Do people on the spectrum dream more vividly than NTs?

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CockneyRebel
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20 Feb 2018, 11:37 pm

Most of my dreams are very vivid and colourful. They're also very memorable as well.


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21 Feb 2018, 4:15 am

i don't think most people here are overly familiar with how NTs dream, but i have talked with my NT girlfriend about her dreams and they're pretty much always as vivid as mine.


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21 Feb 2018, 4:25 pm

Great question!

NTs have told me that they don't always remember their dreams, and that NTs are "struck" as to how well I've articulated my dreams. I also periodically recall imagery in that half-asleep/half awake state. My WP avatar is one example.

In searching for a study that specifically assessed how people with (AS) may dream differently than NTs, I only came across a study on how hearing impairment may influence dreams. After reading the study, it may be possible to draw parallels to dream patterns with (AS).

Hearing Loss Have More Vivid Dreams.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dr ... vid-dreams



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23 Feb 2018, 6:28 am

Joe90 wrote:
I mostly dream about my fears, like spiders, fires, death of a loved one, embarrassing myself in public, being around people with norovirus, colonoscopies or smear tests, school bells, being bullied, and there's probably more I can't think of at present.

I also dream about things that are on my mind, or just everyday things, like work, family, friends, travelling, etc.
Also I write stories a lot, and so sometimes I dream of the characters in my stories, it's like watching a video of my own stories!

Then I dream of weird things, like being back at school, or rollercoasters. Yes, nearly every night, no matter what my dream is about, a rollercoaster ride sneaks it's way into my dream for some reason. And I dream that I'm on it, going down very fast tracks and going upside down. I love going on rollercoasters, I don't fear them, but I'm always dreaming about them. I don't understand why. :?

But, to answer the thread, yes I do dream vividly enough to remember them each morning. I read somewhere that deep thinkers and anxious people with big imaginations dream more vividly, and I'm a deep thinker and an anxious person with a big imagination.



This sounds A LOT like me

I see some of my paintings in my dreams or dream up some of my next paintings. And just dream about a whole bunch of stuff.

Maybe it's just my imagination


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23 Feb 2018, 6:32 am

vest9 wrote:
Yes always had vivid dreams, all kinds of weird stuff:blue meringues, lavatories that are public without walls, gory dreams, being stuck in a tower, psychedelic stuff. Usually feel exhausted and anxious when I wake up, it certainly is not a restful nights sleep. It's like existing in a parallel universe.



Ugh! Yes!
I find my dreams very tiring. They can affect me all day or even all week depending on how weird/traumatic they are.

I also love them because I feel like it makes me more creative or see the world differently. Double edged sword.


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23 Feb 2018, 6:39 am

JustFoundHere wrote:
Great question!

NTs have told me that they don't always remember their dreams, and that NTs are "struck" as to how well I've articulated my dreams. I also periodically recall imagery in that half-asleep/half awake state. My WP avatar is one example.



I can recall images, numbers, people (I've dreamt of dead family who I've never met), nearly the exact colour schemes.

But it seems not all NDs or people on the spectrum have vivid dreams, though I think my Ma is a ND and she vividly dreams just like me so that's why I thought it was spectrum specific.

Thanks for all your replies by the way, it's great to get different points of view


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23 Feb 2018, 12:35 pm

I have heard NTs talking about vivid detailed dreams.

What does it mean to dream about going out naked/half-dressed? I often dream that I've gone out in public with my breasts showing, and panicking about it. But nearly every night I dream of going out in shorts with unshaved legs. It sounds funny but at the time I'm dreaming of it I always think it's real every time. Sometimes in my dream I say "oh God I've had dreams of exposing hairy legs, but now this time it's definitely real!" And again it was just another dream. I really do not know why I dream about going out with unshaved legs for. :?


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23 Feb 2018, 4:09 pm

With the Autism spectrum presenting difficulties with social-skills, the types of dreams (including some vivid dreams) I note with interest are dreams involving some type of active social participation within a small-group people.

