h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I didn't feel like cluttering the Atelier with this one, so please respond as you have time otherwise...

Imagine if you will a dimension where time and space coalesce, where thought and manifestation are simultaneous, where reality teeters on the brink of the surreal, or perhaps the other way around. You’ve just entered…The Shadowlands!

That sounds like a corny intro teaser to a Sci-Fi series, yet I find myself living it. Over the last couple of days I’ve been experiencing visual “snapshots” from out of my dreams. Here I am, just cruising along in my daily life activities and some sight or sound triggers a half-second glimpse into a dream sequence that I can recall having within the last few years. The images impinge upon my cognitive waking thoughts, slipping in at the oddest moments, lasting for a split-second [long enough for me to identify the fact I’ve dreamt this previously], then fading into grey and dispersing into nothingness, leaving me back in the moment I’m currently living. It’s gotten to the point of being a veritable distraction!

Even as I’ve written this, I’ve encountered this “un-lucid dream state” and it’s caused me to pause several times to gather myself to proceed. On the threads of Lil’s Atelier we’ve talked about dreams, their possible meanings, how to prepare for lucid dreaming, and various sleep disorders and suggested remedies. I’m not certain if the latter problem is the problem, but something is causing the images formerly conjured in my subconscious sleep periods to extrude themselves into my waking life. At present, it’s only a minor distraction; if it continues to gain momentum, though, I may be in need of some clinical help.

Have any of you ever dealt with something like this? Effectively and successfully? What spurred it into being in your life, and how did you combat it? What actions worked, and what supposed remedies did nothing to dispel the problem. You see, I do perceive it as a problem. It may be all well-and-good for the FX crew on a movie to conjure vivid, chaotic “flashback” images to intensify the drama of a storyline or provide hints to unravel the mystery plaguing the protagonist. Yet, for me, it’s not feasible to have to deal with unreal images while trying to navigate through normal daily life. Especially not where I work.

So… I’ll try to keep my wits about me while I wait for the collective advice from the broad range of Salonistas to pour in.

B4ifindoutiamclimbingJacob’sLadder

Well, in my days of yore, when I were a bad lad, a long long time ago (no really, it was a long time ago) I partook of a squirt of not LDS. The trip was phenominal. However, I felt a certain connection to a universal awareness or something like that, but then I had a flash forward. I "remembered" something that night that would take place a week later. I can't explain it, and I won't try. But I wonder if your seeing parts of your dreams might be a similar situation.

B4 - I have had this too, although not as regularly as you seem to be having it. I have not had non LDS so I can't comment on Marv.

What I have found is that in times of particular stress, or when I'm having trouble sleeping soundly. I say sleeping soundly because I will go to sleep just fine, sleep through the night and never remember waking up, however I won't be rested.

So, in times like the ones above, I find myself getting those snapshots. The sudden feeling that I've dreamt or done this action/meeting/conversation before.

I've read some scientific studies that actually equate this with a memory hic cough. Basically, they say that the short term and long term memory get confused and the mind is thinking that what is in the short term memory cache (happening now), is actually from long term memory.

I don't know if I have a recommendation other than get some rest, and try to relax. I know that you have had major stress and this may be a manifestation of it.

If you have never tried meditation, you might think about it. Sitting down, relaxing and clearing the mind, might allow you to identify these things, and try to get a handle on them.

Courtesy

Well, Marv, you've got me there. When I was a younger lad, I learned a bit about not oregano and some of its near and far kin. That's been almost thirty years ago, and I'd hate to think it's just now deciding to play devilish little tricks on me.

One thing I didn't mention in the main body of this post is the frequency I've been beset by these ephemeral images from my dreams. It seems they occur a half-dozen or so times an hour now. I determined to keep track of them, at least by the time of each occurrence, in a notepad. If I can hang onto any of the details surrounding the trigger and the associated image, I'll jot that down, as well. So far: 1735, 1738, 1748. Perhaps a pattern will appear. Or at least, I'll get some kind of handle on how blitheringly severe this is becoming.

