Does anyone have these really messed up dreams? And what causes them?

[Psyche]

Hey guys, it's been a while! Dude, so lately I've been having these crazy dreams. Well, they're not normal for me anyway, but everyone's different! So, for the past few days I've been having these crazy violent dreams; but they aren't like normal nightmares I've had before, they're just these REALLY intense dreams, where I feel REALLY intense emotion and sensations, and they're like REALLY INTENSELY MESSED UP. And I remember every detail, like they feel totally real except for the strange...ness. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I'll try. Like, everyone is just totally evil including myself. I have uncontrollable rage, and so do many other dream characters around me. My family is totally out of character- we scream so much at each other, and I get beaten, and my brother even tries to murder me and my dad. The entire dream I also feel constant fear, but I don't pay attention to it. It's mostly random creepy stuff happening, like I'll just be walking and I'll see a cat like; rip off another cats head and start eating it, or like all these people are just stabbing each other and they'll come after me. I know maybe it sounds like a regular nightmare, but like I can't explain how real these feel! And I'll eventually pick up that I am dreaming, and everything goes even more wack; like, I really can't control anything- I remember my brothers head turning all the way around and I started like, twisting his face with my hands, and my body goes out of control and so many things are happening quickly IT'S JUST MESSED. So, I was just wondering, are these normal nightmares everyone has, and is there anyway to reduce the number of these kinds of dreams? The first one was after a night of no REM sleep- so I thought it was making up for lost REM. But now I'm sick and having them, so maybe I'm just staying a bit more aware or it's because I'm eating so many cough drops or I DUNNO? I have no idea if it's something I'm eating or what I JUST WANT EM TO STOP, they creep me out so much man ;_____; Any help/advice/personal stories are very appreciated!

[spartinpastic]

Go fix the problems in real life.

[Psyche]

Hmmm... I'm not sure what the problems are though, I'd fix them if I could! I guess I kinda have been holding back a lot of emotions, but it's not really anger- and my family and I are NOTHING like the way in my dreams. Could it just be stress? Cause I have been a bit stressed with exams and being sick.

[Alyzarin]

Bad trip, man, bad trip. That sounds awful. It could easily have to do with problems and stress, but it still sounds kind of intense. When you say cough drops, do you mean like... actual cough drops? Not cough medicine? 'Cause I know a few of those that can cause some pretty terrible and incredibly vivid nightmares.

[Psyche]

Hahahhhaha yup, cough drops- theyre more like little candies, but I think I've been eating more than I should. Wait, so cough drops actually might be boosting the vividness??! I actually hope they are the culprit, cuz I could just stop taking them! I haven't had any cough medicine yet though.

[RemoteVicinity]

Since stress is often considered the #1 reason for not being able to remember dreams it seems to me unlikely to be the reason.. don't know if it affects the vividness of the dreams, though.

[Alyzarin]

Actually no, I meant that I know cough medicines that would cause it. Sorry for the confusion. I suppose, maybe, if your cough drops contain menthol and you've been eating like really a ton, there's a slight possibility that they're contributing to the dreams. Menthol is a kappa-opioid receptor agonist like salvinorin A, the main activate chemical in Salvia divinorum, and Salvia usually causes some pretty crazy and vivid dreams the night after you smoke it. I don't know if they would contribute to the theme of the dreams though, because Salvia has never given me nightmares, but I would imagine that if I did have a nightmare while in one of those vivid dreams it would be really intense and strange like the ones you've described. You could always try going without them for a few days and see if it changes anything, then you'll know for sure.

[Psyche]

Oh good point, I remember hearing stress makes you not have dreams *scratches head* And Alyzarin, that explains a ton! Don't worry about the confusion, they actually DO have menthol in them, and I've been having quite a bit of them! They have 1.01mg each I think, it doesn't sound like a lot but I have no idea. I will definitely cut back on eating them and see if my dreams go back to normal. Thank you so much for helping me!

[Alyzarin]

No problem. Yeah, I have no idea either how much menthol that is, but you definitely can't tell anything about how much of a drug you're taking without reference. It could be a lot. 1.01 mg of a drug would be around 1/300th of a regular dose of Aspirin, but it would also be about ten hits of LSD. I don't think they know how much menthol it takes to achieve that kind of effect, but I'm sure it wouldn't require much to effect your dreams.

[JesterKK]

I have messed up dreams when I'm having problems in my head.

[Psyche]

Oh my goodness! Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if they are what's affecting the vividness of the dreams. Well, I'm pretty sure you've figured out the problem then! Thanks a TON Alyzarin!!! *hugs tightly* You were very helpful, and it's really appreciated! Thankgod for the members of dreamviews

[Alyzarin]

Hehe, glad I could help.

[tommo]

You're lucky, my dreams are like this without menthol

[Arra]

My dreams have been a little similar lately, but not nearly as bad. There have been a few times in my life in which almost all of my dreams are disturbing like that. Usually, the cause does seem to be stress. I might be jumping to conclusions but to me it feels like it happens when there's a lurking stress in the back of my mind all the time, and I'm fearing that my life is going to go to hell on a subconscious level. That fear manifests itself in the dreams so that everything and everyone is just violent messed up.

[KingVincent]

maybe you just want to fuck shit up and release some anger? i keep a punching bag in my living room its fun to just hit it every now and then. you get what im saying?

[tommo]

No, I don't understand what you're saying, could you explain further?

[Castles]

My dreams are always fucked up. DJ for moar. Not sure why =) My life is perfectly fine.

[Psyche]

Phew I'm relieved I'm not the only one with these kind of dreams; I mean with the angry and creepy themes of the dreams I thought something was wrong with me- but I find my life is perfectly fine too! But you guys are right, its possible that suppressed anger or fear could be showing up in my dreams as violence. I used to have a really bad temper as a child, but I've gotten so good at pushing it away, I probably do it a lot without even knowing I'm angry! and @Castles Those sure do sound like some scary dreams... especially the cat one ;w; It's really the incredible vividness that was scaring me- sorry if my post was confusing anyone, I'm a bit confusing with organizing my thoughts! And! The dreams have stopped, woohoo!! Thanks guys, it was definitely the coughdrops- I later found the package I was eating before had like 8.6mg menthol a piece and I devoured that package within a few hours... xD

[OctoberWind]

Oh don't worry, so many normal and functioning people have screwed up dreams. When you sleep, the part of your brain that controlls logic shuts down (at least I'm fairly sure). That's what results in dream logic. Anyways, I have screwing dreams, but whats the point of dreaming if they're just like reality?