Inability to turn on lights in some dreams

I've always wondered what it meant to have a dream, usually not a good one, that involved not being able to turn on lights. They are not as common now but they used to be extremely frequent when I was younger. But at times I still have these dreams now.

Usually the dream will start out fine until the power goes out and I try to turn the lights back on and they don't come on. Or I will walk into a dark room or even a dark house or building and will attempt to turn on the lights, but to no avail. Usually it results in something bad happening.

Usually, it repeats a pattern. The lights don't come on after they go out or they just don't come on at all when attempting to turn them on the first time. This is usually a big alarming sign that something bad, usually me being tortured or attacked, will happen.

I may also not be able to yell out for help or may have a scratchy voice as if I had a very sore throat. Also movement will usually be extremely limited or gone completely. Very rarely do I make a successful escape. Just wondered what these kinds of dreams mean.

May mean you are not able to see a situation in real life, or someone is keeping you from seeing. Anxiety, of feeling trapped and threatened. Feeling unable to yell for help. Thus such dreams comes from anxiety.

Oh okay. Makes sense.