I've Recently Become Extremely Paranoid

[Bonochick]

For about the past week, I've been having a recurring nightmare. This is how it goes...

I'm living in my old house in my hometown, and I'm home alone. I get a call from a man telling me to fill my house with natural gas and then light a match in 5 hours. I apparently so no other way out and turn the 3 knobs in my living room that control the flow of natural gas to the "on" position (yeah...I know that's weird, but it makes sense in my dream, ya know?). I sit and cry for awhile because I know I will die, but I decide to try to save my pets by getting them out to the garage. Everytime I come back into the house though from bringing the last pet to the garage, I find all of the pets back in the house. With less than an hour before I have to light the match, I call the police.

A police officer picks me up, and we end up beside a car with a man with stringy blonde hair, overly tan skin, and high cheekbones. The man pulls in front of us, whips out a gun, and begins to shoot at us, killing the police officer and making the cop car crash. I crawl out of the crashed car and see another police oficer, so I get into his car...but the exact same thing happens. It just keeps happening over and over again.

For the last couple days, I have been horribly jumpy and nervous. Everytime I'm driving somewhere, and the person behind me takes the same path (especially on campus), I'm convinced he has a gun and wants to kill me. I was driving home from class earlier tonight, and I kept thinking I was seeing guys jump out of the ditch towards my car...I was crying the whole way home.

How is it that dreams can affect us so much?? I feel so weak that I'm letting it get to me...I've never been paranoid like this before.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

 

[meegannie]

I know how you feel. I've had a LOT of freaky/bad dreams that have come true, and all my life, I've had VERY unsettling apocalyptic dreams.

This may sound stupid, but maybe it's due to some kind of stress in your life.

I know ALL about paranoia.... it's my speci-al-ity.

Feel free to PM me if you ever want to talk.

 

[ABEL]

Bonochick


Perhaps you are jumpy and nervous because of 9/11?

The dream in some way could represent what happened on 9/11 as well (i.e. explosions, police, not feeling safe in your own home, etc.)?

 

[Lilly]

i used to have tornado dreams. i'd die horribly.

or i'd get into a car crash and be mangled beyond recognition.

i was frightened to death for so long until i just learned to cope with it.

i'm sorry bc

 

[daisybean]

Ever since I was little I'd often have recurring dreams of being bombed in an attack, planes crashing into my house, end of the world type dreams.


Some of my less scarier dreams would often come true too....like I had a dream about being in a car accident then a few days later, getting in a minor one.


May I ask, have you or someone you know been attacked on campus? Does your campus have a high crime rate? This fear of being attacked is very common...especially walking alone at night. I used to hate having night classes because I would have to walk back in the dark and it always seemed like someone was following me.

I think that if you are worried about something bad happening to you, find someone to "buddy up" with when walking across campus. When driving, try to take a different route each time. Especially at night, your vision is not as good... a lot of times when I drive at night I see shadows that look like an animal coming out into the road, and it spooks me.

 

[Bonochick]

May I ask, have you or someone you know been attacked on campus? Does your campus have a high crime rate?

Nope...our campus is really safe...so I don't understand why I get especially freaked out there. The last major "crime" I remember hearing about was some stolen computer equipment, and a man was caught standing on top of a toilet in the women's room, singing and dancing.

Thanks for the replies, everybody...I don't know why I am letting it get to me. I had the dream again last night, and it was awful. I was laying in bed last night, on the phone with John, and I heard a bang...I threw the phone and jumped down onto the floor next to my bed...turns out it was just one of my cats knocking something over.

I can't be so paranoid!

 

[She Is Raging]

BC, if it makes you feel any better... I've been having really freaky nightmares all week. I mean I have them every so often like anyone else, but I really havent slept well for some time now. I posted not too long ago either about my reaccuring dreams that I have about planes crashing (even though these started WAY before 9/11) I think that everyone is under stress right now with it being the anniversary of 9/11... I know I have been in addition to other stresses in my life.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i used to have a recurring nightmare as well, but mine involved spiders. i know how horrible these dreams can be. all i can offer you is and hope they go away soon.

mine eventually did.

