Just remembered my worst childhood nightmare

[justdontknow]

I dreamt that I had a horrible nightmare and I was terrified so I went into my Mum's bedroom so that she would calm me down but I got into her bed and tapped her back and she didn't respond and I tapped again and said 'mummy..' and she turned round but instead of my mum it was a horrible ogre's face and it was the most scary thing I've ever seen. To this day it's the worst nightmare I've ever had.

I would have maybe been between 6 and 8 at the time. It's weird, thinking back to when I was little, my dreams seem as vivid as real life. I was always living in my imagination, absorbed in my games and adventures and stories.

I don't know if my mum turning into an ogre was symbolic of anything but i suspect it might have been. Maybe it was how she was unpredictable in her temper and I never knew how she was going to react to things so even when i was scared or upset i was a bit apprehensive about asking for help. Anyone else experienced a nightmare like this?

[Hope66]

Hi Justdontknow,
I definitely relate to your nightmare - I have also had many very vivid nightmares that seem as realistic as 'real life' - and yours sounds very frightening - especially at such a young age.  I had a recurrent nightmare during many years of my childhood - and I never knew how to make sense of it.

I just wanted to say that somebody told me that the emotion we feel during the nightmare is something to look out for - and that has helped me to process those things more.  I can't remember where I read that - but I did a post about Dreams and Nightmares - I think I'll have to look for it again.

Anyway, I just wanted to reply to your post, as I definitely relate to what you say in it.

Hope 

[Andyman73]

I had 2 nightmares that ran for many many years, through all my childhood and into early adulthood too. I still have them, but rather sporadically. These were the screaming out loud, mommy come running to wake me, nightmares.