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Recurring Nightmare (S&D)

by Ricky
(Stanford, CA)

Every now and then I have a nightmare in which I am running away from someone following me. It happened again last night. Apparently, this person has malicious intentions since I am filled with anxiety as soon as I realize I am in this situation.


I try to run as fast as I can but my legs feel heavy and I have trouble breathing. Also, I try yelling my mother's name as I run but for some reason I cannot seem to get any words out or the cries for help get drowned by gasps for air. The anxiety increases throughout the dream as my efforts to escape or get help seem futile until I finally wake up.

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Comments for Recurring Nightmare (S&D)

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Sep 26, 2012
 The words NEW
by: Deadjuice

I bet if you could say your mothers name that somehow you could stop the malicious creature or person.
I know that isn't easy, but if you keep having this dream over and over, you'll eventually be able to say it.
I've had similar dreams where I felt powerless, but if I kept having the same dream, I'd eventually find the will to change it, or get frustrated enough to have some power during the moment.
Oct 21, 2012
 Similar To Me NEW
by: Vinnym9999@gmail.com

Hey man the slow running is super duper common. The breathing I never heard of but its the same thing. I was being chased to my room then having to act like I fell asleep or I will get....who knows what. By this lady whos made of stone from my old fish tank wallpaper. ( I was younger) Anyways I stopped having these scary dreams and I kind of miss them for this certain reason....I just stopped and bit her pinky finger nearly off and did some MMA lol....This showed myself stop im not scared. After that she said nice and that I am talking to myself! Very cool experience to talk to yourself. I want to make a custom guide and talk to myself every night. I wasn't controlling what she said either. It was like a real conversation. Sorry for grammar im tired now hahah maybe ill have that dream im thinking about it and wrote a whole essay on it. Id put mroe details in and make it shorter if I was awake. But yeah confront that person. Recurring means you know its a dream... At-least after awhile.. Ask the person to fly or go to a bar with you! vinnym9999@gmail.com
Mar 18, 2013
 Swag NEW
by: Anonymous

That's awesome... I don't have dreams
Jul 21, 2013
 Cure NEW
by: Dr. Dream

In a Nightmare when you realize you are dreaming there are a few things you can try to do to defeat the evil in it:

1: try praying, If you are religious this will make you feel safe and for some people a figure will come down and protect them.

2: try to identify the evil man, you can not create new faces so it will have to be someone you have seen before. If you recognize them, try to make peace with them in real life because you probable feel guilty about something you did to that person.

3: sleep with something that makes you feel safe. If you always have it with you, you should have it in the dream, and you should be able to use it against the evil.

4: focus on defeating the evil, it is your mind conjuring the dream so if you focus hard enough and realize that it is a dream, you should be able to control it better.
Oct 02, 2013
 Nope, chuck testa NEW
by: Zipline

Turn the tables on him and sit on the couch with some popcorn and just wait for him to show up. Then invite him over! :D
I used to have those kind of dreams occasionally but eventually I just waited and punched it in the face when it came over. It had a face then and I didn't punch it very hard but it still shocked the person and I didn't have the dream again. :3
Oct 02, 2013
 Nope, chuck testa NEW
by: Zipline

Turn the tables on him and sit on the couch with some popcorn and just wait for him to show up. Then invite him over! :D
I used to have those kind of dreams occasionally but eventually I just waited and punched it in the face when it came over. It had a face then and I didn't punch it very hard but it still shocked the person and I didn't have the dream again.
Dec 10, 2013
 I also have these dreams. NEW
by: A person

I also have an occasional dream where someone is chasing me and my legs feel heavy, everything the same as you. I scream for help, nothing comes out and I cant seem to get out of a certain area. Once the person chasing me was Jim Carrey... it was weird but I used to have this dream often but as I got older i'm not having it as frequently. Maybe its something to do with a mental state of mind a person is in that makes them have repeated dreams and the same reactions, maybe its telling us something. I don't know but I am going to research more upon it.
Oct 21, 2014
 relatable NEW
by: jenna

That's crazy every dream that i remember trying to escape something and scream i can't scream either its like my voice is powerless i can't even talk its crazy. its terrifying thinking of that to happen in real life when ur almost immobile and you cant even call for help
Oct 21, 2014
 relatable NEW
by: jenna

That's crazy every dream that i remember trying to escape something and scream i can't scream either its like my voice is powerless i can't even talk its crazy. its terrifying thinking of that to happen in real life when ur almost immobile and you cant even call for help
Oct 21, 2014
 relatable NEW
by: jenna

That's crazy every dream that i remember trying to escape something and scream i can't scream either its like my voice is powerless i can't even talk its crazy. its terrifying thinking of that to happen in real life when ur almost immobile and you cant even call for help
Mar 11, 2015
 Being chased by one's own demons NEW
by: Anonymous

I have had similar dreams and can only come to the conclusion that personal emotional demons that instill fear and anxiety are at the root and will be chasing you until you discover what they are. It would help you to examine all things that you fear. Once you identify whatever it is you believe is chasing you down the dreams will cease. It's a case of your subconscious warning you that you have issues that need to be dealt with.
Apr 17, 2015
 ive kinda had a dream like that NEW
by: jewelea

One day I was on a bridge with a raincoat on, and it was raining. I was with my brother
but every time I tried to walk forward, I couldn't breath, like I was suffocating, and I was walking slower and slower. It was wierd. So I kinda know how that feels.
Mar 29, 2016
 Next time you have the dream NEW
by: Tree man

