# Sleep and Dreams > General Dream Discussion > Nightmares and Recurring Dreams >  >  Recurring Dreams of Rape

## BrainDamage

Okay, so to start off with I have been raped, I was 13 at the time, and 20 now, and I wouldn't say it's something I've fully dealt with. I also know that dreams of rape often occur if the individual has been a victim of rape, but for some reason, I don't always feel that this is the entire reason behind the dreams, although could be in some cases, or all. 

Earlier this year, I moved out of my parent's house, and have been going to school, it's been a hard adjustment for me, but I'm doing okay, and I have been dealing with certain individuals that do make me feel a little bit powerless, although it's not an extreme situation.

Ok this might be too detailed, I don't know, but I do believe in dreams that details are important, I have investigated each of these dreams and tried to analyze them personally, going into the details as well, I suppose I just want a new perspective. 

In the rape dreams, it's always a different situation and a different rapist. In the last one, which was the worst of them all, I was raped by this member of a gang that was prevalent in this certain dream, I ended up being chased by this gang, and kidnapped and taken hostage later on. During the rape it was on the asphalt, outside, it was at school, although the dream-school environment is nothing like the actual school I go to. Everything was very dark, it was nighttime throughout most of the dream, and not much color at all, there was forest surrounding the area and lots of buildings, that felt very bleak, and they were simple in structure. The guy who raped me I have no idea what he looked like, and he wasn't relating to my waking life, but the entire experience was very emotional and scary, and he was talking throughout it, just saying degrading things. I know this might be gross to hear, but there was alot of semen involved, which is similar to another rape-dream I had, with alot of ejaculate like everywhere, which just made the experience that much more discomforting. He came inside me. When it was all over, the rapist made some sort of insulting remark, and walked to his car, a sports car, and sped off. I stood up from the ground and walked around feeling disoriented for a while, and taken advantage of obviously, and eventually after a few other discomforting experiences, one where I entered a public bathroom that had been flooded with dirty sewer/toiler water everywhere. Eventually I was taken hostage by another gang member, and that consituted the rest of the dream. Trying to run away from him, stuff like that.

I should add, that when I stay at school late, and have to walk home late, a few times I have gotten really paranoid and scared. Which was reflected in this other dream where a man broke into my house, and raped me. He had these red glowing eyes like a monster.

Another rape dream, I was raped by a giant lizard monster, and again lots of sperm. Although this one wasn't that bad, as far as emotional distress for some reason.

Another I was raped in front of my neighbors, and I was crying out for help and they weren't helping me. It was inside my current house, although again it didn't look like my actual house, it was more of a cottage and it was flooded with swamp water. The rape experience took place in the swamp water. My neighbors were laughing at me, and calling me names and stuff. I hate my neighbors in real life. They are really loud all the time, and really rude in personal interactions, well one of them is. I used to be friends with them, but not anymore because they annoy the fuck out of me. They're really sexist and just annoying dudes who play video games and movies loudly till 3 in the morning, when I have to go to school the next day. I thought maybe this rape dream had to do with the feeling that they're invading my personal privacy, since I have to hear them talking or making noise all day at home and because they make me feel uncomfortable, I think. During the rape, I was crying, and it was very overwhelming, and I felt powerless.

The other rape dreams were similar to the 1st and 2nd.

Ok thanks, just any serious feedback would be appreciated.

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## Arra

I see a couple possibilities as to why you're having the reoccurring dream. It might be pure trauma. It was such a horrible experience for you that your mind obsesses over it and makes it part of your dreams. Sort of like how you'd expect a war veteran to dream about his battlefield experience.

Or, your mind might be finding it a good metaphor for troubles going on in your life now, or a good inducer of strong emotions that you feel daily, but not as strong, from other causes. Your mind knows how to generate the experience of being raped, because you have a real memory of being raped. So, while your subconscious mind tries to bring up a dream in which you feel powerless, it's more likely to construct a rape situation than it is to construct a situation like being held up at a robbery that you haven't experienced in real life.

Or maybe your mind just finds it a good metaphor, and the fact that you've been raped in real life is just a coincidence. A lot of people have reoccurring dreams about things that have never happened to them in real life.

As for the specific reason why your mind chooses to keep bringing up this situation, I think if an interpretation seems right to you, it probably is. Whatever feeling you get during these dreams, think about what causes the same feeling (but probably not as strongly) during the day, and that is probably what the rape is a metaphor for.