B4iuseupawholenoetpad

You've done me a great courtesy, Courtesy, in making me see the obvious. Okay, I'll formally admit here and now that my Dad's death and the sudden change in jobs has played havoc with my normal peaceful demeanor. I'll give the meditation a try, or at least the semblance of being quiet and still while letting my mind slough off the stress and focusing on some one thing or nothing in particular.

B4ihave2call4theJawsofLifetountanglemylegs

Bit like DeJa Vous in reverse then,these times in one day or consecative days,mind you did go through a stage of recalling the dream I was dreaming just before I woke up, or be awake enought to control the direction of it.

What sort of poetry have you been writing ,recently has that altered much ?

Sychronicity while you where posting to me i was to you ,you where answering the question this is slightly better same subject
http://www.morewriting.co.uk/viewwork.php?t=745

B4, I wish I had some words of wisdom for you. I suspect Courtesy is correct and it is stress related. This is a difficult time for you on several fronts.

I have experienced similar incidents to what you are describing, but not on a regular basis. And always when I was in a somewhat altered state. I don't know if it is the same thing or not. Is it possible that it is your subconscious trying to give you a message?

Not Oregano won't do what you describe, nor will Not LDS. The only thing I've seen is cool little patterns and weird images, which is more a learned response from having consumed those chemicals than any residue from them... if you know what I mean.

I think Courtesy has got it right. You're stressed, you've just lost your pop, and your job is bringing you down. You need a vacation. I'd take a week off, if I were you, and go do something naturalistic. Like hiking in the mountains, or river rafting, or just camping at a nearby state park. Bring plenty of beer and EZ Cheese.

I see 'ghosts' when I'm stressed. Out of the corner of my eye I will see - let's see - it's usually a cat or kitten, but sometimes a whole person, or a tree (right in the middle of the living-room!). When I look at 'it' full on it isn't there (or turns out to be a pattern on the carpet or a towel hanging over a door). I did ask a doctor about it once, and he says the brain plays merry tricks with your visual cortex when you are under stress - the primitive pre-verbal part of your brain interprets stress as being chased by a bear, so is highly alert looking out for stuff, and therefore interprets the slightest flicker of light as 'something' - usually something you've been seeing or thinking about a lot (hence dream sequences popping back up) because *that* would be the bear - you'd be thinking about the bear a lot, wouldn't you? And it's not as if the primitive brain 'knows' what a bear looks like, so anything that's preoccupying you must be it. When my Mum had cancer (she's fine now) I was absolutely surrounded by ghosts of her (and cats. I admit the persistant cats are weird). When my grandmother died I saw her for weeks. I still do occasionally.

Either that or I really am psychic and something really spooky and unpleasant will end the film...

On the other hand, while I second the holiday suggestion, if it doesn't ease up over the next few days I would mention it to a doctor, especially if it's interfering with being able to do stuff.

And have a .

Thank you, Lentilla and Agapanthus, for recommending some time off. We do have a three-day break coming up soon, so I'll try to make the most of it by doing less. In other words, I'll conscientiously let myself relax a bit.

Hugs back to you all. And thank you, Hypatia, for sharing your experience. It makes me realize I ain't alone in this; it could happen to anyone. Now I've got to take some small action to let the stress go and allow myself to return to "normal", or whatever passes for it in my little corner of the world.

Bless y'all for your assistance.

B4thosedarncatscropupagain

And sabretooth tigers. I've read that we're also hardwired to notice subtle changes in ambient noise. Have you ever noticed when the fridge or the a/c goes off, leaving a sudden deafening silence? Or the birds all stop singing. They're possibly going quiet because a hawk has flown overhead.

For us, I understand, it's a sensitivity to the sound of claws scraping on the rock as that extremely large predator makes ready to pounce on us.

> I see 'ghosts' when I'm stressed. Out of the corner of my eye I will see - let's see - it's usually a cat or kitten, but sometimes a whole person, or a tree (right in the middle of the living-room!). When I look at 'it' full on it isn't there (or turns out to be a pattern on the carpet or a towel hanging over a door).

