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More Vivid Dreaming During The COVID-19 Pandemic

:oops: I dreamed that the wife and I were having to look after Boris Johnson but he was only a toddler and looked like a cartoon. We discovered he had hearing-aid thingies in his ears that were electronic surveillance bugs and tried to dig them out of his waxy lugs! :freak:
A dream I know, but at least I hold enough humanity that I didn't slap him into unconsciousness.
 
I'm still getting very vivid dreams, mostly 'alternate lives' kind of stuff. I read somewhere recently that one theory is that we get more vivid dreams when feeling insecure - that would account for it, I guess, along with my lack of (remembered) dreams when I was broadly content with life.
 
:oops: I dreamed that the wife and I were having to look after Boris Johnson but he was only a toddler and looked like a cartoon. We discovered he had hearing-aid thingies in his ears that were electronic surveillance bugs and tried to dig them out of his waxy lugs! :freak:
A dream I know, but at least I hold enough humanity that I didn't slap him into unconsciousness.

I had a dream about him a couple of years ago, in connection with my faulty drain!
Described on a Dreams thread - Scargy's Unconscious At It Again
 
I had a strange dream last night. I was in Chesterfield, trying to find my way to the railway station. I was asking people in a bus queue for directions and some of them were wearing Covid-style facemasks.
I can't recall any more of the dream. I think the last time I visited Chesterfield was in 1997 when their football team reached the semi finals of the FA cup and there were reminders of it everywhere!
 
I’ve been having really intense dreams recently, including two last night - both of which woke me with a start!

The one that was more frightening involved me returning from an evening walk and disturbing a masked man on my driveway. He ran off when I approached him, but then bolted towards me, shouting and making threats (quite weird as I very seldom hear in my dreams).

I ran to my front door and dream logic expected it to be locked. Miraculously, it flew open and I managed to get in but then really struggled with locking the door... all the while the intruder’s face was pressed against the glass
 
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Just before the morning alarm, I was dreaming about going shopping with my late mother. She had paid for something with cash, and been given change, but then she leaned across the desk and stuffed the £5 note from the change back into the drawer of the till, and put the remaining coins, all except £1 that she handed to me, into a charity tin on the desk. She was saying something about not needling it. I know I was certainly grateful for the pound!
 
I've noticed an increasing trend in my dreams being about or involving firms I was employed in, regardless of location.
I run my own business, for years now, and in areas now completely unconnected with my old work places.
I wonder if it's a subconscious wish that I'm not in control of my employment. My mind is dreaming of the times that I was not responsible for things that "as a boss" I didn't have to worry about?
 
I had a not very vivid dream last night that involved being a suspect in a murder case. I wasn't guilty.
At least, not as far as I knew.
 
The alternative lives in my dreaming are getting so realistic it takes me some time to work out which are the real memories on waking up. Slightly disturbing, although thinking back I can remember similar happening during past periods of anxiety.

For years I used to get dreams that I was back at school. They were vivid as well.
 
Maybe I shouldn't ask this, but which do you like better, the alternative lives or your real life? I mean your real life under normal circumstances, not the covid warped version of your real life.
 
The alternative lives in my dreaming are getting so realistic it takes me some time to work out which are the real memories on waking up. Slightly disturbing, although thinking back I can remember similar happening during past periods of anxiety. ...

Some of my strongest and / or fondest memories originated in dreams. In the case of more vivid / lucid dreams I found it was useful to reflect on how I'd perceived things and acted in the dream rather than the 'stage settings' within which I'd found myself. In the privacy of a dream setting emotions, judgments and actions are free to unfold without second-guessing or self-conscious masking for the sake of social acceptability.

I think I've learned a lot about myself by reviewing how I behaved in the absence of 'real world' strictures or ramifications. In particular, I've found that how I feel about someone or some situation in the dream context is every bit as reliable - even more reliable - evidence of my true feelings than what I might take away from cumulative 'real world' experiences that may have been biased or distorted for the sake of 'real world' acceptability.
 
Mine are never so useful!

Well, maybe, if I found myself in a Chinese store, where all the goods were at a level I had to stretch to reach. The ground floor was occupied by gigantic sheep.

Three of them. No idea why it was dream-designated Chinese. The goods were not.

Come to think of it, I had speculated about adopting a red-roast recipe, using lamb in place of pork, to make it kosher. The dream was no help whatever!
 
I have likewise had frequent vivid dreams during the pandemic.

Often they are aspects clearly associated to something I have read or watched in relation to the latest news.

Sometimes, however, they are plain bizarre and really intense, such as the one I have not long awakened from.

{Dream}
It's during fantasy medieval times and I am entering the central public square in the city.

I am wearing a long coat made from animal fur and my right arm is outstretched in front.

I am holding aloft a staff which has a magnificent large gemstone atop.

It is radiant.

I am proclaiming that I now possess, 'The Power of Eeidholt' (eyed-olt).
{End}

On awakening, I knew exactly how it was spelled and pronounced.

