(first) panic attack, in my dream? I am confused
I was writing this but the my comuter restarted and that was super annoying but admittedly it was very long so I will make this version shorter. Trigger warning- feeling rather panicky, slight hallucinations/seeing things weirdly (I think, although does that count if it was in-dream, as a hallucination? pretty sure no actually), strange creatures/people in my home when they shouldn't be, feeling like I am no going to make it out of this alive with no grounding at all, possibly some other stuff? so please stay safe if you would feel bad reading something like that
Alright so uh yeah. I have this bedtime routine for getting downstairs to my bedroom which is about ten paces or so from the stairs, where i breathe, listen, and watch at the specific times to ensure that if there is a strange being that I will hear or see them, and be able to scream. In my dream, I was following this routine when I suddenly felt extremely panicked and I started screaming and was thrown over a table and into a wall by either myself or an unseen force. I lay crumpled in a ball at the base of the wall and I am in a lot of distress, my limbs are also twisting in ways that they should certainly not and keep twitching.
When I looked at the room it is spinning and partially black-and-white and folding in on itself like one of those optical illusion gif's that make your eyes funny after looking at them for 30s, you know? the world was spinning and folding basically. anyway my hands were shaking and trying to cover my head and I was probably crying tbh. Also I kept thinking something along the lines of "I'm not going to make it I'm not going to make it" repeated, as i do when I get panicky. well, ususally it's along the lines of "i failed I failed" or "i'm sorry I'm sorry" not "I'm not going to make it" but anyway I could not think anything else besides that and the present and the intense distress I was in. I couldn't think other than that, and when I get panicky I can always pull myslef out or at least think slightly, but noooo I could not even occur to me to try any grounding teccnique
For context I have not had a panic attack, to my knowledge anyway, although on occasion I get panicked and it's quite an ugly feeling, but never fearing that I'm not going to make it, or that I can't breathe ect. the dream was different though and I was feeling bad for people who have attacks before but i think I have some empathy now? That was scary and I do not want to experience that again, especially in real life. Actually the day after I was rather panicked at school and at my after-school dnd club I had to take some breaks.
But anyway I think that's all, stay safe out there lovelies!
Hi! I am one too to also have dreams that panic me/ make me upset/ etc. Sometimes if I’m honest, I’ll wake up with my pillow drenched in tears, and it’s never a good feeling because it really can affect you in real life! Sometimes these dreams are triggered by stressful events happening in life, changes in medications, and other things, but sometimes it’s nothing at all. Dreams are supposedly a reflection of your subconscious, maybe you have some tension you need try to let go of? Also the walls folding in and the feeling kind of crushed do seem like things I have experienced with my anxiety (others may have other experiences though). I’m not sure if any of this will help you understand your situation more, but it’s just a few ideas!
@Goofimuss hello, and yeah they totally do affect you in real life! It sucks, it'd be nice if the dream world was a safe escape but nope, not all the time unfortunatly. I think that's a good point on the changes in meds, because i've been on somethin a month or two now and it's not helping, trying to get off of it soon though so that's good. Ok obviously I wish this didn't happen at all but it's really a relief to know it's not only me yk? Yeah the walls folding in or sometimes the walls sinking too, I also see it slightly at night in the late hours and my schizo friend I was telling her about it and she stared straight at me and was like "one of us one of us" it was funny but also uh
oh ranting a bit
But I really appreciate your reply, curious how often it happens for you though? that's rough though, really wish this stuff didn't happen :/