Dreams, Nightmares or Whatever...

[mutleydog]

I often dream of church related stuff....sometimes they are just everyday things and other times they are quite nightmare'ish. For example, I often dream of being in a church environment or socialising with lds people, but more often or not I am trying to stand my ground and not get sucked back in or I am trying to get a way or dream about sinister goings on. Some can be quite unnerving at times. :eek:

Has or does anyone dream about similar things? :confused:

[dogzilla]

I probably did a long time ago, but I've been away from the church for at least 20 years.

It's probably your subconscious trying to purge itself of guilt and nonsense. Give it time. Take two of these and call me in the morning.

This too, shall pass. I think it's Post-Traumatic Stress, and I am not kidding about that. It really will take some time for your brain to decompress from all the guilt. (Jewish mothers and Catholics have NOTHING on Mormons when it comes to guilt. Puh-leeze.)

[mutleydog]

I probably did a long time ago, but I've been away from the church for at least 20 years.

It's probably your subconscious trying to purge itself of guilt and nonsense. Give it time. Take two of these and call me in the morning.

This too, shall pass. I think it's Post-Traumatic Stress, and I am not kidding about that. It really will take some time for your brain to decompress from all the guilt. (Jewish mothers and Catholics have NOTHING on Mormons when it comes to guilt. Puh-leeze.)

Thanks. I hope it will pass in time. They usually occur when I am under other stresses from work or whatever. Sometimes I wake up in a complete panic or just with a weird feeling and sometimes I have to try and relax and convince myself that it was just a dream.....

It wouldn't surprise me if it was PTSS related...

[pokatator]

I often dream of church related stuff....sometimes they are just everyday things and other times they are quite nightmare'ish. For example, I often dream of being in a church environment or socialising with lds people, but more often or not I am trying to stand my ground and not get sucked back in or I am trying to get a way or dream about sinister goings on. Some can be quite unnerving at times. :eek:

Has or does anyone dream about similar things? :confused:


I think this is normal, I've been about 17 years out. The first couple of years I had similar experiences as you. I would have times of self doubt and then the "What ifs" would come in (What if I am wrong?, What if JS really was a true.....?, you know doubts, etc.), I would confront them with facts and knowledge and the doubts would go away for a little while longer each time.

Don't underestimate the amount and power of the programing and brainwashing that your brain has to work through. A lot of that programing gets worked out in your sleep not just waking consious hours. Cut your self a break and don't be too tough on yourself. Keep learning and the "tapes" will play less often and then slowly start to quit playing playing all together.

I hope this helps, God Bless You, Randy

[free thinker]

I often dream of church related stuff....sometimes they are just everyday things and other times they are quite nightmare'ish. For example, I often dream of being in a church environment or socialising with lds people, but more often or not I am trying to stand my ground and not get sucked back in or I am trying to get a way or dream about sinister goings on. Some can be quite unnerving at times. :eek:

Has or does anyone dream about similar things? :confused:

Can I ever relate!!!! :( I have had some tough times with the panic. I had one that was truly frightening. I am in my first year leaving mother-mo and her mean machine. I have a girlfreind who has been very helpful.

I had one dream where I was back in the mission field. My companion was all fired up to go out and work, and I was trying to figure out how to break it to him that I no longer believed. Wow was that a tough dream!! :o Woke up thinking I was gonna be back in the mission field!

I am going through the exact same thing as you. We have been programmed,and now were coming out of it. I am hangin in there!! I know this is the right thing to do!! So glad to hear someone else has the dreams.

Free Thinker

[david]

In fact, for at least 12 years after my mission (no exaggeration) I would have nightmares in which I had volunteered to extend my mission for 2 more years. Never realized until I spent some time on the RfM board that this is a normal experience for returned mishies and indicates post-traumatic stress.
I'm glad to report that it's been almost a decade since I've had these dreams; I take that as a sign that I'm fully recovered. Hang in there my friend--time does indeed heal all wounds. :)

[Born Free]

I often dream of church related stuff....sometimes they are just everyday things and other times they are quite nightmare'ish. For example, I often dream of being in a church environment or socialising with lds people, but more often or not I am trying to stand my ground and not get sucked back in or I am trying to get a way or dream about sinister goings on. Some can be quite unnerving at times. :eek:

Has or does anyone dream about similar things? :confused:


Many people think that they are passive in the face of dream content. From what I have read and studied, the latest research says that we rework mental content in dreams until we have wrung it out of emotional content.

That you are still wringing would suggest that it is still emotionally charged.

The biggest surprise in this area is that we can influence dream content. That is now proven. If you have a dream in which you have been a passive element, you can progressively become active, until you resolve the stress.

I am familiar with a case study of a woman who had repeated the same dream of being date-raped for years, waking drenched in sweat several times every night, until she found a psychiatrist who said she would be active in her dream content. Prior to this the woman was so traumatized that she could not even recommmense dating.

She then became progressively more and more active in her dream, reliving of the incident, during which she went from being a passive victim, to bludgeoning her assailant to death (in the dreams).

Then the dreams ceased, and she went on to start dating, then married, and has a fulfilling sex life, and is now a parent.

