Dreams and ADHD

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Permalink Reply by Patty ZD on April 27, 2009 at 12:46pm

Hi Karen!

Oh yea... I am a dreamer big time! I never thought of that being an ADHD thing... I thought it was just my mind working overtime. Of course I dream more often than I don't dream. I often wake up and spend some time trying to figure out what the dreams were telling me. I hate following asleep with the TV on because whatever is on will tie into my dreams. I fell asleep this morning watching the news and I had dreams about the swine flu!

I usually enjoy my dreams, but lately they have been a bit disturbing. Maybe watching too much news and CSI? I need to read more. Then I control what goes into my mind. I had very evil satan-themed dreams on Saturday, so I got myself to church first thing on Sunday! I haven't been consistent about going, but figured this was my mind telling me to get myself to church. Then at church the sermon was on Revelations... so that with the news and CSI gave me a whole new slew of disturbing dreams.

Nyquil will give me the WORST dreams... nightmares I can't escape from. If I wake up and fall back to sleep they continue! I especially hate those.

All in all, I try to use my dreams. If they really stick in my head, I'll look up in dream dictionaries what the symbolism is. I see if that is appropriate for what is going in in my real life. More often than not, it is my deep seated emotions about something going on. Lately my dad (who passed way when I was in my 20's, sadly he was brutally murdered) has been making a strong appearance. I need to figure out why that is happening. His passing came at a time when he and I were in a challenging time of our relationship so his being killed resulted in LOTS of guilt for me because it was never resolved. To hear from my siblings that he was proud of me always asked how I was doing really messed me up too. 20 years later I think I'm over it, but I am always "jolted" when he appears in a dream, because I tend to recall those unresolved feelings.

So yes... to answer your question... I do also experience wild, wierd and crazy dreams!

Dream on!
-Patty

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Permalink Reply by Karen L on April 27, 2009 at 1:44pm

Patty - I can relate to so much of what you said. I strongly believe our dreams are telling us something. If you're still dreaming of your dad, and you still feel guilty about it, that may be something you want to explore. I used to have nightmares of my second husband. We did not have a good marriage and I think I had a touch of PTSD. Shortly after he died, I had a dream that he called me from Hell to tell me how bad it was. That was probably the worst dream I've ever had. I still have some dreams about him but not as many as I once had. I usually dream about current fears I'm having. I finally realized that my dreaming of him was telling me to recall a time when I was scared and how did I cope and that's how I should cope with whatever is filling me with fear now. After realizing that, I have had maybe one or two dreams of him and they weren't bad, violent or scary. I like going to dreammoods.com for analyzing my dreams. I just had a dream the other night that someone kept stealing all my stuff from my old house (shed) and then this guy that I currently work with knew where it all was and showed me and it was all destroyed. some stuff was salvagable but most of it was just broken in a zillion pieces. i took this to mean that things from my past i need to let go of. i still have that house in IN on the market (it's been just over two years).

thanks for writing. i must admit however, i like having a night of sleep where i don't remember the dream. :)

Sorry to hear that your dad was murdered. that must have been very traumatic for you and your family.

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Permalink Reply by Jo Ellen on May 2, 2009 at 11:19pm

Hi:

I can totally relate about the dreaming. What struck me the most was your comment about your 'brain never shuts up'. I have been diagnosed with a sleeping disorder which started out as the result of my brain not shutting up. Even if I can push whatever stressor is bothering me during the day, my brain plays out the stress and issue through my dreaming at nighttime. I try to keep a dream journal just because I find them interesting.

Jo Ellen

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Permalink Reply by Carrie Marcella Halstead on May 3, 2009 at 7:21am

hey karen
I am so glad you brought this up because my mind is always racing too! my brain doesn't seem to have an off switch. i never have been able to remember dreams but lately i have been remembering them a lot. there have been a lot of reoccuring people which i have always been told the people in your dreams are insignificant...so i often wonder why some people are in my dreams. i have been experiencing smells in my dreams lately too..which i feel like is weird. i have not noticed a difference between dreams on med and dreams off meds though i wonder if there is a connection.

i too go to dreammoods.com and analyze the symbolize in my dreams.
i know that it most likely isn't as legit as one would hope it would be but i often use their dream dictionary to interpret the symbols in my dreams. like the other day i had a dream about laying in a bed and having all of these pets crowding me. like my friends pets and i hate pets so who knows what it actually means.
i wonder if there are any more good online resources for dream interpretation.
i had a crazy dream the other day but i can't remember it now. maybe it will come to me later

i'm curious to find out if you have discovered a diff between taking the meds and not
hope your weekend is great! i keep being amazed by all the connections that we seem to all have to each other
<3 carrie

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Permalink Reply by Karen L on May 3, 2009 at 8:29am

Carrie - The only difference I've noticed is that I seem to be dreaming a bit less. Or remembering them a bit less. Last night, however, I dreamed of a former boyfriend whom I haven't seen in 25 years but we had a child together (another story) so dreaming of him is significant. I think it means that I'm desiring a special someone in my life. I didn't sleep all that great last night. Woke up a couple of times, put ear plugs in, went to the bathroom. and now it's not even 530 and i'm up. ugh. the meds helped with the sleep stuff initially but now it seems to be wearing off. I don't see my therapist or doctor until 14th and 15th respectively.

I think the most trustworthy source for dream analysis is my own mind. Only I know what significance the dreams have.

I love this site because it's all, only women who have ADHD. We all have the same highs and lows. I feel so connected here (Hallowell talks about connectedness being the #1 important thing in combating ADHD symptoms). Thank you to everyone here!

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Permalink Reply by paisley on March 9, 2010 at 12:14am

yes--i have strong, vivid, intense dreams that stay with me all day, like a fog. They are often disturbing or strange and it's hard for me to shake them. Also I am always tired, like i never get real, solid deep sleep.

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