Does anyone else have these rapid dreams (ie lots of bad dreams all in one night) and is it possible for parts to dream or come out in dreams?
-Yes, every month or so. I have kept a dream log for years but am still not able to keep track of more than about 5 in one night. My psychologist explained there are different levels of cococonsiousness. It may start out as a dream or nightmare I don’t remember or as a flashback that is so painful the only way my mind will let me experience it is through one of my alters. I may or may not even be aware I dissociated. As the walls that protected me from my childhood trauma began to come down, I begin to remember bits and pieces of my dreams or have a slightly coconsious experience of the flashback as an observer (much like watching a movie). My mind allows me to see my alter experience the memories and feelings from a safe vantage point without actually feeling the emotions or knowing what it is about.
-I dream during the first half of the night (NonREM sleep) and my female alter dreams the second (REM sleep), so I tend to have night terrors and she tends to have nightmares (See below). I am occasionally coconscious during her dreams but they are all from her perspective with her as the main character. Although I generally remember her dreams, I seldom have any idea what her nightmares are about.
Re: nightmares and night terrors
There is a significant difference between the two. Nightmares are vivid dream with an intense feeling of fear and/or dread often related to threats to safety or survival. They occur in people of all ages. Night terrors are partial arousals from sleep during which an individual may shout, thrash their arms, kick, or scream. They are rare in adults and often caused by psychological condition, including bipolar & depressive disorder and PTSD.
Nightmares occurs late in the sleep cycle during REM sleep. Night Terrors occur during the first few hours of sleep (most commonly about 90 minutes after falling asleep), it most likely has occurred during the early short wave period during non-REM sleep.
A person who wakes up after a nightmare will remember the dream in detail, be able to think clearly and will have feelings of fear or anxiety and will often have difficulty falling back to sleep. It is generally considered best not to wake up a person who is having a night terror unless s/he is in danger. A person who wakes up after a night terror will appear confused, be unaware of the presence of others in the room and will often immediately return to sleep.
http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-the-Difference-Between-Nightmares-and-Night-Terrors