I'm not sure how long the Power lasts or what it's capable of, however, best to be safe and don't annoy me for today or you might get zapped! :pitch:
 
Maybe I shouldn't ask this, but which do you like better, the alternative lives or your real life? I mean your real life under normal circumstances, not the covid warped version of your real life.
In my case, nothing much has changed. Just the addition of mask wearing.
 
... I am proclaiming that I now possess, 'The Power of Eeidholt' (eyed-olt). ...

Was this "Eeidholt" a completely new word or name in your experience?

(I'm asking because you didn't comment on its possible novelty, and I can't locate any example of the term as you spelled it.)

If so, this is a good example of being sufficiently lucid(?) to accept / adopt a totally new word as if it were already familiar.
 
I’ve been having really intense dreams recently, including two last night - both of which woke me with a start!

The one that was more frightening involved me returning from an evening walk and disturbing a masked man on my driveway. He ran off when I approached him, but then bolted towards me, shouting and making threats (quite weird as I very seldom hear in my dreams).

I ran to my front door and dream logic expected it to be locked. Miraculously, it flew open and I managed to get in but then really struggled with locking the door... all the while the intruder’s face was pressed against the glass

I had a very similar dream the night after, only this time Ian Brown of the Stone Roses lived next door to me and leapt over the garden fence during an argument about social distancing. He then entered my house and stole my vacuum cleaner before I threw him out and tried to lock the door.

I would hazard a guess I'm feeling pretty insecure at the moment!
 
Maybe I shouldn't ask this, but which do you like better, the alternative lives or your real life? I mean your real life under normal circumstances, not the covid warped version of your real life.
My real life. The dream ones seem to either be purely retrospective or demonstrate other ways that things can go wrong. They usually end up with me searching for something or someone I can't find. Which makes sense as I expect my most deep rooted current anxieties revolve around loneliness and financial insecurity.
 
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Was this "Eeidholt" a completely new word or name in your experience?

(I'm asking because you didn't comment on its possible novelty, and I can't locate any example of the term as you spelled it.)
Absolutely - this was fresh in memory as I awoke at that exact point and immediately made note of it.

Bizarre now you mention, because I had a compulsion to record both the correct spelling and pronunciation.

I also noticed this meant Eeidholt 'had a silent 'h'... still, that's how it was pronounced.

Can I make a connection with anything recently in my thoughts...

I believe so and it relates to something I coincidentally mentioned in a Troll's Head post - I have been reading Viking history and especially taken by names of their famous warriors.

Seems a fair assumption that's why it sounds Scandinavian.

I would surmise my 'mind' created the name and suggested writing it down, with correct spelling and punctuation, before I forgot, because it was superbly befitting!

You added:

"If so, this is a good example of being sufficiently lucid(?) to accept / adopt a totally new word as if it were already familiar" .

How intriguing...

Having explained the above, would that still apply now?

Seems alright to myself...

The gist of the dream sequence is as vivid now as then. I was powerfully striding into the medieval city square, a small band of surviving, battle weary yet victorious, warrior companions behind and ready to triumphantly declare..

'Behold The Power of Eeidholt, for I have come to rid you of this evil...'.
 
You added:
"If so, this is a good example of being sufficiently lucid(?) to accept / adopt a totally new word as if it were already familiar" .
How intriguing...
Having explained the above, would that still apply now? ...

I would say "yes" ... Whether the word was dredged up from some long-forgotten experience or synthesized from scratch, it illustrates how one can impose sense (in this case, recognition or familiarity) upon things encountered in dreams. Even if a 'real world' word match were found it doesn't necessarily prove you must have encountered the word before. A few examples of such dream-words have been posted in:

Lexicon From Dreams
https://forums.forteana.org/index.php?threads/lexicon-from-dreams.51601/

In some cases we've found 'real world' matches, but not in others. Even when a match was found it wasn't clear whether or how the word fit its use or invocation within the dream.

NOTE: With regard to "Eeidholt" ... Some cursory searching turned up a few references to Eidholt as a family name. There were many more mentions of the family name Leidholt, often rendered as L'eidholt / L'Eidholt. These all appeared to relate to Scandinavian / Germanic ancestry.
 
I dreamed the other night of my late aunt. She handed me a letter, being unable to speak to me for some reason. The letter said how much she loved me and missed me, and I cried on reading it.

We didn't have that close a relationship in real life, and it's not really something she would have done, but it was lovely anyway!
 
Crazy... I have not long awakened from a Sunday afternoon nap, during which I had the most vivid dream that can directly be attributed to the pandemic.

Beforehand, I was reading an article about the latest developments within care homes. Note that on the, 'Humour and Jokes' thread, I also recently highlighted a certain Catherine Tate persona.


I am in a city centre, tall, office-type building and mistakenly end up on a floor where there are elderly people, receiving nursing care.

It's a communal rest room and I make friends with them, chatting to the extent I will miss the last public transport home.

As I live on the city outskirts, an expensive taxi beckons and that's if I can get one in the city centre, late at night.