 

[Bonochick]

I was really jumpy at work today for some reason...but I didn't have any problems while driving. Instead of driving my car, I borrowed my dad's car today, and I felt a lot safer, for some reason.

 

[cass]

First of all BC
I wouldn't begin to try to interpret your dream. I have a feeling it may have a direct relation to what you are experiencing in the USA right now.
A couple of weeks ago, someone started a thread about a recent dream they had experienced.i participated in that thread and lo
and behold ,as often happens with this place, a couple of days
later,I found an old book "Your Innermost Thoughts Revealed- Dreams Hidden Meaning and Secrets" It it a very basic book and strangely there is no acknowledgement as to who wrote it, so I won't go quoting it for you.
I couldn't find all the images I can recall from my dreams, but
the several that are clearly there, absolutely blew me away and brought me some understanding and sense of relief with their supposed meaning.
So I suppose I am suggesting that you find a book or via the net, look further into it if you wish.
I am astounded by what I perceive to be accuracy in the book I found. It pin-pointed an actual event in scary detail that was just represented by a dream image.
Try to relax, bring all the techniques into practice now, quiet music, candle light, aromatherapy, herbal teas, meditation, massage...it all helps, it certainly can't hurt.
Take care.

 

[Ali Rose]

i used to have tornado dreams. i'd die horribly.

this MUST be a Minnesota thing....I used to have those too.

I hope you're feeling better soon. Dreams can really have an impact on your day...These guys give good advice. Go figure it out, then it might go away.

 

[cell]

awww BC you know, i've had recurring dreams too that really upset me too. i wish i could tell you that they will go away, but sometimes i think the best thing is to find out what causes them, like what everyone here is saying. i hope those awful dreams stop or you find the answers soon.

 

[Ana]

's for everyone! I don't usually feel paranoid but I know the feeling.

 

[Screaming Flower]

i used to have a recurring nightmare as well, but mine involved spiders.

i have recurring spider nightmares too. i haven't been having them as much lately though.

bc

 

[meegannie]

I have dreams about tarantulas a lot, but I used to have one as a pet, so that probably explains it. I have a lot of turtle dreams too.

 

[adamswildhoney]

 

[Bonochick]

I had the dream again last night, except I was wearing a wedding dress.

 

[BAW]

Have you been under a lot of stress lately (other than the nightmares)? Sometimes when I'm really stressed or have something stressful coming up, I have nightmares.

I used to have one where I would be trying to hit someone as hard as I could but my punch would never connect and would almost be in slow motion. I would also try to scream and no sound would come out. Someone told me that that was a classic dream of someone who felt powerless and needed to take control of their life. After I quit my job and started my own business, that nightmare stopped, so it could be true

I also had one where I killed a man (I don't know who) and kept trying to hide the body but everytime I put it somewhere, someone would come in an need something from where the body was. I have no clue where that came from

I'm so sorry you're feeling this way, but maybe talking about it here will help

 

[cass]

The book I mentioned earlier...I can't resist, it may help....someone, it did me

I can't begin to interpret your dream from this book BC, and there is no mention of a wedding dress either. The book is a very general A-Z of dream images. Teh ones I have found that are mentioned in this thread.

Gas - The smell of escaping gas in a dream is a warning not to interfere in the buisness of other people. Seeing a victim overcome by gas predicts a scandal. Lighting a gas stove or other kind of outlet foretells the necessity to go slow in making committments.

Spiders - Encouragement is predicted by a dream seeing a spider in his web, for it is an omen that through industry and skill you will achieve the end for which you have been working.

Tornado - the book isn't that specific...try

Storm - dream of being caught in a rain or snow storm portends a season of discontent from which you will emerge only when you have found that you can control your own destiny.

