Johanne,
This is an odd dream in many ways so we may need to analzye all possibilities before we get it right. Dreams of teenagers are different from mature adults {less experiences in life thus less emotional baggage for dreams to sort out} and often more difficult to understand because they are confronting recent wkaing aspects that are minor conflicts and can only be recognized by the dreamer. Many of the symbols in your dream would best fit with some one older, if it were speaking to something that is crazy in middle life. But there are other possibilities that would fit, and explian why such language is included ina dream of a 16 year old. If I did not know your age, the dream language in the first paragraph would lead me to believe you are older. So let's go for a ride and see where it leads.

In dreams there is that 3rd person watching, observing the actions and participants. That person is you, without ego bias, that sees things as they really are and not what the ego self wishes them to be. This is a standard in dreams.

Reading this dream {nightmare} I find it contains images that would seem a bit odd for a 16 year old. Unless the crazy lady represents some real person in your life those qualities {middle-aged and crazy} would be a description {albeit symbolic} of some aspect of yourself. Or as I stated someone in your life who is very close, like your mother or very close friend or relative {as a rule of thumb, the only times dreams use real people is when they are in a very close relationship with the dreamer-and then the dream is addressing some aspect of the relationship between the two}. Is there anyone who may fit with this description? The crazy part may be symbolic of not being able to trust or depend on this person. The straighjacket {the middle-aged crazy woman wore} may represent something that is restaining aspects to this person. The nurse could be parts of the relationship that needs caring for. She would in some way be able to take control over your life. This would be an mostly unconscious aspect {dark corner} and the focus {large TV} is on that particular aspect of {YOUR life {your dreams are about you}.

These descriptions of a middle-aged woman who has gone crazy would better fit with someome who is in there middle ages and going through the middle-age crisis, or crazies as it is often called. This is why I say the dream is a bit odd for a 16 year old.

There is another possibility the middle-aged woman may represent. If it is some aspect of you and not a real person then it may be pointing to something in the '{middle' The last line in the first part of the dream also has "{My two best friends sat on either side of me." And all the people who are sitting with you, I count 11 including yourself, would probably represent aspects of your psyche, parts of which are unknown {six unknown girls. The number 6 could be important {numbers often are and there symbolic value usually explains why}. Six often represents completeness, or conflict in achieving compeleness. If you are in the middle then the struggle may be to aquire complete wholeness and you are halfway there. Perhaps there is something about yourself that you are beginning to learn about, something that seems crazy but is actually a natural process of learning. You were restrained {straightjacket} from learning about these aspects but those restrains have been removed and a healing {or learning is needed.

You stated in your response, "Feel what others are feeling, like a weak copy of their feelings". Those abilities may be intuitive. I possess an keen intuitive ability {not usual for most men} and have developed it over the past several years. And with the development of my intuitive self I have also developed an ability to read dreams and provide an accurate interpretation {which can be verified in the posted dreams and my interpretations at the Dream Forum}. Perhaps my statement in my original response is more approperiate than realized {aspects about yourself that may not be clear to the waking mind}. Could we be talking about such a thing? Could it be you possess a keen intuitive mind and it is ready for development, something unusal for a 16 year old {and better suited for a 'MIDDLE-AGED' person? That could explain the oddness of the dream for someone so young.

But that is putting the cart before the horse, before I have even digested the rest of the '{nightmare' dream. Once again let's see where that leads.

The gingerbread cake with the head of the 'middle aged crazy woman' on top. Perhaps the intent of the dream in dealing with the crazy woman is that you do believe you are thinking like a crazy woman. That could explain the 'craziness' and the middle aged could be addressing a need '{nurse-healing} to put yourself in the middle, balance yourself in such thinking. Do you have such thoughts, about thinking crazy at times, perhaps about te abilities you believe you possess '{Feel what others are feeling?

Exactly who is Liv Elise and what is the relationship with her? She may be important in balancing something emotionally within you that is out of balance, she representing aspects of you {the middle-age thing putting yourself in the middle to achieve balance}. Whatever she '{this part of you} possesses it has turned into something creepy, or seemingly so, and would cause you to 'run away' from it.

Five is a symbolic number for changes in life '{at least in my estimate}. There may be something locked in emotionally that makes you seem to be crazy '{again, back to feelings how people feel}. The clown part '{the boy would represent an animus figure, masculine qualities within you, may be speaking to waking experiences that others would laugh at {wasn't that the reaction of your friends when you told them about your special abilities?}.

Another possibility, and one that would fit with a dream of a 16 year old, would be your dream, or nightmare, is addressing usual everyday events that depict impressions you encounter during waking hours. Zombies, vampires, such things could represent something you saw on TV and left a negtaive impression. The whole dream would be alluding to such experiences and not have anything significant having to do with real emotional conflicts. The conflicts are merely impressions from wkaing life of a noram 16 year old. That is what makes it so difficult to understanddreams of young people. Such attitudes from friends may drain you {sucking your blood}. It would be funny if there weren't changes going on within you.

