Violent dreams/fantasies

[PsCasino]

This is a problem i've never discussed openly before. Now the more introspective I become the less healthy it seems and it may actually be quite dangerous.
I've had violent dreams near enough constantly for about 3-4 years, they usually involve me attacking a haunting figure from my childhood and severely hurting them. The whole time i'm punching, kicking, stabbing or torturing (they are very vivid and EXTREMELY violent) them I feel happy. Not a sadistic pleasurable feeling but definately more positive than I should feel acting like that. I'm not a particularly violent person but i've been subjected to violence for a large portion of my life. I'm just wondering if anybody else experiences these types of dreams? I mean, revenge fantasies are fairly common I'd imagine but I feel I can never make peace with my past and get on with my life while these serve as haunting reminders of the sh*t I once had to go through.

[Stellata]

Not as dreams, but as fantasies.
I work them through in therapy, to understand them better.
This helps make me feel safer with these feelings.
Remember that they are dreams and fantasies, representing what is happening in your unconscious. You don't have to act on them. It is your mind giving you clear messages about how you feel about what happened to you.
Are you in therapy at the moment? Because that could really help. You would need to see a therapist who works with your internal dynamics though, like a psychodynamic therapist, rather than CBT, though.

Drawing and writing down these dreams and fantasies can also help, it relieves some of the pressure in your psyche.

[treYint]

I suffer from dreams and fantasies like that, from time to time. I agree completely with ~longing~tears~.
Good luck with it all. PM if you need anyone to talk to.
Trynt

[Morpheus]

i have violent dreams and fantasies too.. always about the same person who caused me alot of hurt in the past.. dreams that scares the **** out of me because i normally dont see myself as a violent person either.. but my therapist told me that its not that unusual for people whos been through the same sort of things as i have.. i would suggest trying to write down the dreams and talk to a therapist about them.. i've found that very helpful..
take care of yourself..