Death - if you dream of being dead, it signifies a releasae from your troubles and recovery from illness

Crash- From whatever cause, a crash in a dream portends an achievement of some kind. If you are driving a car that crashes, the portent is not a happy one, but it does not neccessarily point to tragedy.

Climbing - anyone dreaming who dreams of climbing , either mountains ot stairs, will have opportunities to better himself or herself financially.


I'm running out of time here

My big bad dream involved cats, being attacked by a cat...I can hardly believe what the book has to say about that!!!!!It makes me feel better.

so as I said there is no author credited to this book. Published by Tophi Books 64 pentonville Road, London. 1987


just a moment, the time will pass, but I think there is something to be learned. Good luck 2 u all.

 

[Bonochick]

Thank you so much for your replies, everybody. I'm still having the dream though...I need to find out what it means.

I'm trying to be less paranoid though because it's driving me nuts.

 

[Mrs.Clayton]

Hey BC, man I should have found this thread earlier. I don't usually have recurring dreams, but I have thoughts that are weird, and don't make sense. Maybe this will make you realize you're not the only one with an imagination that takes over(at least your imagination takes over dreams, mine takes over conscious thoughts)
A few months ago, we had a cop stationed in front of the store where I work, and I didn't think much of it...then one day...BOOM!!! This thought came in my head..."The cop is here because someone has threatened to bring a gun to the store and shoot everyone...we are all going to die" I had that thought for about two weeks straight...not a fun time at work for me...
Then, around the same time...every time I saw my manager talking to a supervisor, looking in the general direction of where I happened to be, this thought came in my head..."They're talking about firing me, they're trying to come up with a way to get me fired" "They hate me, I'm a horrible worker, and they want me out of here"
This one should lock me away in an institution...
I got out of my car one night, and I park my car in front of a ledge next to the house. It's on the side of the house, no outside lights...I swear, I thought this...
"Is there a Ringwraith in the dark over there?" I didn't stay around long, I high-tailed it into the house. Yes, I had just read that chapter in the LOTR/FOTR book, but still...my mother did this when I told her

I think the point I'm trying to make...little things throughout the day stay with us...so everyone's right. Stress, little sleep the night before, weird food, funny subconscious thoughts throughout the day, 9/11, all follow us to bed. So either I'm sleeping on the job, or I'm crazy....I'm going with the crazy bit

 

[Bonochick]

Well...there's been a development.

I haven't had this dream for the last 2 nights and just a little earlier while I was taking a nap. However...I've had a different one for the last 3 nights with elements of the original dream.

In my dream, I had just finished a night class at the college I go to. I was walking out to the parking lot with three of my closest friends from high school (which is odd because they've never even visited me in the town I live in now). Suddenly, these guys jumped out and grabbed us in the parking lot, blindfolded us, and started dragging us somewhere. When they took our blindfolds off, we were in this big white room that had two sections to it and a dirt floor with holes all over. There were other people, all sitting on the ground and crying. There was also a pile of tennis balls with numbers on them. They took a permanent marker and wrote a number on the backs of our hands. I noticed a guy sitting up on a big chair...it was the guy from my other dream. He explained to us what was going to happen. At random times, they will grab random tennis balls and throw them. If a tennis ball that has the same number as the number on a person's hand goes into a hole, that person gets brought to a room where they are shot and killed.

My friends sat down and cried, and I began looking around. I noticed a door that was wide open, leading out to a hallway. I whispered to my friends that we could get out through there...nobody was even looking! But they refused...they said there was no use and told me not to try. So I sat with them for awhile. Then, the guy got up and walked over to the pile of tennis balls. Everybody was looking at him, so I jumped up and ran out the door....down the hall...back outside to the parking lot. I had my cell phone on me, so I called the police. They said they were on their way, but I didn't believe them, so I began to run in the direction of the police station (which was close to campus). I ran out to the street, and I saw a line of cars with flashing red and blue lights...but it was just a stupid parade! Every float had red and blue flashing lights. Then I looked behind me and saw the guy running after me. So I kept running past the parade. After the parade ended, I saw more cars with flashing red and blue lights, but they were just people from a used car dealership. I finally made it to the police station just as a squad car was pulling out. As I was running into the police station, I turned around and saw the guy shoot the cop who was driving away. The guy looked at me, and then I woke up.