Some of these dreams indicated important perspectives.

In a nutshell, social-situations that were negative-leaning in scope stemmed from seemingly simple misunderstandings.

Indifference (or friendly advice) stemmed from seemingly silly faux-pas e.g., imitating/mocking a silly situation from our group's joker in the dream.

To my surprise, the dreams offering some positive-leaning social experiences where that I pretty-much felt that being my own person is okay (that is a surprise being that many on the Autism Spectrum seem to "beat to their own drums"). In other words, a "tacit-understanding of sorts" was beneficial for healthy group dynamics.

Does anybody find it helpful to use selected-dreams as a "rough-guide of sorts" in figuring-out those "hard to understand" or overlooked situations?



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02 Mar 2018, 7:09 pm

JustFoundHere wrote:
Does anybody find it helpful to use selected-dreams as a "rough-guide of sorts" in figuring-out those "hard to understand" or overlooked situations?


I do. This is kind of what I meant. The older I got the more I struggled with social interaction or how to understand them etc, so for some reason I'd end up dreaming about said situation or interaction

Like if you watch the big bang theory, Sheldon often goes through similar things in his dreams (weird example, I know)


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02 Mar 2018, 11:18 pm

Goldilocks wrote:
So since I was young I've always dreamt very vividly. Sometimes nightmares, sometimes not so much.
The weird thing is that some of my dreams are really close to what's about to happen in reality.

I don't think I'm psychic or whatever but I do wonder if it's possible that I subconsciously pick up on things that I can't consciously process? So then I dream about it?

Anyway, is vivid dreaming an Aspie thing or not?


I would agree completely with you that ASDs all over the spectrum have much more vivid dreams than NTs do. When NTs describe their dreams they're always so very generic, undetailed, un-nuanced, run-of-the-mill, and they always sound so store-bought and common to me.

In comparison I feel that my dreams would need the equivalent thickness of a Stephen King novel in order to describe completely. I have not only visuals to describe but also smells, tastes, touches and very powerfully intense emotions from both the good and the bad dreams. Now the lion's share of my dreams are good thankfully but I suppose we have to take the bad with the good. Unfortunately.

Poor NTs. LOL.

:D


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02 Mar 2018, 11:26 pm

I know I certainly dream more vividly than the average person. I dream every night, always in full, vivid color, and involving all my senses. I can smell and even taste things when applicable. I often will be able to feel things I touch, and I can absolutely feel pain - and if I wake up while feeling pain, it dissipates within a second or two, so it isn't reality infringing on my dreams (my brother once told me he dreamed he fell and hit his knee on a rock, and woke to find he'd actually hit his knee on the wall). When I dream that I'm flying as a dragon (the best dreams I ever have), I can feel the air moving around me and muscles I don't even have in reality working as my wings move.


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02 Mar 2018, 11:57 pm

it is not that my aspie self's dreams are especially vivid [compared to typical NTs or otherwise] but they are undeniably WEIRD. :alien:



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03 Mar 2018, 7:13 am

I don't know much about NT people's dreams. Mine are pretty vivid and interesting. A lot of the times I'm omnipotent in my dreams, which means I realize it's a dream and thus can control it. I can do anything, like creating something just by thinking about them. My own existence, the whole world's existence were because of my thoughts. It mostly happen during light sleep. Kinda fun and weird. :D I don't know anybody else whose dreams are like that.


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03 Mar 2018, 8:06 am

^^^I dream like this. I can control the landscape, surroundings, and outcomes. I think controlling dreams is a common thing.


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thewheel
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03 Mar 2018, 8:26 am

I don’t remember my dreams so I wouldn’t know, I doubt it though.


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04 Mar 2018, 6:14 pm

A list of my most common dreams include:

Pets and animals
Gross public restrooms
Travel dreams
Hospitalizations
Being late for appointments, work or activities
Embarrassing situations