the countryside, suggests that you are seeking a simpler way of life. You need to take some time for yourself to relax and free your mind. Alternatively, it indicates a sense of freedom and/or openness that is lacking in your daily life."

Hope that makes some kind of sense!

Tue Jan 5 2010 16:11:24 #
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Yes Helz

A lot of that does make sense. Thanks.

I have lost track of my goals since I left Uni. I will work on what I am going to do when I have my OCD sufficiently under control. I have already been told to do this by a number of people who think I should make use of my academic studies. It's just that 'sad glad' keeps on telling me that my work is not good enough - when I really know it is.

Also I need to develop closer relationships. The OCD has made this difficult for me in the past - as I (like a lot of us) fear rejection.

Thanks again
Best
Anne

Tue Jan 5 2010 16:37:43 #
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Hi folks

Helz is really good at dream interpretation. Why not try to remember your dreams. It may well help resolve some of your issues.
Annex

Tue Jan 5 2010 16:39:43 #
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Haha, I feel useful now. One of my resolutions is to try and help others as well as myself, so if I can be of any use on here then that's good.

Don't listen to Sad Glad! From what I've read it seems you've done a lot of studying and could do so much with you what you learned. I hope you do put it all to good use one day soon!

Tue Jan 5 2010 16:57:20 #
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Also it would be nice to see others posting here, but I suppose dreams are very personal experiences and not everyone is up for sharing them. But that's fine, I don't want people to feel badgered into discussing things.

Tue Jan 5 2010 16:59:11 #
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Well Helz

I defy you to interpret my dream last night. I found this lovely dress and slippers (aka cinderall's ball gown?) which were being returned to an online shop. A school friend's sister altered it and adjusted it until it looked perfect. Then she made me go to bed. And by the time the contest (no I don't know what contest it was) was ready to start it was creased and I had lost my glass slippers.

Well that's a cheallenge isn't it?

Annex

Thu Jan 7 2010 10:36:07 #
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Hmm, that is a tricky one. I might have to consult that dreams website again for help, hehe.

Well, from what I can find:

"To dream that you are not wearing any shoes, signifies that you have low self-esteem and a lack of confidence in yourself. You may be dealing with issues concerning your self-identity... If you dream that you lose your shoes, then it suggests that you may be searching for your identity and finding/exploring who you are."

"If your clothing is torn or ripped, then it indicates that there are some flaws in your thinking or thought process. Your logic is not making sense. You need to alter your reasoning and make a stronger argument." (Couldn't find anything about creases specifically.)

That website is very judgemental, isn't it? It talks as though it knows everything, hehe.

As for the rest of it, the idea of a fairytale is there, I suppose, like a fairytale gone wrong. Everything is not perfect like it is in Cinderella, which I suppose could reflect that fairytales are just fiction and that real life is not perfect. Things do go wrong. The glass slippers are also quite fragile and breakable, like many things in life.

Well, that's what I can see in it. Sorry if it all sounds silly, I don't know for sure what I'm talking about!

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:22:39 #
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Hi Helz

I think your interpretations are better than the webiste. At the least it is light relief isn't it. And I think you have been right about a lot of things. Finding identity - life not a fairy tale etc.

Hi folks

Am I the only one who has silly dreams round here - or is this too sensitive atopic for most. I think dreams are really important as they can sometimes point out where you are going wrong or how to resolve things. What do you think?

Annexx

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:35:07 #
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Thanks. Some things I can't quite intepret myself so the site's useful at times. I only take the bits that seem relevant though. Some of the intepretations are a bit too over the top or strange.

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:38:22 #
Truddles
Member

It's not that my dreams are too sensitive - it's that they're nightmares that are based around reality. So don't really need interpretation plus I don't want to frighten people.

The interpreting makes for good reading though.
Truddles

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:39:29 #
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That's fine Truddles, you don't have to share if you don't want to.

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:41:45 #
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Hi TT

Yes I don't need them interpreted if they are about overflowing toilets. I guess that the trouble is that we never remeber the good ones - ie about gorgeous hunks and lovely presents and skating at 30 miles an hour (I can't skate and am envious of all those sliding down my street).

Love
DA

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:43:07 #
Truddles
Member

Hi DA,
If there were any gorgeous hunks in my dreams I don't remember them. You're right we never seem to remember the nice dreams, though if we can't remember them does it mean that we don't have any to remember in the first place
Love
TT

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:48:47 #
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You probably do have them Truddles, since we apparently have millions of dreams a night. I think we mostly remember the ones we wake up from or have close to when we get up in the morning.

Thu Jan 7 2010 16:58:25 #
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I had weird dreams last night, that's for sure. One of them involved my old art teacher (who I rather disliked) turning evil and she was going to kill me. But first she was going to be sick and make me watch, which terrified me because I'm emetophobic (scared of vomit/vomiting). So I ran and she and her henchmen (yes, she had henchmen for some reason...) were chasing me and it was horrible. I was at my old school once again, I keep ending up back there in my dreams, I'm sure it means something, like I can't let go of it perhaps.

Another dream I had was very muddled and I can't quite make sense of it all now, but I remember being on a highstreet with strange shops, and then I was with someone else and I had an orangutan and they had another animal and we both lost them. I started looking for them and suddenly I was back home, looking out the bathroom window. As I looked out I saw a hippo in the next door neighbour's garden, and then another one, then a small antelope which had a zebra by the tail and was dragging it along... Then some lions started coming down the garden and they were stalking something or other. It was unusual to say the least, but not the first time I've dreamt of wild animals in either my or someone's else's garden.

Really not sure what any of that means, besides the first dream, since that's obviously about my fear of vomit etc.

Fri Jan 8 2010 16:01:27 #
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Hi Helz
I found this on a web site.

When you dream of wild animals, look for where changes are happening in your life, and whether you are resisting them or embracing them. Wild animal dreams invite you to trust your instincts, to discover your own independent source of power, and to understand the challenges and rewards of freedom.

Sounds rather inviting and promising doesn't it?

Best
Anne x

Fri Jan 8 2010 16:24:09 #
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Hi, yes that does sound interesting, thanks! I suppose it must relate to university and all the changes that have happened due to that. Hmm...

P.S. Thanks for the friend invite, I've accepted.

Fri Jan 8 2010 18:37:43 #