Here is my asessment. The dream is addressing your seemingly strange abilities to ''feel what other people feel'. This may be superior intuitive abilities that you possess. Your friends in waking life think it is funny and the ream is addressing those emotions also. The middle aged woman seems to have characteristics of someone real in your waking life while at the same time representing 'something in the middle', perhaps a need to balance your newly found abilities with the waking life discouragements {friends laughing at you}. The focus would be on your emotions {what dreams are about-your emotions} but also this abilty you possess. The dream takes a long way to address the subject but that is normal for some people {dreams will restate the same thing in different terms using different symbols}. This can explain the possibilities. Not knowing more about yor personal life {remember the dreams of teens are more often tuned in to waking life experiences, something only you could discern} it is difficult to say for sure what is going on in your unonscious psyche. Perhpas if you can amplify some of my suggestions we can get to the crux of the dream's intent. If you do have a keen intuitive self then perhaps it is an indication of thinsg to come in your lief, psyche wise. If you are anything like my intuitive mind you may be positioned to be really good at such abilities in later life {middle age}. That could be a great asset {as with my abilities to interpret dreams}. Or it could be so confounding, so great, it can cause you to literally go crazy. We have to consider all possibilities.

I hope you can digest all I have said. I must repeat that dreams of a teenager are so focused on waking experiences it leaves me at a disadvantage {my defense in case I am way off-which I seldom do}. I usually can get close to the dream's intent but can be less succesful when addressing a teenager's dream. I must have struck a cord in my first interpretation, one that would fit with this dream also.

Let me know your thoughts. If you do indeed are blessed with a great intuitive mind I will want to solicite your abilities in helping with interpreting dreams at the Dream Forum. An education in Jungian psyche will be necessary but I don't think that would be a deterent if you truly find the subject interesting. It is a rare talent and I am always seeking help in interpreting dreams.

gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 58 Murfreesboro, Tn

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Male

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes

Wow, that was a lot to digest... I think I will have to take it one step at a time. Probably you will have a lot to digest as well. Firstly, you say the dream seems odd for someone so young. Well, I don't know if it makes a difference in any way, but I won't say I'm your usual 16-year-old girl either. I often get comments from adults that I seem to be so much more responsible and mature than most people my age. Teachers also tell me I reflect over things very well, possibly a mix of the matureness and that I am an extremely philosophic person.

Firstly, when it comes to the dream, I actually dreamt it about a week (or maybe a bit less) before I began to question my sanity. Therefore my unconscious mind must've known some things which my conscious mind didn't. Also, about your rule of thumb, I must say it hardly applies to me. 80% of the time, people I know are in my dreams. These aren’t necessarily people I know well, though that’s the case for the most part.

And to the crazy woman... I don't know such a woman in real-life, therefore she must, as you said, be an aspect of myself. What you say about the "middle" seems to be correct. I am trying to be whole, something which is very important to me. As long as I'm whole, as long as there's harmony within me, there can be complete chaos around me and it won't disturb me much. If I'm not whole, on the contrary, the slightest little disturbance may throw me off balance. "Perhaps there is something about yourself that you are beginning to learn about, something that seems crazy but is actually a natural process of learning." I believe this is right. What I really need is to accept the crazy part of myself. I'm not there yet but I will be.

When it comes to my "ability", I see that some explaining is needed. (I'm sorry if you don't understand anything after reading this, explaining is not my strongest side) Yes, it might be intuitive. I think it's likely that it is, but I see you think it's greater than it actually is too. I can't feel everything everyone's feeling. I can only the strongest feelings, mostly crushes and such. Other things I feel which don’t come from me, I can't decipher properly, though my mood changes are much affected by others. I'm a happy person, perhaps overly enthusiastic. But if someone comes into the room and is sad, pissed, frustrated or something... I feel it straight away. My mood often goes down straight away as well, but fortunately it isn't affected by the negative energy of other people for long. I have a real problem being angry, sad or irritated for any length of time, though I can get seriously irritated if someone's mood makes them angry with me for no particular/not a very important reason. Though, obviously, I'm only funny when I'm angry. At least I cheer them up.

I trailed off here... Anyway, the persons I've felt something big from, have till now only been males. I don't know why, maybe their minds are more open or less complex or something (I'm not saying this applies to all men, just those I've felt something from). I know these feelings don’t come from me, as these are types I’d never fallen for. Also, I’ve only felt “big” things a few times. I’ll come with some examples. The first time was when I was twelve, and a boy in my class had a hopeless crush on me, though he never said anything. I both felt it and saw it, as he nervously scratched his neck, peeked at me when he thought I wasn’t looking, then turned his head quickly away when he saw that I’d seen him etc. One day, walking home from school with Liv Elise, he walked past us. After he’d gone she said, “I believe he’s got a crush on one of us!” I didn’t say anything.

