Dissociation and dreams.

[Dutch Uncle]

This night I had a dream. Nothing particular to mention about the content (I don't even remember that much), but when I woke up I realized the dream was not about 'me' at all. The main character (and definitely my 'vintage point') was not me. The guy didn't look like me, did not have my physique, didn't do things I'd do, did things I have never done, never had any inclination to do, etc.

Still, my immediate reaction/recollection was it is about me. Not in the least since I identified with the 'main' character, or as I said: my vintage point, my point of experience in the dream.

Yet how do I know he doesn't look like me, hasn't my physique? It's not that I looked in mirrors a lot in that dream.

So I wonder if I dissociate in my dreams, or if dreams are by definition a form of dissociation?
(And mind you, daydreaming is a form of dissociation. And there's nothing wrong with it. So I'm not trying to paint 'dissociative' dreams as anything pathological.)
Are dreams like this (and most of mine are like this: few are actually about me) perhaps even 'empathic'? Or a 'study' in empathy? Me putting myself in 'his' shoes?

[mourningdove]

Thanks for posting this, Dutch. I've been wondering for a while now if dissociated parts can have their own dreams, because I think I have also had that experience.

[Alice97]

I actually do that a lot. I'm often not myself in my dreams. I never thought about it being related to dissociation though, that's an interesting thought.

[no_more_fear]

For years my dreams had an incorrect source i.e. the people in my dreams would always have the face or someone else who I knew intimately. These dreams would mostly reflect my insecurity e.g. in my dream my H would be divorcing me, but he had my ex-partners face. I now understand this as me perpetually attributing my problems to the wrong people. I would always make excuses for my parents and take out my fury out on someone else. What I'm saying is these dreams were indicitive of my life: constantly confusing the source of contention.

[Sesame]

Weird you should mention this, Dutch Uncle. I do have dreams sometimes where I am watching myself from outside, or even watching other people that are meant to be me in the dream. Sometimes dream me is the opposite gender and completely different race from me.

[movementforthebetter]

Thanks for starting thisbthread, Dutch Uncle. I have this too. I actually thought most people do, but maybe they don't? Maybe cptsd gives us different dream perspectives from those who haven't experienced trauma. I remember my narc ex telling me in his dreams he was all powerful with massive hands that could shape the world to his will. Haha!

I just woke from a dream where my perspective focused on several different characters. I think perhaps they were my inner child, my inner critic, my current self and my true self. But some faces changed throughout the dream. I moved from third person to first person eventually but nothing resolved. I've done quite a bit of reading on dream analysis and they do say that generally people in dreams are somehow representations of yourself or your experiences.

I didn't realize the extent to which I might be dissociating until just recently. It's rather alarming. And if dream dissociation is also what's going on then it's taking place most nights, too.

[Illiciaceae]

Thanks for starting this thread! I have a repeated problem where I will dissociate in response to a dream. Sometimes it is severe. I will then wake up dissociated, or with an EP (emotional personality, Inner Child) activated. Upon waking, I feel confused, paralyzed with confusion, unable to make simple decisions, for example whether to go grocery shopping or respond to e-mails first, which pair of pants to put on. It is debilitating and can take days to wind down. Does anyone else experience this?

Cheers- Illiciaceae

[movementforthebetter]

Thanks for starting this thread! I have a repeated problem where I will dissociate in response to a dream. Sometimes it is severe. I will then wake up dissociated, or with an EP (emotional personality, Inner Child) activated. Upon waking, I feel confused, paralyzed with confusion, unable to make simple decisions, for example whether to go grocery shopping or respond to e-mails first, which pair of pants to put on. It is debilitating and can take days to wind down. Does anyone else experience this?

Cheers- Illiciaceae

Hi Illiciaceae
I have had that experience. Some days I am ready to go when I get up and other days I am completely out of it for most of the day because of something traumatic in a dream. Not fun, and I haven't figured out a surefire fix. I just started trying to shake up my routine right after realizing I am doing this. So far (twice) it's worked.