Hi for the past few years I have had a similar dream roughly once a month. The dream is never exactly the same but consists of roughly the same theme. The dream is always of me alone and trapped in a room, the room will have no windows or doors and I am panicking, desperately trying to attract someones attention to help me. When I have this dream I am usually active and always sleep walk and shout and scream which scares my husband! I wake up very shaken up, crying and often hysterical.

The thing I don't understand about the dream is I have been having it for around 6 years and quite a lot has changed for me in those years, including jobs, education and partners. Which makes me think it isn't just about feeling trapped in my life as the dream never goes away.

I would really appreciate if anyone could shed some light on this for me

Since you are moving around in the dream, enough to scare your husband, I am thinking that it is not normal dream sleep.

That combined with panicking and feeling like you are trapped makes me think that it is a sleep disorder.

Since you say it happens about once a month, have you noticed that it usually happens around a certain time during your menstrual cycle? It could be affected by hormones.

You should tell a doctor about it.

FUNNY HOW YOU ALMOST UNDERSTOOD YOUR DREAM..YOU SAID YOU feel trapped in your life and that might be it...maybe feeling trapped as the dream depicts, might be a way to change something in your life that gives you the freedom you need to get out of the room with no windows or doors...the fact that you act it out screeming and shouting can indicate that the brain is acting up during your REM or RED might be present. My doctor gave me a sleep apnea study and found that my legs were very active during my sleep and he said it might turn into parkinson's disease later on...see a pcp and then follow thru with the rest...I am seeing a psycotherapist soon..as I don't want to take any narcodics...good luck to you and your hubbie

I like what you said Marcia. that it might have to do with hormonal changes...I've been saying this about my vivid dreams and I am going to see what I am lacking in the hormone department too.