From what you said, in your dream you were becoming more active, more assertive, but you have focused on the trauma, rather than seeing that 'movement' has commenced, you are moving to resolution, and self-empowerment. Keep going, and realise that your unconscious mind is a great friend in that movement.

Give yourself permission, to stop being sucked back in, to stand firm, and then to walk away.

Daryl

[bigeddy]

Mutleydog,

I agree with Daryl that dreams are encapsulated affective beliefs that need to be seen as emotional work in progress. I teach people a process I call "finishing the dream." When a dream is disturbing it can be finished in a way that helps do the emotional work left to be done. As soon as you wake from such a dream, get back into the dream. Consciously put your mind right back into the same scene. Image the dream as much as when dreaming it and finish it in a way that fits your emotional state and need. It is like Daryl said in his previous post about the date-rape victim who began to take a more assertive stand and then the dreams stopped. I find that we can consciously do this by going back and finishing the dream in a way consistent with the emotional growth we are needing. Give it a try. It may look something like this: To finish the dream of being in a meeting and being challenged by the usual BS that tends to be stigmatizing, narrow, condemning and painful, you would get right back into it defending your right to be you and using all you know to silence the BS.

Do it strongly, assertively in your mind and it will have an effect. You may even finish it by seeking your compassionate support system and taking Daryl, Jeff and Paul into the meeting with you. Let them stand behind you while you confront the ignorance and prejudice that was disturbing in the first part of the dream.

I find that this works very well for people and propels the emotional work and growth they are doing in all aspects of their life. Most importantly the nightmarish aspect of the dreams ceases. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Ed

[drjolly1]

I stopped going to church my last semester at BYU. I was so sure that I was going to hell that it took almost everything I had to resist giving in and going back to church attendance. During this time I had a dream experience that felt as if I were awake. In the 'dream' I woke up and saw that the light to my cd player was on. I thought 'that's funny, I distinctly remember turning it off before bed'. Then a booming, evil voice came out of the cd player and I immediately recognized it as the voice of Satan. The voice said 'Now I have you in my power!' Nevertheless, that dream so frightened me that I told no one about it for years. How wonderful it would have been to talk to others who were going through something similar or even to someone who could have reassured me. But that was not to be. I am lucky to not have lost my mind.

I recognize now how traumatic my experience at BYU was. I was trying to leave the church without any help or support. I was doing it because I felt I was gay or bisexual and again had no one at all to talk to or to support me. I was surrounded by TBMs and TBM family members who were sympathetic to my emotional struggle but who could not see that my troubles were connected to Mormonism. I really am surprised I did not go completely nuts!

I so appreciate all of you sharing so honestly on this site. Thank you.
Andy

[free thinker]

I stopped going to church my last semester at BYU. I was so sure that I was going to hell that it took almost everything I had to resist giving in and going back to church attendance. During this time I had a dream experience that felt as if I were awake. In the 'dream' I woke up and saw that the light to my cd player was on. I thought 'that's funny, I distinctly remember turning it off before bed'. Then a booming, evil voice came out of the cd player and I immediately recognized it as the voice of Satan. The voice said 'Now I have you in my power!' Nevertheless, that dream so frightened me that I told no one about it for years. How wonderful it would have been to talk to others who were going through something similar or even to someone who could have reassured me. But that was not to be. I am lucky to not have lost my mind.

I recognize now how traumatic my experience at BYU was. I was trying to leave the church without any help or support. I was doing it because I felt I was gay or bisexual and again had no one at all to talk to or to support me. I was surrounded by TBMs and TBM family members who were sympathetic to my emotional struggle but who could not see that my troubles were connected to Mormonism. I really am surprised I did not go completely nuts!

I so appreciate all of you sharing so honestly on this site. Thank you.
Andy

BYU is a tough place to leave the church! It is like TBM central! No wonder it was hard. I'm sure there were a lot of people who felt like you, but didn't have the courage to leave!!

Free Thinker

[silverfox]

I stopped going to church my last semester at BYU. I was so sure that I was going to hell that it took almost everything I had to resist giving in and going back to church attendance. During this time I had a dream experience that felt as if I were awake. In the 'dream' I woke up and saw that the light to my cd player was on. I thought 'that's funny, I distinctly remember turning it off before bed'. Then a booming, evil voice came out of the cd player and I immediately recognized it as the voice of Satan. The voice said 'Now I have you in my power!' Nevertheless, that dream so frightened me that I told no one about it for years. How wonderful it would have been to talk to others who were going through something similar or even to someone who could have reassured me. But that was not to be. I am lucky to not have lost my mind.

I recognize now how traumatic my experience at BYU was. I was trying to leave the church without any help or support. I was doing it because I felt I was gay or bisexual and again had no one at all to talk to or to support me. I was surrounded by TBMs and TBM family members who were sympathetic to my emotional struggle but who could not see that my troubles were connected to Mormonism. I really am surprised I did not go completely nuts!

I so appreciate all of you sharing so honestly on this site. Thank you.
Andy

IMO, it seems the longer it takes for your doubts and feelings, fears, etc to be validated the longer it takes to "heal".