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Username: Casie David

Date posted: 1y ago

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Can dreams reflect my OCD, and how should I respond to them?

Can I dream about my OCD?

In short answer- yes! Our dreams are filled with all sorts of things, so it only makes sense that sometimes we will have dreams about our intrusive thoughts. So what do we do? ERP! We can't control our dreams, just like we can't control our thoughts. What we can do is choose how to respond to it. The first time it happened to me I was a little alarmed at first, but then realized if I'm dreaming about it then that means it's probably something I should tackle with some ERP. I had a few more dreams after that, but they were much less intense and easier to move past (sort of like our intrusive thoughts!). Don't let it fool you, even in our dreams we are STILL not our OCD!

Username: denzildsouzadenzildsouza

Date posted: 1y ago

Yeah well said...bad dreams can spoil the morning and increase anxiety...

Username: Casie DavidCasie David

Date posted: 1y ago

So true, but it doesn't have to take our whole day away!✊

Username: BigHiddBigHidd

Date posted: 1y ago

I literally have dreams about the worst case scenarios of the day before. Shi be feeling like visions

Username: Casie DavidCasie David

Date posted: 1y ago

That sounds like it would be incredibly stressful, I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing this! The what if's and worst case scenarios are the worst, but we can move past that uncertainty. We are all here for you!🙏

Username: abi.kailabi.kail

Date posted: 1y ago

i dream all about my past relationships, embarrassing situations, my old house with bad memories. it's like if im not up ruminating at an odd hour of the night, i'm dreaming about them. it's better if i'm active that day though, usually weight lifting does the trick to make me so tired, i pass out lol.

Username: katyray1975katyray1975

Date posted: 1y ago

@abi.kail I dream about my old house too all the time and that I’m remodeling it. That was my big dear that everyone thought it was old and gross and needed remodeling.

Username: charliemaecharliemae

Date posted: 1y ago

I’m glad this was brought up because this actually happened to me last night for the first time and I’ve had extremely conflicting feelings about it. I had a dream that featured a fairly big trigger of mine but instead of it causing distress in my dream, I enjoyed it. Even though it was horrendous… when I woke up I got filled with shame and anxiety and confusion because normally intrusive thoughts that feature that - cause distress. So why did I experience the opposite of that in my dream? And what does that mean for me and my feelings about it… very distressing and I am not sure how to navigate this since I’ve never had issues with my ocd creeping into my dreams.

Username: Casie DavidCasie David

Date posted: 1y ago

I have experienced this too, remember we cannot control our dreams or how we "feel" in our dreams! The fact that you woke up very distressed tells me that this dream didn't align with your values. Maybe having a non-engagement response ready could help! I would try to remind myself of what I shared above, and say something along the lines of "this dream may or may not be true" or "may or may not happen" etc. It's not fun, but hang in there! Eventually when that same intrusive thought popped in my dream, I became so desensitized to it that I was able to move on to a new part of my dream, just like our thoughts do. Hang in there friend!

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

Is there a way to deal with those weird dreams

Username: katyray1975katyray1975

Date posted: 1y ago

I am constantly having OCD infused dreams about things ranging from my daughter being kidnapped to my driving into the ocean and being surrounded by water.

Username: Casie DavidCasie David

Date posted: 1y ago

I'm so sorry to hear that! OCD showing up in our dreams isn't easy, but you're not alone and this won't be forever!

Username: twixisbestcandytwixisbestcandy

Date posted: 1y ago

It's for sure weird i have dreams relating to my harm ocd but a common theme i keep noticing is my worst fear is to harm those close to me but instead in my dreams I hurt people to save people it's fuckin weird it's like my morality and my ocd are trying to work together i always seem to take a life to save one it throws me off sometimes

Username: Casie DavidCasie David

Date posted: 1y ago

That sounds like it would be weird to dream about! Dreams are definitely similar to intrusive thoughts though, in the sense that we often can't control what they're about! I can definitely see morality and OCD mixed in there!

Username: majkhanmajkhan

Date posted: 1y ago

I have odd nights where I’m feeling my breathing difficulties but in reality it’s my Somatic OCD. It has effected me before during day but funny enough if I get these thoughts during the night my day is much better

Username: elauderdelauderd

Date posted: 1y ago

Im so glad I saw this because I JUST had a dream last night and have been wondering if this specific trigger /intrusive thought of mine actually “counted” if it even showed up in dreams. Its been an issue for years, and occasionally it will show up in my dreams, and suddenly I worried since that wasnt a conscious intrusive thought that it was different and I didn’t know how I should treat it. Im glad to know its common for them to appear in dreams.

Username: Casie DavidCasie David

Date posted: 1y ago

Yes! I'm so glad you saw this too, it's worrisome at first when we wake up having those, but they mean nothing more than our intrusive thoughts do! We can't help what floats through our mind, but we can help how we handle it.🙏✊💓

Username: TheocdguitaristTheocdguitarist

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

Not quite related to dreams, but I've often heard it said that "you are not your OCD." I try to live by that, but I truly believe we should take responsibility for our actions. How do you balance the two beliefs? If I made a mistake or hurt myself or someone else because of OCD, shouldn't I take responsibility for it?

Username: Another

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

dreams and OCD

so you know how the more you have an intrusive thought, the more likely it is to show up in your dreams? well coming from someone who is atheist/agnostic and is skeptical on some holistic/spiritual takes on things, i am having a difficult time wondering why my intrusive thoughts are showing up in my dreams the way they do. once i wake up, whether it’s right afterwards or later in the day, i’ll remember the part of my dream that is totally fueled by an intrusive thought. unfortunately it’s not pleasant and very upsetting. so, how do any of you deal with this? i get worried and wonder if it has something to do with my subconscious trying to tell me something/having a spiritual meaning or a higher power trying to tell me something. these are super common ocd subtypes too so i know it’s that. i just struggle sometimes with the rumination.

Username: My OCD Academia

Date posted: 41w ago

OCD Dreams

Anybody relate to having dreams about what they’re obsessing about, like SO-OCD. I just had a dream like that and it was so disturbing. Even in the dream, it felt like I was doing compulsion after compulsion. I’m just tired

Sexual Orientation OCD

Username: xokyaxo

Date posted: 30w ago

Ocd in dreams? How? Why?

This is a newer and more recent thing for me and i’m wondering if anyone else has had this experience and can explain why. I have been having ocd dreams like intrusive dreams. My ocd is telling me it’s because I want these horrible things but I don’t at all and it’s upsetting that I can’t even get away from ocd when I sleep. This is so draining.

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Can dreams reflect my OCD, and how should I respond to them?

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