Dreaming of sleep paralysis?

[justWantingSomeSleep]

I'm really tired today and took two naps. During both I had similar dreams of either being in my parents home and cleaning or being at home and expecting a visit from them. In both I'm suddenly overcome by exhaustion and my vision gets "stuck", i.e. my vision is badly focused on an object (in the first dream my arms, a part of the wall in my appartment) and I can't move my eyes really to see anything else, and even if I move my arms or someone enters my field of vision, I see no change. My vision is static. It seems at first like sleep paralysis (in my dream) in that I think I'm awake but can't move. With great effort, I manage to move my arms and walk, but I'm virtually blind since what I'm seeing is not real. I hope you understand my meaning. For example, when an episode happens in the dream, I'm staring at my arms. Pretty soon I realize that I'm moving my arms, but my eyes don't see it. They see my arms still unmoving at my sides.

Background information: I'm suffering from major depression, have been on medication for over a year now, and I have a court date tomorrow with my lawyer on alimony issues. I'm a single mom, out of work, and suffer further from anxiety attacks surrounding our existence.
I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

Hi

well it rather depends if this was sleep paralysis

Did you feel actually paralysed? If yes then its likely sleep paralysis..,. thats just a sleep disorder...

But if its symbolic... then it links to your emotional state... you feel emotionally paralyzed and unable to escape your present circumstances .

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Many people write dream diaries. But actually it would be better if they wrote a normal diary. A diary is basically the highlights of the previous day and the things that are important to you. Dreams are exactly the same. Once understood they would symbolize those key moments and turning points in your feelings. So instead of interpreting the dreams try first to guess what the most likely issues are that you would dream about. Think of exactly the same things that you would write in a diary. Once decoded the dreams would symbolize exactly what you think on the key subjects dominating your mind. Think of quotes that capture your feelings such as "my father seems very quiet. I think that something is very wrong. He often starts going quiet when something happens". You may not be able to understand the exact nature of the symbols.


Dream dictionary interpretation - How to interpret dreams Interpreting dreams
Dreams analyzed Triggers for dreams
Dream dictionary symbols - How to analyse and interpret dreams Dream dictionary

[justWantingSomeSleep]

They were most definitely dreams. And I have had episodes of sleep paralysis in the past so I know it wasn't that. Each dream felt incredibly realistic and both times I was surprised to wake up and find that they were just dreams. I just don't know what to make of this "static picture" vision. On the one hand it reminded me greatly of my experiences with sleep paralysis, but in my dreams, I was wide awake and suffering an "attack", so to speak. In one dream I was just doing some house keeping and these attacks kept interrupting me. At first, as I mentioned in my previous post, I really thought I was paralysed until I realized I could move if I wanted to (and bump into everything), it was just my vision was a messed up. I don't know if this is good or bad. On the one hand it could demonstrate my realization that things aren't as bad as they seem. On the other hand, these attacks seriously impaired my ability to do simple tasks and kept increasing.
Also thinking on the second dream, I remembered receiving a phone call from a family friend called Dillen (I don't know ANYONE by that name. ETA: I googled the name Dillen and it's Irisch and Gaelic for "like a lion" and "loyal" which is funny because I'm a leo and in the chinese calendar I'm a dog=very loyal) that he and my parents (my father passed away some years ago) were just in the neighborhood and wanted to know if they could stop by. I said sure and TRIED to get dressed. I couldn't because I simply could not see "reality", just the static picture, so I couldn't find my way around the appartment. In the end, I just parked myself standing in a corner next to a doorway and waited them to arrive and help me. Which reminded me that in the first dream, yelling for help seemed to disperse the "static picture".
So, you see, I'm not really sure if this is showing growth or if I should be alarmed.

[Wolfjk]

Originally Posted by justWantingSomeSleep

They were most definitely dreams. And I have had episodes of sleep paralysis in the past so I know it wasn't that. Each dream felt incredibly realistic and both times I was surprised to wake up and find that they were just dreams. I just don't know what to make of this "static picture" vision. On the one hand it reminded me greatly of my experiences with sleep paralysis, but in my dreams, I was wide awake and suffering an "attack", so to speak. In one dream I was just doing some house keeping and these attacks kept interrupting me. At first, as I mentioned in my previous post, I really thought I was paralysed until I realized I could move if I wanted to (and bump into everything), it was just my vision was a messed up. I don't know if this is good or bad. On the one hand it could demonstrate my realization that things aren't as bad as they seem. On the other hand, these attacks seriously impaired my ability to do simple tasks and kept increasing.
Also thinking on the second dream, I remembered receiving a phone call from a family friend called Dillen (I don't know ANYONE by that name. ETA: I googled the name Dillen and it's Irisch and Gaelic for "like a lion" and "loyal" which is funny because I'm a leo and in the chinese calendar I'm a dog=very loyal) that he and my parents (my father passed away some years ago) were just in the neighborhood and wanted to know if they could stop by. I said sure and TRIED to get dressed. I couldn't because I simply could not see "reality", just the static picture, so I couldn't find my way around the appartment. In the end, I just parked myself standing in a corner next to a doorway and waited them to arrive and help me. Which reminded me that in the first dream, yelling for help seemed to disperse the "static picture".
So, you see, I'm not really sure if this is showing growth or if I should be alarmed.

Hi,
YOu should not be alarmed or worry about your dreams. Dreams do the important job of waking you up from sleep, as well as helping you stay asleep.
If you take some medication, it is likely to make your dreams more vivid. One example of this is how your dreams make you focus on the fact that you can't move your gaze. It is the way your subconscious connects up your brain. The dream makes you think and wakes you up.
I hope your problems will ease.
Cheers Wolfjk

[cherubin101]

I will interpret base on what I calculate.
You said in your info you are suffering from depression and in your dream during two naps you either being in your parents home and cleaning or being at home and expecting a visit from them. I think this depression has something to do with your parents. Especially when you said about your dad passed away. Things for you could have been better if he is still alive or…
If not about your parent it is about your own family. Your family's situation that made you depresses and wanted something and expecting some kind of support.
Home means security in your life and expecting a visit from them indicates that you wanted some kind of support like alimony. Overcome by exhaustion means you will get through about this battle that you have in your life but will get stuck by the memory that you have (this is the meaning of the object in your dream. Object also means obstacle and obstacle is approaching problem in your waking life. You may have some self doubt or trouble in making a decision. Obstacle can be your family, your friends, and your job). You are so focus on this object that you think you cannot move on. This explained the rest of your dream… "It seems at first like sleep paralysis (in my dream) in that I think I'm awake but can't move. With great effort, I manage to move my arms and walk, but I'm virtually blind since what I'm seeing is not real. I hope you understand my meaning. For example, when an episode happens in the dream, I'm staring at my arms. Pretty soon I realize that I'm moving my arms, but my eyes don't see it. They see my arms still unmoving at my sides."
One that moves and the other parts can’t.

Words of comfort… Do not let this obstacle control your life. Face what is ahead of you and do not look back. So you will not turn into pillar of salt. What is important is ahead of you and God has a better plan for you. Seek for God's guidance so you will overcome all tests in your life. Having faith in your life is the only weapon you can have against this obstacle.