If you're a lucid dreamer, or interested in lucid dreaming, being raped might be a good dream sign. Next time you realize it's happening, remind yourself that you're dreaming, and you can make the whole thing stop, or confront it in some way.

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## KiwiNinja

I'm not in any way an expert on anything (I never have nightmares, ever), but I think nightmares have a lot to do with your mindset on fear and how suceptible you are to being scared as a whole, and since you were scared the most while being raped, when ever your mind is relating to fear, that's what comes up.You have to beat the feeling of being scared, try laughing it off or singing, whatever works for you, if it's too hard consult a hypnotist.Hypnotism might be dangerous when you're confronting your fears, but if there's no alternative it could help.I actually had a dream of being chased by an old man who was a rapist, but I wasn't scared and it wasn't a nightmare, I just outran him - it's all about your mindset and how you view fear.I don't get scared => I don't have nightmares.Try seeing fear for what it is - adrenalin.Provoke fear and practice controlling the adrenalin rush.Try fighting any other fears you have and work up to it, or change your mindset on fear, that's all I could come up with.Might not help, but I can't just not try, the idea of having a recurring rape dream is disturbing.

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## becky

Hi there! I am new to this site, since being diagnosed with massive food allergies and Lyme Disease, I haven't barely had any nightmares. I used to have one every night.

I had suffered with Nightmare Disorder for many years, mostly about being raped, even by monsters, (not human,) and the apocolypse. My Post Traumatic Stress turned into Complex Post Traumatic Stress especially with an undiagnosed bacterial infection in my brain. Please, please, please get a blood test for food allergies! Don't try the avoidance diet. If I tried the avoidance diet, (thinking about what I ate before the nightmare,) I would have thought I was Celiac, (Gluten/bread, etc.) but really it was the yeast. 

I have also gone lucid since avoiding my allergenic foods, since I'm not so scared in the nightmares any more. My husband says I used to scream 'no' all night long in my sleep. I can go into a deep sleep so fast that I even had nightmares while taking short naps.

Please get tested for food allergies! You won't regret it!

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## The Sandman

I'm sorry about your nightmares. I agree with Dianeva in that we may dream of things that have never happened, and so the theme of your nightmares could be something unrelated; however I believe this is not the case with you (I am not an expert either mind you).

I have had too many dreams where something happened in waking life and then I dreamed of it. There was no interpretation necessary. I have actually planted ideas in my mind that manifest in my dreams. I certainly think that you are experiencing Post Traumatic Stress and it is playing out in your nightmares. I think it is important for you to know why you are dreaming this if you are to conquer it. Again, as Dianeva said, if you think you know why you are having the nightmare, you are probably right. I agree with that.

Moving  on to what KiwiNinja said, laughing at it is probably a good idea. Obviously you are not happy about it, but that's not the point. It is more like releasing a virus in a computer program where the computer is your mind. The very fact that you physically act out laughing at the problem could (easily) give your mind something strange to think about. 

One night I played with lights to pretend I was shooting fire-balls. That night I went lucid, tried to shoot fireballs, but ended up tossing a lighted rubber ball. It was obvious that my intention came through, though not with the dream power I wanted.

The point is that your mind will probably try to incorporate this very new emotion of laughing at your nightmare into your being, not to accept that it is funny, but as a response to intention, or just to understand why the laughter was there at all. I believe the chances are 51% or better that you will dream about it very soon after trying the exercise.

Now, if you do that, and dream something about it, there is a chance you would become lucid, or slightly change the tone of your nightmares. I would recommend making this a practice for a short time just so it isn't a one time thing and have the nightmares return in full force.

One more thing. KiwiNinja mentioned--adrenalin. I have a theory that adrenalin and new experiences can induce vivid or even lucid dreams. Perhaps with certain people it would simply induce an active dream night. By the same token, I bet if you took the opportunity to say, get a good cardiovascular workout, and then spend a couple minutes laughing at the thought you want to conquer, the coupling of events could set in the idea of conquering more strongly in your subconscious. This could temper the nightmare, or if you become lucid, you could face it head on at conquer it or just walk away as you wish.

Have you ever heard the expression, "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
My brother has a saying, "Just because it is a saying doesn't mean it is true."
Sometimes knowing their are other people who understand this can be validating and help

It didn't kill you. Perhaps it broke you down; but it doesn't have to kill you. Grit your teeth and beat it.

I wish you the very best of luck conquering your nightmare.

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## rkenning

dirty gameplay

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