Yeah, I do too. It's usually when my eyes are tired. I don't always see things as they are - I'll see a splash of color or light/dark, and my eye will translate it into a bird, or hand, or whatever weird thing it resembles. I have to look really hard and concentrate to get the image to resolve back into what it really is. It comes from being a right-brained thinker. I also get sliding images out of the corner of my eye, which my brain tells me are bugs crawling across the floor. They aren't - they're just floaters, but I keep looking, just the same.

> In other words, I'll conscientiously let myself relax a bit.

Good plan! Go see a movie or something. Go get drunk. I still think camping is the best relaxation ever, because you're away from the phones, the television, the radio, and the computer. The world could end and the only way you'd know is the mushroom cloud over the horizon. Comforting thought, I know!

Okay, the situation is stabilized. I've done things that relax me. I've worked odd jobs around the house: hauled dirt from the pile on our front lawn into the back yard for my wife to plant things in; learned to use our Little Giant ladder; swept out under the eaves at our front door, second story up, standing on the new ladder; changed the blown out bulbs up there, as well, with long-lasting fluorescents; took down an older model brown & bronze fan from the kitchen ceiling, and put up a new white & brushed chrome fan; used old fan to supplant a light fixture downstairs in the game room/walk-out basement, thus providing much more light and air circulation; went to a BBQ for a family in our church fellowship that will move to Iowa in a couple of weeks; removed a broken stub of a bulb from the laundry room light fixture and put in a new bulb.

And I've been taking some medication that's supposed to help with depression. My wife talked with our family practice and they supplied me with enough samples to last until I can go in for a check-up. Marvelous woman, my wife. She'd noticed a definite change in my personality--for the worse.

I was moody and irritable, losing sleep, sore and achy, and generally terse in all my conversations. I hadn't owned up to it yet, until about a week ago. So she took some action in her way, and I took some action in my way. With the combination effort, I'm seeing a great relief.

Let me thank y'all again for your inputs. You got me to answer a couple of questions for myself honestly, and start making a plan to get better, rather than just wallowing in it. Anyway, since I started taking some positive steps, the image flashes have subsided, from every few minutes to almost none. I have had a few flashes of imagery, but it's now back to normal thought connections tied with appropriate analogies to the situation at hand. Much better!

Oh, and I have had a couple of brews along the way, too. Just another part of the therapy...

B4younoticeiamcompletelyback2norbal

Great to hear B4.

Courtesy

Yup - my hubby went through the same thing a few months ago, and it took activity to jar him out of his viscous circle.

It's not surprising that you're going through some depression. It's perfectly normal, and in time you'll grow out of it. Alcohol can be a depressant, so be careful - but it's also good to hang out at the pub with your buddies.

Yay! I'm glad you figured it out, B4 - and remember, normality is an abnormal state. Nobody is completely normal. It's like being average - who has 2.4 kids?

Today was another day of good personal therapy, right here at w*rk. Cleaned up in an the Bulk Chemicals [acid & caustic] Piping Room; very conscientious not to breathe any dust we were sweeping up.
Placed 16 non-skid appliques on the stairs going to the lower level from Health Physics access; nice, straight, even, and safe.
Had lunch; jalapeno bologna on multi-grain crackers, nice read apple, and a mug of tea [cold].
Laid out 15 bags of cypress bark mulch along the sidewalk leading into the Service Building in order to beautify it; raking it all out evenly was a good physical and mental exercise.
Finished the day assisting a furniture move to a second floor Training Annex; stood on the edge of the double-doors, overlooking the drop, harnessed in a fall restraint, and guided a forklift to deposit the items on the lip of the doorway so we could stage them for tomorrow.

Yeah, I'm getting along fine again. Back on stride, enjoying the sunshine, having fun with my new 'former' job. The dream flashes have been dispelled and my focus it back to norbal.

Thanks for your encouragement. Time to close this thread down.

B4allthefestivitiesconcludeintheAtelier

cant close it yet not untill this " norbal."degree thingy is quantified

since i had not heard the word before had to look it up ,
[NORBAL presents statistics showing the number of awarded doctoral degrees and the number of doctoral students since 1990. The site also shows the distribution according to gender and field of science and the age of doctors at the time they earned their degree.]

Me, I'm worried about those viscous circles that lentilla's significant other is trapped in. Nasty.