A nurse kindly offers a cup of tea and realise I am now really hungry.

If only I could be mistaken for a patient, then...

Decide I'm going to try and get a bed for the night and hopefully something to eat.

A bearded chap appears and sits across from myself. He's a psychiatrist and says:

'I don't believe there's anything wrong with you'.

Damn... busted.

However, he adds:

'In fact, I think you could go home right now'.

So, he hasn't sussed I'm not a patient?

He continues:

'You're not stupid, are you'?

I wonder if I might be able to imply some confusion here and respond:

'You're highly qualified, but there are people even more qualified, does that mean you are stupid'?

Clearly irritated, he starts on a rant about the value of psychiatry...

Suddenly, I come up with an idea to both disrupt and buy myself more time.

I will do a 'Lauren' on him.

'Are you a psychiatrist'?

'Are you'?

'Are you really'?

'A psychiatrist are we, sir'?

'Sir, are you a psychiatrist...'?

He ultimately gives in, we have a stare-off and I make a compromise suggestion.

'I will agree to leave first thing in the morning and sign whatever papers you want. How about that...a deal'?

I will never know, as I woke up then. :)
 
This morning I woke up after having been very irate with numerous dream characters for standing too close and not wearing their masks!
Idiots! :incan:
 
I dreamed the other night of my late aunt. She handed me a letter, being unable to speak to me for some reason. The letter said how much she loved me and missed me, and I cried on reading it.

We didn't have that close a relationship in real life, and it's not really something she would have done, but it was lovely anyway!
On a very similar theme, last night I experienced the most vivid and detailed dream I have had for a long time, if ever. I dreamt of an ex from 30 years ago, who I have not thought about for years, so it was completely out of the blue. An incredibly long dream full of conversation and other astonishing details of time place and events - I won't bore you with the full script.
There was a very very strong physical mutual attraction with this ex, but over the years we were together she attempted to become very controlling and then bitter. I could understand why since she had suffered terrible physical and mental abuse in her previous marriage, but inevitably because of this, our thing together ended. In my dream she was very contrite and upset about us ending , which( as catseye's post) was not how she was in real life. She wanted us to start again, but thankfully I refused this time! A bizarre dream indeed.
 
I received the current FT on a Saturday, but started to read it a bit later. Looking quickly at it, I read a sentence on dreaming about surgical masks. The night after, I had one of those dreams where no one was wearing masks in buses and I was annoyed and fearful about it. In seven or eight months, I had only another dream featuring masks and it I had it around August. It is when the skill of lucid dreaming comes really handy.
 
Long and involved dream last night that left me awake for a while, but it ended with me going to the bottom of my road and seeing a swamp, which on further examination was a beach. There was someone with me (a woman - who, though?) who told me to look up and the sky had turned to a moonlit night where people were flying around, some on broomsticks like witches, I noticed. But the moonlight became too intense and they started dropping like flies, landing on the sand and rapidly decomposing, leaving us picking our way through the corpses, whereupon I made my exit from dreamland.

Incredibly vivid - looks like we're headed for another Lockdown.
 
Early this morning I was dreaming that I was in bed, early in the morning, on the phone to someone from Dstl at Porton Down because we were due to have a meeting, but he wanted to have a separate meeting for an hour beforehand. (Disclaimer: I do actually work with people from Dstl, and have visited Porton Down on a few occasions). I was telling him that was impossible because there wasn't enough time for that, considering I was still in bed. Then all of a sudden I was in a car driving to Salisbury, and I got there early and had to wait at somebody's house. Even within the dream, considering I 'knew' it was about 9am, I was looking at the time going "How am I here? It's two hours to Salisbury. There's physically not enough time!" It finished off with me going into the house where I was waiting for the meeting, which turned into a children's daycare somehow. Weird.

What was a bit more weird is that, having had a work-related dream, I was actually IN work this morning when 2 colleagues walked in discussing their weird work-related dreams from last night. V had been dreaming that she was working on Coxiella, which is actually what G does, and G was dreaming that the other postgraduate M was removing her equipment from the cabinet in which it's kept and wouldn't desist, so she was beating him up (at which point, apparently, in reality she kicked the dog off the bed!)
 
Science Friday on NPR offered this segment on their show today: Why COVID Dreams Are Weirder Than Normal
There's an interesting distinction made between anxiety dreams, and trauma dreams. Some of the dreams posted in this thread have definitely been trauma dreams. :(


https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/covid-dreams/
"Standing in a crowded room and realizing nobody is wearing a mask. A family dog that has passed away protectively guarding grandkids. Having a pleasant get-together with someone you haven’t thought of in years, then suddenly realizing everyone is a little too close, and a little too sick.
Do any of these instances sound familiar? A few weeks ago, we asked Science Friday listeners if their dreams have changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We heard from many listeners who said yes, their dreams have become more vivid, with elements of the pandemic included."

If you wish to, it's still possible (as of today, October 23) to participate in the scientist's survey and share your weird dreams!
 
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