Day Dreaming intensity vs Night Dreaming intensity

[Dustin Schneider]

Okay so I'm a bit self diagnosed here because I don't see a therapist...but I have all the same symptoms with things such as obsessive pacing and fidgeting hands or facial expressions and voices of the characters rolling by in my mind.  But I've been a bit curious as to day dreaming intensity versus dreaming at night.

Ad far as what I've read from what is considered normal for most people who dream during REM sleep they have no other sense and most things don't function in reality the same way like mirrors and books and such.  However the opposite is true for me.  Everything works as its meant to in my dreams at night.  Books all have clear legible text with words in an order that make sense, mirrors reflect properly,  and I have a full QWERTY keyboard with all the letters arranged just right and they work when I use them.

I'm also able to smell, taste, and feel in my dreams when others say that they can't.  I've tasted whole new foods and mixes in some dreams and I've even felt my body being torn limb from limb in other dreams without waking up.  (and having your arm torn off and watching the flesh shred slowly is not something you forget easily)  Every time I go back over the memories I try to figure out what my anchors are, things that don't happen in my dreams but happen in reality, and every time I find something that is distinct it changes.

My mind is divided, it's the way I've always been, my personality is subdivided so that I can consider actions and thoughts from multiple POV.  These manifest as separate voices and characters that I keep around to help me function and keep objective when dealing with stressful situations.  Basically they're the constant characters in my Daydreaming state that I talk to to keep my sanity.  There's a whole past I don't want to go into right here but there is an actual running history for most of them.  These never used to pop up in my dreams at all until I realized that they were missing.  Now they're a bridge, sometimes they even warn me that I'm dreaming when I'm being attacked by something and then whatever it is suddenly loses its power.

My Daydreams can be equally intense.  I can feel anything from being burned to drowning or freezing.  Some of the scenes get so intense my physical body gets dragged along and I have to make sure that I don't ACTUALLY scream or start crying, though I've never bothered to stop myself from laughing at unusual moments just because...why?

My Daydreaming is intense, but I'm mostly in control as I watch the characters work out their dilemmas and whatever else is going on in the universe at that moment.  My REM Dreams are just as intense if not more, and most of the time I don't have the power to control anything in them.  The only thing I can think to describe it is the difference between playing as the Dungeon Master and being a PC.  Switching back and forth gets interesting but sometimes the REM Dreams are so real I have trouble believing they didn't actually happen, though I'm well aware of the boundaries between reality and my Daydreaming.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this or am I just a bit crazy?

[Cordellia Amethyste Rose]

First, of all, you're no crazier than anyone I've met. Having vivid senses and a vivid subconscious is not crazy. Some may even call it a gift.

Second, see a therapist if it helps..........but chances are they won't have heard of this & will probably diagnose you with the next closest things they're familiar with, which you may or may not have as well. If you do see one, you may have to provide the info on this and do some convincing if they're skeptical. Many will not recognize conditions that aren't in the DSM. We're working on getting this attention & recognition. The study should help, but it takes time. In the meantime, if you want to see someone, try to find one that's open-minded, and only believe what feels true to you. In the end, we're the only ones who can truly diagnose us. People who can't read our minds can only know so much.

Third, you're definitely not the only one. Other people have mentioned having vivid dreams on here. I know I do. It doesn't surprise me, seeing as what vivid fantasies we can produce. It seems only natural our subconscious minds would be vivid & strong as well. I don't recall playing with any keyboards or looking in any mirrors during my night dreams, but I definitely have strong feelings and experiences. I feel sensations as if they were real & physical. It can be nice, or it can be frightening. My most vivid dreams are in the AM, right before I wake up. I just had a rather banal one the other AM that felt completely real. I could practically smell the laundry.

My daydreams are extremely vivid as well. They can literally produce any physical sensation in me. My body responds exactly to what's happening, good or bad. In a way, I think I almost make it, because I really want to feel what's going on. I'm not just talking about smiles and tears. I'm talking about physical sensations throughout my entire body. Knowing this, the idea that we can experience this at night isn't much of a stretch.

Thanks for sharing! This is all very interesting & good to know.