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Medical Side-effects
When taking medication, some of them warn about having disturbing thoughts as a side-effect. What exactly would be considered 'disturbing'? And if the side-effect is prolonged, what are the risks, especially if they started at an early age?
I don't know. A therapist would be better able to help you analyze that.
Maybe subconsciously you feel some aggression towards your cat. Maybe destroying something good and precious makes you feel powerful or in control. Maybe it's an indirect attack on yourself. ?? Maybe you feel you may be too assertive in life. ??
I can't really comprehend the situation to be able to even put ideas out there. In my dreams I always use to be the person being persecuted. My issues were/ are about trust, vulnerability, fear, etc. I had a dream when I was very young about a proprietor of a remote hotel killing all his guests and putting their organs in preserving jars. Rows and rows of jars. Go figure.
Maybe yours is even about the same issues?? Your confidence in your ability to care for yourself or your cat. Fear of not living up to expectations.
Maybe you just feel your cat is demanding too much of you.
Don't be ashamed of your dreams. Embrace them and learn from them.
If you are ashamed of your dreams does that mean that you are ashamed of yourself? If so, then maybe you need to work on learning to accept yourself.
I often feel like a moron or a complete idiot for saying some of the things I say. Maybe they're not all that intelligent or sensitive but holding onto them doesn't help. They make me feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed, humiliated, crushed but I think most people just accept them (the words, the dreams, the self-judgments) and move on. Ruminating on past events can rob you of everything that matters. Your self-respect, your self-confidence, your ability to live your life now. Everything!
You haven't actually physically killed your cat so you don't have anything to stress over. Dreaming it doesn't mean you will do it either.
I think it could be helpful if you went back and re-read what the doctor wrote.
Maybe you could ask yourself what you are avoiding and what you are ashamed of.
Sometimes it is only after awhile that the doctors comments do start to make some sense. He seems intelligent enough so it could be useful using his comments as a base, or guide, to work from.
Shame, I think, often comes back to us feeling insecure about ourselves and our identity (or lack of).
I don't have the skill or experience to make interpretations. I'm well out of my depth here.
If you still feel really stuck you could always ask the doctor another question. I don't know if he minds or not. I sense he likes the continuity though and perhaps even likes to follow people on their journey's. It could also be a useful tool for himself too to refine what does and doesn't work.
Maybe subconsciously you feel some aggression towards your cat. Maybe destroying something good and precious makes you feel powerful or in control. Maybe it's an indirect attack on yourself. ?? Maybe you feel you may be too assertive in life. ??
I can't really comprehend the situation to be able to even put ideas out there. In my dreams I always use to be the person being persecuted. My issues were/ are about trust, vulnerability, fear, etc. I had a dream when I was very young about a proprietor of a remote hotel killing all his guests and putting their organs in preserving jars. Rows and rows of jars. Go figure.
Maybe yours is even about the same issues?? Your confidence in your ability to care for yourself or your cat. Fear of not living up to expectations.
Maybe you just feel your cat is demanding too much of you.
Don't be ashamed of your dreams. Embrace them and learn from them.
If you are ashamed of your dreams does that mean that you are ashamed of yourself? If so, then maybe you need to work on learning to accept yourself.
I often feel like a moron or a complete idiot for saying some of the things I say. Maybe they're not all that intelligent or sensitive but holding onto them doesn't help. They make me feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed, humiliated, crushed but I think most people just accept them (the words, the dreams, the self-judgments) and move on. Ruminating on past events can rob you of everything that matters. Your self-respect, your self-confidence, your ability to live your life now. Everything!
You haven't actually physically killed your cat so you don't have anything to stress over. Dreaming it doesn't mean you will do it either.
I think it could be helpful if you went back and re-read what the doctor wrote.
Maybe you could ask yourself what you are avoiding and what you are ashamed of.
Sometimes it is only after awhile that the doctors comments do start to make some sense. He seems intelligent enough so it could be useful using his comments as a base, or guide, to work from.
Shame, I think, often comes back to us feeling insecure about ourselves and our identity (or lack of).
I don't have the skill or experience to make interpretations. I'm well out of my depth here.
If you still feel really stuck you could always ask the doctor another question. I don't know if he minds or not. I sense he likes the continuity though and perhaps even likes to follow people on their journey's. It could also be a useful tool for himself too to refine what does and doesn't work.
But how would you explain dreaming of slitting the throat of your precious cat? I have no ill will against him - he hasn't even bothered me. It's dreams like this that I am ashamed of having.
I think medication can effect dream pattern ..but then maybe we are too quick to attribute side-effects to medication.
Maybe that is a way of expressing yourself in a medium that has minimal consequences. It almost sounds like you may be trying to exert control.
I think the shame and the content of the dream are separate issues. Maybe it's shame over the lack of control or discipline you exhibit in your dreams??
It's possible that you may have picked some material up subconsciously from someone else.