You have to turn around and face your fear. Your soul will overcome the problem and you will face the fear if you can gain some sort of control. Sometimes when I have a dream that I have had before I have a conscious thought. "I have had this dream before" once I create that thought in my consciousness, I can some how gain control. I had a dream where I had no choice but to jump in to a hole because I would walk around and end up at the same place where that hole was. I was in the jungle. Throughout a year it happened to me 3 times. After I decided to jump I just kept falling and falling. The second night I had the dream, when I woke up I was wondering why I had the dream again. The third time I had the dream I realized while I was sleeping that once I was dreaming of falling still in the same darkness. I consciously realized while sleeping that I have dreamt this dream and it made me upset so I told myself to quit falling and I landed at the bottom where I came upon an old man who was wearing a cloak with a hood covering his face and the bottom of this cave was lit up by only a candle and he had a staff and all he did was point at me and laugh. When I looked up, it was as if the hole I fell in was only 40ft from the surface. It was trippy and I never had the dream again. So you figure a way to overcome your fears
Apr 27, 2016
 same NEW
by: Anonymous

Same with me. I can never do anything about it,but the thing chasing me always has glowing eyes.
May 15, 2016
 recurrence deja vu NEW
by: Anonymous

I've experienced this dream multiple times. They occurred a while after I moved most times. I'll always be in my current neighborhood, a thing will be chasing me. I'll be running slowly in a fast pace. It wasn't until later I just turned around and controlled the dream. I could recognize the face as well.
Jun 03, 2016
 Face it NEW
by: Anonymous

Since this is a recurring dream, there will come a time when you start getting dream awareness. You'll realize that you're in a dream. When you realize this, just know that nothing can harm you in your dream world. At the most, you'll wake up. That's all. So go out there, know that you're safe, and confront the creature, try mocking it, try running after it, and have fun. This will be the start of a good lucid dream. Try flying, try conjuring objects by mere thought, have some fun.
Sep 05, 2016
 Recurring nightmare NEW
by: Anonymous

I think you need to change your sleeping posture, may be you are covering your face with your blanket ...this is the main reason for experiencing suffocation..which gets transferred to your dreams...changing your sleeping posture may help significantly
Sep 15, 2016
 Turn around NEW
by: Nat

Once I had a similar dream and I stopped running and chased the person instead. I really enjoyed that dream.
Dec 31, 2016
 Dream NEW
by: JerBear

From my experience with reoccurring dreams of this type, you have to realize that you are in another world where anything is possible. With practice, you can do anything in your dreams. Don't run from fear. Look it in the face and realize that you are the only one that gives it power. Stop running, turn around with complete confidence and defeat the thing that is after you!

Or possibly it has to do with someone in real life? Either way, I have learned that you have to look it in the eye.

Hope this makes sense
Jan 07, 2017
 Reverse it NEW
by: Anonymous

Find a way to help reverse the dream. Tell yourself you're not scared or think of something else to help you get out. For example: Once I had a dream where we bought a new house and I was looking around for my bedroom. (I see this guy from my school earlier on in the dream). Anyways I keep going upstairs and I finally get to the last room. Except I have to go up some more stairs and I have a bad feeling. The door then opens on its own and I turn around to get out of the other big room I'm in, but all the doors close. I feel something coming. But then I remember the guy I saw earlier in the dream, and I start to make out with him. Then the dream just turned into a romance dream. I never had a crush on that guy, however, in the end, I turned the dream around. From the dream being scary to being a romance dream. And even though I didn't like him that way, a romance dream was way better than a scary dream.
Jan 08, 2017
 Listen NEW
by: Anonymous

I've been through this & even if some horror dreams happen to me which is very rare now, i am not that scared anymore because i passed through that sleep paralysis i had it for a really long time & its scary af but, its not easy i know but if you want to get rid of it you. should probably pray to god (jesus) & say "please god give me beautiful dreams & protect me" & you should stop watching horror movies or playing or thinking about horrors you know what i mean, because thats where it started all. Now 10-20 minutes ago i woke up from a scary dream but still i wasn't afraid honestly when that thing jumped on me. i started to breath hard but i quickly knew how to stop that hard breathing thing anyway i hope the best for you. (im not scared of my horror dreams anymore)
Jan 08, 2017
 A cure for all of you NEW
by: Anonymous

I've been through this & even if some horror dreams happen to me which is very rare now, i am not that scared anymore because i passed through that sleep paralysis i had it for a really long time & its scary af but, its not easy i know but if you want to get rid of it you. should probably pray to god (jesus) & say "please god give me beautiful dreams & protect me" & you should stop watching horror movies or playing or thinking about horrors you know what i mean, because thats where it started all. Now 10-20 minutes ago i woke up from a scary dream but still i wasn't afraid honestly when that thing jumped on me. i started to breath hard but i quickly knew how to stop that hard breathing thing anyway i hope the best for you. (im not scared of my horror dreams anymore)
Mar 20, 2018
 Hope for sweeter dreams NEW
by: Anonymous

Perhaps a long time ago you needed someone to "save" you from a dangerous situation or to be there for you. Someone you trusted or who was in a position to help you (like an adult) and they failed you? Maybe you spoke up but they didn't listen or maybe you felt mute. Or...maybe you wish someone would rescue you now, but you know you're on your own. If you can determine whether it's the past replaying itself or a present wish you may be able to move on...either through forgiveness or by realizing how strong you already are.
Jan 13, 2019
 Lol NEW
by: Anonymous

Just fast in there face of it smells they might. Leave you alone.but seriously I wish the best for you all.hugs

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