Can anybody analyze any of that? This is really startin' to drive me nuts...I hate nightmares...I always have. It's hard to fall asleep at night now because I'm afraid of nightmares. It's that same guy though...and it still involves guns...and that guy shooting a police officer. I don't know what the deal is.

 

[meegannie]

It probably is just due to stress in your life, and since the dreams are bothering you so much, being preoccupied with them is probably what makes them recurr.

Hope they go away soon.

 

[Bonochick]

It probably is just due to stress in your life, and since the dreams are bothering you so much, being preoccupied with them is probably what makes them recurr.

Maybe I should just try to forget about them instead of trying to figure out what they mean then, eh?

 

[Bonochick]

I had to revive this thread because I had a freaky encounter today.

I had time to kill between class and work, so I went to Barnes & Noble to pick up a few magazines. I was walking past the cafe area, and I noticed this guy, sippin' coffee and readin' a book. For some reason, I felt like he looked so familiar...then it hit me...he was the guy from my dreams!!!!! Exactly like him...except he was wearing thin, small, wire-rimmed glasses...and he didn't look like the evil villain like he did in my dreams...he actually looked handsome. Even so, the sight of him completely freaked out. I decided to check out as fast as I could and leave.

I paid for my magazines, grabbed the change, and headed towards the door. I had my change in the same hand that was holding my bag, and my wallet in the other hand. Once I got out the door, I stopped on the sidewalk to put my change away in my wallet. When I looked up, the guy was right next to me. I jumped and dropped my bag and wallet...the magazines slid out, and my change and collection receipts flew all over the place. I needed to get my receipts because my credit card number is on some of them. I shoved my magazines back into the bag and grabbed all my receipts and started off towards my car. Our conversation then went something like this (I don't remember exact quotes, obviously, but this is as close as I can get):

Guy: Hey, you forgot your change!

BC: Keep it. *continues walking*

Guy: Are you so rich that you can just throw your change around? Come on...I'll help you pick it up.

BC: *reluctantly walks back*

*we gather up my change, I stick it in my wallet, and begin walking to my car again*

Guy: What, no thank you?

BC: *turns around* Thanks.

Guy: Why you in such a hurry?

BC: I gotta go to work.

Guy: Where do you work?

BC: At work.

Guy: Oh, I see. Do you get to sit and read magazines at work?

BC: No, they are for after work.

Guy: So, do you just read magazines, or do you read books too?

BC: More magazines than books...but I read books on occasion.

Guy: I love reading...I could recommend some books for you.

BC: No, I don't think I'd have time to read them.

Guy: It would be fun though...we could get together and talk about them after you read them, like a book club.

BC: I doubt I'd have much to offer to a discussion.

Guy: Well, we could have a magazine club then...we can talk about the magazines you read.

BC: I'd rather not.

Guy: Why don't I give you my number?

BC: I have to go to work. *walks towards car*

*the guy walks after me*

BC: I said I have to go to work.

Guy: Hey, I'm just walking to my car too.

*the guy gets into the black BMW parked next to my car as I get into my car*

*the guy waves at me and drives off*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weird coincidence??

 

[cell]

oh my f-ing gawd...thats too freaky, BC...

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

holy shit

He has a BMW?

sorry, that really is freaky girl

 

[Bonochick]

Re: holy shit

He has a BMW?

Yep...a far cry from the junker he drove in my dream, that's for sure!

 

[meegannie]

That's really scary. At least he didn't follow you or anything, but I wonder why he was so creepy.

I was thinking about this post last night because a couple of weeks ago, I had a dream that there was a guy shooting people in my neighborhood during the day when they were walking to or from work. All the stuff with the sniper is so much like my dream.