I had a dream once that this man got covered in tar from a tar truck. He was loaded into the back of an ambulance and I was told he died of a heart attack. I was surprised because I just assumed it would have been from burns. I read a similar article in the paper a few days later. Who knows what goes on in our heads at times.
It's possible you feel that someone may be treating you or has treated you very badly.
Dreams are often symbolic. You may see themes in them that mirror your own life.
Maybe you also feel ashamed of bad stuff in your own life??
Maybe the shame also distinguishes between what you know to be right and wrong.
I don't know, dreams can be confusing. You may come up with some insights if you explore it a bit. You can play with it and have fun with it, it doesn't all have to be serious.
I'm glad your friends still love you. :) Quirks, etc make us interesting. Embrace them.
J
Maybe that is a way of expressing yourself in a medium that has minimal consequences. It almost sounds like you may be trying to exert control.
I think the shame and the content of the dream are separate issues. Maybe it's shame over the lack of control or discipline you exhibit in your dreams??
It's possible that you may have picked some material up subconsciously from someone else.
I had a dream once that this man got covered in tar from a tar truck. He was loaded into the back of an ambulance and I was told he died of a heart attack. I was surprised because I just assumed it would have been from burns. I read a similar article in the paper a few days later. Who knows what goes on in our heads at times.
It's possible you feel that someone may be treating you or has treated you very badly.
Dreams are often symbolic. You may see themes in them that mirror your own life.
Maybe you also feel ashamed of bad stuff in your own life??
Maybe the shame also distinguishes between what you know to be right and wrong.
I don't know, dreams can be confusing. You may come up with some insights if you explore it a bit. You can play with it and have fun with it, it doesn't all have to be serious.
I'm glad your friends still love you. :) Quirks, etc make us interesting. Embrace them.
J
The odd thing is, I've probably only watched 10 or less rated R movies in my life - some were even edited. To have come up with them (my dreams) by myself even concerned my psychology teacher. If this is a good thing, why does it seem so uncommon amongst my peers?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
disturbing dreams are actually quite good for you if you remind yourself that they are just dreams, creations by your brain that ask you to think about some things that you are avoiding. In your last post, you can use the dream experience to ask yourself an important question..what are you ashamed of? Work on that.
I would not consider dreams to be a side effect of the medication, but instead an opening to learn more about why you are taking medications in the first place.
I would not consider dreams to be a side effect of the medication, but instead an opening to learn more about why you are taking medications in the first place.
What about disturbing dreams? Although I have a morbid sense of humor, I've had several dreams that are not only violent, but also a bit inhumane, enough to feel ashamed of having dremt them. I've told some of them to my friends, and they think I'm nuts, but they still love me (thank goodness).
I'm not entirely sure about the answers.
By disturbed I would probably think: obsessions, safety issues (suicide, self-harm, homicide), psychotic stuff. I expect the list could include quite a few things. Sometimes people are able to discern for themselves what may or may not be 'disturbing' and need to trust their own judgments in relation to this. If you have any doubts or concerns you should discuss them with a doctor or therapist.
If they were prolonged they could be lethal (depending on what they are or were). They could cause a huge amount of suffering and disability. They could become entrenched, etc. Which could increase a person's risk of depression and anxiety. I would expect they could cause one to become non-compliant with medication which could have negative consequences.
The doctor uses the word 'defeated' a bit. Prolonged exposure of disturbing or negative thoughts could leave you feeling defeated, hopeless, helpless, etc.
If I relate this to myself I would say that you become overwhelmed and increasingly unwell. The thoughts can be vented in unhealthy and unhelpful ways and also through negative and self-destructive behaviors.
Psychological effect? Perhaps many, many more defenses (maybe even primitive).
Psychotherapy is a good tool and I would strongly encourage anyone who feels 'damaged' (again one of the doctors words) to engage in therapy with a qualified and experienced therapist.
I hope this helps.
J
By disturbed I would probably think: obsessions, safety issues (suicide, self-harm, homicide), psychotic stuff. I expect the list could include quite a few things. Sometimes people are able to discern for themselves what may or may not be 'disturbing' and need to trust their own judgments in relation to this. If you have any doubts or concerns you should discuss them with a doctor or therapist.
If they were prolonged they could be lethal (depending on what they are or were). They could cause a huge amount of suffering and disability. They could become entrenched, etc. Which could increase a person's risk of depression and anxiety. I would expect they could cause one to become non-compliant with medication which could have negative consequences.
The doctor uses the word 'defeated' a bit. Prolonged exposure of disturbing or negative thoughts could leave you feeling defeated, hopeless, helpless, etc.
If I relate this to myself I would say that you become overwhelmed and increasingly unwell. The thoughts can be vented in unhealthy and unhelpful ways and also through negative and self-destructive behaviors.
Psychological effect? Perhaps many, many more defenses (maybe even primitive).
Psychotherapy is a good tool and I would strongly encourage anyone who feels 'damaged' (again one of the doctors words) to engage in therapy with a qualified and experienced therapist.
I hope this helps.
J
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