Can-Do-Ability: Answers and Solutions from my personal experiences of living with a disability

Do You Dream Disabled???

24 Feb 2011I have been thinking about dreaming lately. Some say that dreams are a result of your subconscious mind exploring something that you are unsure of or scared to do. It could be a fear that you have and your subconscious is telling you to overcome.

There are many different types of dreams, some people are able to control their dreams, this is called lucid dreaming, and is where you are able to change your dream, so that it ends up the way that you want it to.

Then there are recurring dreams, ones that may have been with you since childhood. These can be dreamt over and over again, like a movie or television show. Again, it may be the result of an underlying fear or hidden memory.

There are also nightmares, which can be quite frightening and realistic. These can cause you to wake suddenly, while sweating and breathing heavily, sometimes, not being able to distinguish between dream and reality.

Whilst doing some research, I've come across a lot of different dream forums, which include lengthy discussions and arguments about why we dream about what we dream of...

There were a few questions from forum members who were asking if people with a vision impairment dream. The most common answer I was able to find is, yes, they do dream, but there was some debate about how they dream. Some believed that if a person was born vision impaired, then they can only dream using some of their other senses, such as sound, smell and sometimes touch. It was also said, that if a person became blind later on in life, then they would only dream of people that they knew at the time of and up until losing their sight. With new people in their life appearing as figures with blurry features where their face would be, as if it was how they imagined the person to look. I'm not blind, so I cannot say whether or not any of these answers are correct, but if you are, or you know someone who is vision impaired, please share any dream experiences with me, as I find it a very interesting topic that I am extremely curious about.

As a person born with a physical disability, most people would probably assume that when I appear in my own dreams, I would dream of being in my wheelchair. But most of the time, I actually dream of being a lot taller than I am and being able to walk, without a disability at all.

So that has gotten me thinking if anyone else who has a physical disability dreams the same as me... If you have an arm or leg amputation, do you dream that your arm or leg is still attached? I am aware that everyone is different, so I would love to hear some other experiences that you have to compare them and see if this is a common occurrence amongst people with a physical disability.

There are many dream myths around too, some believe that we cannot dream in colour or if we do, it means something specific.

There's also the one about falling, that if you hit the ground in your dream, then you will die in real life... I read that this isn't true by the way.

Then there's the feeling of needing to urinate, some people think that if you go to the toilet in your dream, then you are wetting yourself in your sleep. I think this depends on age, mental capacity and if you've had too many alcoholic drinks or not. I know I've dreamt of going to the toilet in my dream and have woken up a short time later, still busting to go, so I think that was more of a warning to get up before it's too late.

Please share your thoughts on this subject, disabled or able-d, I'd love to hear what you have to say as I think dreams are a fascinating topic!

Do You Dream Disabled???


Do You Dream Disabled???


Do You Dream Disabled???


Do You Dream Disabled???


Do You Dream Disabled???


Do You Dream Disabled???



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Previous Comments

Bob DeWoody from Florida posted on 15 May 2015
I am physically disabled and have wondered the same thing. I have always been disabled but I think I dream as a whole person, but to be honest I'm not sure.

matt d from somewhereville posted on 12 Feb 2014
I am disabled with lung disease and often dream of running and walking great distances

Dennis from Gilroy CA posted on 13 Jan 2014
Great website...I've wondered for some time why I am always a happy and easy going person in my dreams. I think I have just found a possible solution to this at this site!In real life, I am afflicted with Ataxia and Pneuropathy which mainly affects my balance and stability. I get around mainly with a walker, and an electric scooter, which are a Godsend!In my dreams, I show nothing of disability in any form and am often disappointed when I awaken in the morning to find that I'm still the same. I just wish that I could figure out why this happens....my dreams are so much like life was once.....real life is what is going on today!Dennis

Noel Jr from Derry Ni posted on 9 Mar 2012
i have a recurrent dream that my right leg becomes useless when walking, i have suddenly relized, has this got something to do with my dad getting skin cancer on his right leg and dying from it... Am i afraid it will happen to me? i always get dreams mixed with reality is there something wrong with me? because i live a normal life and often get confused, but i hide it...

Justin from Tupper LakeNY posted on 16 Aug 2011
I was born with mild Cerebal Palsy. It effects my left arm/hand and feet/legs. I walk with a cane. The most recent dream I had I was totally abled bodied. I was running, as well as thing I can't mention in this post LOL( I can do those things in my waking life, just not as good or effortless as in my dreams). I woke up kind of freaked out. I wish i could dream on cue LOL!! thats why i find the subject of dreaming so fasinating. great artical

Toni from Wollongong posted on 11 Mar 2011
When I dream, most of the time I am not disabled, I am running, walking and dancing.But there are times in my dream I am having a vertigo attack and I wake and sure enough I am in a full blown attack.Some of my dreams are nightmares, I have severe balance problems and some of my nightmares are a sign of things I know that can happen and it plays in my dream, I also sometimes drream I have fallen down stairs that I end up breaking my neck ( and sad reality is I do fall down the stairs everytime I have to walk up and down to get to my wheelchair, so I think that is a deep subconscious thought that plays in my dreams too.

Jodie JoBlogs from NOVA Employment posted on 11 Mar 2011
Thanks for your comments guys.. Wow Toni, I (as you may already know) have brittle bones, and I very often dream that I break something and then I dream about how difficult and painful it is.... It's been a while since my last broken bone so it's always something that's in the back of my mind, like a deep fear... So I can definitely relate to you there.

renee coulton from st marys TTW Nova posted on 25 Feb 2011
Love this article great topic and very interesting... I know i def have the dream of falling all the time and wondered if it was really true that if you the hit the ground you would die... Glad to know its not true :-)

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