Horrible dream

I don't often have bad dreams, but I have figured out over the years that I get them when I am anxious, or I'm juggling too many things. That, or after a horror movie.

Then it will be 'bad guy chasing me' type dreams. It may be a monster or wolf or something out of sight, just a bad presence, but I will be slogging through the forest trying to keep ahead of it. My husband will wake me up as I am yelling. Then I will thank him for saving me and try to get some sleep again!

My hubby loves scary movies, but even after all these years I warn him I might have bad dreams if I watch one with him. I'll end up leaving the living room, or put earplugs in and start reading a book!

I have a recurring dream in which I am desperately trying to contact the emergency services but for a variety of reasons, it doesn't work.
Over the years there have been so many different hitches and glitches. I never know what the emergency is but I feel quite afraid.

You would think this indicates that I, in real life, might be going through some situation whereby I felt I needed help but I have catalogued these dreams and they don't coincide with any trauma or distress or even mild difficulties. When these do occur, I don't have the dream.

However, what is more unsettling is that twice I have had an actual need to contact the ambulance service, both because elderly friends were in a state of unconscious collapse - and on neither occasion did the ambulance turn up.

It isn't so much what you dream, but what your emotion/feeling is in that dream. Your subconscious is reminding you of that - and maybe prompting you to do something about it!

I am currently giving up smoking with the aid of nicotine patches. I did that a few years ago and gave up for a few years – so it is no surprise to me that I am having very vivid and very odd dreams now. Last night involved returning to university where my hall of residence room included a fridge with doors within doors, a wall that consisted of a garden fence, my current cat in residence with me (although, to my horror, I had forgotten to buy cat food and had no litter tray), plus a strange cat, plus four dogs and a man who looked like those Japanese monkeys that sit in the hot springs.

No Brexit ones yet, thank goodness!

My worst recurrent ones are a) some exam coming up, often a German literature one, where not only have I not read any of the books, I don't even know what they are! Not sure why it's nearly always German - I actually did OK at A level.

Had yet another horrible exam one just a few days ago, not German, just non specific subjects I hadn't a clue about.

b). Dinner party nightmare, where it's nearly 11 pm and the potatoes still aren't cooked!
Though this is rare now, since I don't do DPs as such any more.

c) Christmas shopping one - it's late-ish on Christmas Eve and I've completely forgotten to buy any presents, let alone a tree, etc.
Though I do know where this one comes from. Early in our marriage, while living in the Middle East, we got very last minute standby tickets home on 23rd December (I was working at the airport so 10% standby tickets.)

So I had precisely one day to charge around finding presents for a lot of people. Still not sure how I managed it!