I've had two dreams that really upset me and I need help...someone please...

[Drunken Irishman]

I mean, I know there are various ways to interpret dreams, but I don't know what else to do.

Context: I was always extremely close with my grandparents. From birth to five, I lived with them. And from 12 to their deaths, I lived with them again. The time I spent not living with them, I was only a mile or so from their house. So to say they were an important part of my life is an understatement. I loved them. They loved me. They were awesome. We'd fight, but I think that's normal, you know?

Well grandpa went in 2002 and grandma in 2003. It was very painful for me and I still dream about them a lot. Most of the dreams involve them being alive and coming back from vacation (when the whole family thought they were dead). However, I've had these two dreams that have disturbed me. The first came a few months back. It was my grandparents' wedding anniversary. We were at a party and there were televisions hanging from the ceiling. Everyone was just relaxing and eating watching TV when my grandma ripped into me for my TV being loud. I don't recall everything she said, but it was very cruel and I remember waking up shaking because it was just so out of character.

The second dream happened last night. It was my grandpa's birthday and I walked up to him with a gift and gave it to him. He opened it, looked at it, looked at me and said something hurtful again (I don't exactly recall) and then dismissed me by saying I wasn't needed anymore.

Again, I awoke upset.

What in the world does this mean? Is it possible I feel like I've let my grandparents down somehow?

I don't know what to think, but it's been eating at me all day. The first I dismissed as a silly dream. But this reinforced that dream and now I'm left confused.

Anyone? Thanks in advance!

[lunatica]

1. I assume your grandparents would never talk to you like that

First off. Remember that the grandparents your subconscious constructs are not the real grandparents you had. Everything in YOUR dream is about you. It's about YOUR emotions mostly. Think of your emotions on steroids. That's what dreams are. Your rational mind isn't allowed in except in those times when you become conscious that you're dreaming.

The way you can figure out what the dream is really about is to remember how you feel emotionally in the dream. You're a kid in the dream so that tells you a lot about the dream. You feel confused, hurt, guilty for maybe doing something terribly wrong you can't figure out what, and you feel you're being rejected harshly by the very people who loved you the most. If you follow how you felt emotionally and follow those clues you might find out where the feelings come from. Are you not living up to your potential and in some way judging yourself harshly? Have you acted or done something lately that you aren't particularly proud of?

Also it's important to remember that your subconscious is really looking out for you. Something may be coming out that you've forgotten and your subconscious is bringing up for you to remember.

I hope this helps a little

[surrealAmerican]

2. It might be more ...

... that you feel like they've let you down (by dieing). They did the ultimate cruel thing: they left you, and are not coming back. In your waking life, you understand that they didn't die to hurt you. In your dreams you're angry.

[pitohui]

4. this is a good post on irrational anger in dreams

i've had dreams recently, as a woman of a certain age, where i just get up irrationally angry

could be hormones, could be anger that we all get older and we're going to die and as we love life we don't won't to let go of it

it isn't about your grandparents, necessarily, it could be about AGING

your younger self might be angry at your older self's expectations or vice versa

[Mugu]

3. Are you taking any medication?

My doctor prescribed an additional medication when the ones I was taking failed to keep my blood pressure down. After a few weeks I started having very disturbing dreams. The kind that make you get out of bed and find something else to do because you don't want to go back to sleep.

When I told the doctor about the dreams he ordered a blood test. The next morning I got a panicked call from the doctor telling me to immediately go to the pharmacy, get the prescription that he was calling in, and drink it before leaving the store. He later told me that he had never seen anybody survive the elevated level of potassium that I had.

Once my potassium levels returned to normal the dreams went away.

Good luck.