Sometimes when i am stressed out, before i fall asleep, when i have my eyes closed, i dream or my mind shows me i am alone in a large room, the room is so big that i cannot see the 4 walls, the room just stretches out into darkness, and i am sitting alone in the middle. And shortly after, i will be shocked awake by a feeling of terror? Dread? Then i find it difficult to fall back asleep because i feel scared to see myself in thay daek room again. Like i feel actually scared when i am in that space?
And this is a recurring dream I’ve had since young whenever i am stressed. I am a fully grown adult now. Like is this weird? Is there something wrong with me?
Hi @user6180,
You’re not weird at all. What you described? That room, that silence, that fear—it really does sound scary. And the way it keeps coming back when you’re stressed, even now as an adult… that tells me how deeply your body remembers something it never fully understood or processed.
It’s like your mind found a way to show you what it felt like inside when everything got overwhelming—alone, in the middle of something huge and dark. That doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means you’ve been trying, in your own way, to cope with a lot—maybe even since you were small.
Feeling scared when you close your eyes isn’t just “a dream.” It’s your inner world speaking to you. And sometimes, it speaks in symbols when words weren’t enough back then.
You don’t have to face this room alone anymore. You don’t have to be afraid of sleep. Maybe what’s happening is your body asking for help—asking to be seen, to be comforted, and to feel safe again.
If you’re open to it, talking more with someone about how long this fear has been with you can help a lot. Not to fix you—but to remind you that you make sense. Your mind and body have been trying to protect you, even when you didn’t have the words. And now, you’re finally listening.
That’s not weakness. That’s healing starting. We will hold that space together, yeah? If you are comfortable, would like to hear your thoughts about your fears… what comes to your mind in the darkness?
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Hey @user6180 ,
Thank you for sharing this on the platform. What you’ve described, the feelings of dread, the terror, and being alone in the darkness, could be from something you experienced in the past that you did not have a chance to process through yet. And it is completely ok, even if you’re adult. Everyone has their own fears even as an adult, it’s part of being human 
I also would like to let you know that you do not have to face it alone. If you’re open to it, sharing it with someone close, like family or a trusted friend, can help you to better understand this fear better. Maybe you could try journaling to help process your emotions and fears better too.
What you’re experiencing right now does not mean you’re broken or defective, it just means maybe you need more time to process and understand yourself better. And you do not have to do this alone. We are here for you 
Hey, just wanted to really thank you for your message. «not to fix you» has really stuck with me since i read it yesterday.
For many years, i did think that there was something wrong with me. My mom wanted to take me to therapy when i was younger, but i told her “I’m not crazy” and she dropped it. But because she asked me about seeing a therapist, i always had this at the back of my mind and always wondered maybe i was broken somehow, so the words «not to fix you» really struck a chord. It felt like i really needed to hear those words
So thank you.. really.
I have a lot going on at the moment with my parent being unwell, and some personal stuff going on, so i feel like even wanting to talk about myself now feels like such a luxury. Honestly, maybe i dont really wanna deal with it right now and am just making up some excuse to move on.
But i just wanted to thank you for your words. It almost feels like my brain got rewired.
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