I had a strange dream... It took place over a big land with many types of buildings. I think the environment was more dark and like a scary forest. I can't really remember the story and what happened. I do remember one thing: it's like something I've been worrying about in real life, but I usually don't have such a literal interpretation of my real-life problems in dreams. In the dream, there was a lot of people I had to interact with. I don't think they looked like anyone I knew in real life. At first they were all very annoyed with me. As time went on, however, they began to ignore me more and more. It came to a point where everyone happily ignored everything I said. It was both very sad and scary, because they all suddenly became my enemies. I felt really lost and hopeless.

I've had some dreams like this too, especially when younger. I used to dream often of people around my age who would look very scary with big scowls and evil smiles on their faces laughing every time someone was injured or harmed. It sounds kind of cheesy now, but at the time it felt creepy.

[CANDC]

Breezy Day I appreciate your dream - it might even be called a nightmare. I ran across this article on the PC website about our nightmares.
blogs.psychcentral.com/unleash-creativity/.../meaning-nightmares/
if the link is not working just copy and past above line
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://...y9wJMO35p4Eg7A

Seems like no matter how many dreams I read about, the only ones I understand deeply are my own.

[MusicMike]

There is a big land with many buildings and a lot of people in this dream, so it's an expansive and complex world. A dark forest sounds "closed-in" rather than open space, probably fits with emotions like anxiety and sadness that feel like they close in around you. Do you remember specifically what this worry was?

I also sometimes have something very literal in a dream, and honestly I don't know what that means. Sometimes it seems like I'm saying things in dreams that are exactly like what I would say while awake, about different parts of my life. But in any case, it's an anxiety you feel. Maybe the content of it doesn't matter as much as the emotion.

The people first are annoyed with you, and then their annoyance turns to rejection. Maybe they are reacting to your continued worry--that they get turned off. You say they "happily" ignore you--that makes me think of people who have a very hard time accepting other people's dark emotions, so they are critical of them, and maybe start to seem smug and self-righteous and put on airs of happiness even though there is really quite a lot of meanness behind it. Do you know anyone like that?

Mike

By the way, I should mention that when I say everyone in my dream becomes annoyed and then ignored me, it wasn't only the people I already met in the dream, but even strangers, like everyone in the "world" suddenly began ignoring me.

Thank you CANDC for the link.That was interesting to read through. I agree that nightmares probably have deeper meanings.

Thank you mike1127. That sounds very correct about being closed in. My bad dreams are usually dark, although not necessarily closed-in. They often have to do with me traveling across a land to different "buildings" or places that are closed in like a building in order to do things. This dream fits that type. Well, I think this "everyone turning against me dream" has been going for a long time.

This next text is a trigger:
I think it began because when I was a kid, and before I made any longish-term friends, I was bullied by family members. They were around my age and would often befriend any friends I made when I was young, and they would somehow draw them away, which I didn't take personally but my family members didn't include me. They sometimes took what friends I made and had them later making fun of me. The reason they were able to do this? Because they were more "cool." And this continued through my life, plus I was bullied and ignored by other kids throughout much of school... It still affects me even when I've forgotten about it. I just remember my young family members forcing me to do things when adults weren't around or making fun of me, and they'd have this twisted sneer on their faces, like it was the most enjoyable thing in the world. They'd talk about me sometimes like I wasn't even in the room with them, or outright ignore me otherwise. They could turn almost any kid like this, so it made me think that nearly all kids were kind of evil, and since adults were once children, adults must somehow be as well. I've grown up distrusting people mostly, but I still can't forget those sneers and smiles. It's the same an abusive adult family member gave me when I was older when they would emotionally or physically hurt me.

[MusicMike]

Oh, Breezy Day, hugs to you. That's actually very sadistic abuse, and would cause trauma as deep as any physical or sexual abuse--in fact probably more deep. Systematic abusive treatment has a deep affect on your development. Perhaps you have internalized all these sadistic people as a defense mechanism... if you can do the abuse to yourself through your inner world, then you have a sense of control over it, and you can numb yourself to the abuse delivered by the external world.

The people who would do this to you are probably deeply enmeshed in their own sadism and shame. It makes me think of "Dr." Laura, although even more extreme.

[Thunder Bow]

Originally Posted by CANDC

Breezy Day I appreciate your dream - it might even be called a nightmare. I ran across this article on the PC website about our nightmares.
blogs.psychcentral.com/unleash-creativity/.../meaning-nightmares/
if the link is not working just copy and past above line
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://...y9wJMO35p4Eg7A

Seems like no matter how many dreams I read about, the only ones I understand deeply are my own.

I always say the dreamer has the final say so about the interpretation of their dreams. However, I find it helpful to get other peoples insights into my dreams. The more I know the more I go.

Thank you mike1127. I'm not sure if the abuse I've had is worse than other types, but I still haven't forgotten about it. I have always thought that people who bully get great enjoyment out of it. I don't know, since I think I never have. It'd be a great relief to know that these representations of those people in my dreams means I have a grasp on their actions, and maybe can learn to get over them. I talked about people ignoring me or disregarding me in some way more than once here in the forums. I think this dream is letting me know that some of my doubts probably come from my childhood. I'm sure my mind wouldn't be punishing it's own self by making me relive all that, right? I do think that my general attitude to people changed after the dream.

[MusicMike]

Here's what I know from my own experience. My mind "punishes" me by replicating the abusive situation, and there really is a cruel intention there---however, the DEEPER, TRUER intention is to help me by giving me a sense of control. That's the defense mechanism that got me through the initial abuse, helped my soul to survive it.

Then when you become an adult or in some way get more consciousness of the patterns in your life, the healing work begins. You can trust that your dream self is showing you these images because it feels you are ready to come to terms with them. First you have to come to terms with what is happening right in this moment. It may be a lot of stuff hanging over from childhood. The dream is asking you to acknowledge what's true in this moment, without fear or aversion. That is a big healing step in and of itself. Your dreams will show you further steps as you move along.

Mike

[PeterSO]

People's angry faces and people's ignoring faces always make me think of situations in early childhood (1-3 years) where a child cries in anger or protest over wanting something, and the parents reprove or ignore the child -- I see this often in the supermarket, when a disappointed, crying child looks around at others, as if for support. Seems to me, these dreams recur because we feel there now has been some injustice done and no one rushes to the rescue.

Although that's an interesting observation PeterSO, and accurate for some, I wanted to note that it doesn't describe my and some others' situations. That description was actually the opposite to my childhood experience, but I agree with your interpretation of the reasons behind these types of dreams. When I cried past the age of 3, I was scolded and sometimes punished. I was far too scared of my parents to ever throw a tantrum. I grew up in a chaotic environment with much anger and lack of control. And I also have vivid memories of being generally ignored or forgotten much of the time. I guess on the bright side, ignoring the reasons, I was complimented for how well behaved I was as a child. Maybe the fact that I and some others experienced a greater lack of support then the norm is what can cause these dreams as well.