Also, I can’t really control it. This fall, I felt something big, from a boy in my class, I thought I was the object, as I’d never felt anything like that from anyone when I wasn’t the object. I was majorly confused, as the physical signs didn’t go together with what I felt. When everyone started talking about him, and that he must have a crush on a friend of mine, which he’d shown preferable interest for. I had a little “aha” experience. I could feel it when I wasn’t the object as well. This, for me, proved that I could feel things like that, but it also proved that it’s very… What is it called, well, it’s not a very precise art. I can’t be sure who is the object, based only on the feeling, though with a little help from the physical signs, I believe I can be sure enough. I can’t shut it out or activate it as I please (which can be seriously annoying. This boy in my class here, has crushes on different girls ALL the time). This is probably under development though. Maybe, after a time, I will feel a larger register of feelings from a larger register of persons, and be able to control it better. This would explain the confusion I’ve felt at other times, which I won’t write about here. A couple of other times this ability has proved to be… Uncomfortable. Maybe this is because of the development, which may have caused my imagination to take control over my sense a couple of times. Or maybe it hasn't. I don’t know, and I both do and don't want to know. I do want to be sure, but still... It may disturb me more than is wise. I need some time to digest. Because I… Do believe now, that it’s true. It has to be. If not I’m a lunatic. I think that I possess more than I've shown, but I'm only sixteen and it hasn't developed fully yet. Well, you may believe I’m actually crazy now. I won’t blame you if you do.

And the gingerbread with the head… What you say is right. I have had many discussions with myself. But actually, I have felt things, weird things, since I was twelve. In about a year now these weird things have been suppressed, I actually forgot them completely until they turned up again, and threw me off balance. I thought it was a past chapter, and that the explanation for the craziness back then was that I was only a child, and that my imagination got the best of me. When it came up again, I couldn’t use this explanation. So what would I tell myself to smother the uncomfortable feelings, and continue believing I was as sane as anyone else? I couldn’t come up with anything. But now that’s over. I will have to integrate that part of myself, and if it is crazy then let it be. If crazy is what I am then I will be. One part of me says “it’s not that easy”. I will learn to silence that voice in time.

You asked about Liv Elise as well, so here it goes: We have been best friends since we were eight, and I was new in her class. We lived close and still do. When you are little you become friends with those who live near you, rather than with those who really “fit” you. Liv Elise and I are two very different persons. She is much more earthbound than me, in so many ways. I’m also very independent, while she’s not. Sometimes I wish she were, but after all that’s what makes her who she is. She is honest, loyal and sweet. She takes things as they are, though she doesn’t always understand where I’m coming from. I must say she is not a person I would have become friends with if I met her now, (we both know), but throughout the years we have become like two different sorts of trees, whose trunks have grown together. Now we can’t live apart. We do have our differences, and when she got ill, it was especially hard. There was a long period when the doctors couldn’t find out what was wrong with her, over a year. Her reaction was so different than what mine would have been, she locked herself up within herself. I’m not able to do that. I was frustrated because I didn’t know what she was thinking and therefore didn’t know how to act or what to do to make it better. She became angry with me because of reasons I no longer remember; she was a bit touchy back then and I probably didn’t act like she wanted me to, though I tried my best. I didn’t know how. Though it was hard, I was there for her all the time, though she did her best to bite the hand that fed her. I forgave her because I saw how difficult she had it, she was afraid. Now that she has a diagnosis, gets treatment and is getting better all the time, all of this is a matter of the past. We have talked about it, and our relationship is now on steady ground, stronger than it was before. Our relationship is now one of mutual respect; we have learnt to live with our differences, and we’re still learning from each other. I’ve given her a deeper view on life, and she helps me not to lose my head in the skies.

Also, I think you misinterpreted what I wrote a bit. My friends laughed at my dream (which was odd, I must admit it), not my ability. Actually I haven’t told anyone much about it, not even my other best friend Helene, who is as much as a thinker as I am and to whom I usually tell all my crazy thoughts and theories. (Liv Elise is a sweet girl, but she doesn’t get anything when I start talking about the really deep stuff) I haven’t told Helene this yet because I have to sort things out within myself first. I dreamt about my friends last night, Helene, Liv Elise and four others. Six friends, wholeness as you said. We were going to swim in an indoor swimming-pool, or actually there were many. The water was clear and like a river. Change, a good change. The ticket to get in was expensive, but we told each other that it was worth it, it was the best indoor swimming-pool, and we were going to have fun. My interpretation of this is that there will be a good change, but at a high price. But it will be worth it though, and it will make me whole.

And, I would like to learn more about interpreting dreams and such, and I would love to help, (if you don’t consider me crazy of course, it wouldn’t come as a surprise. One part of me tries to make me believe I am all the time). But… I don’t know if I would be such a great help. If I really have a real intuitive ability at all, I don’t think it’s very good yet. Honestly I don’t know. And, oh shit, the length of this reply must be the record of this forum. And, heh, I’ve really put myself out there now. Anyway, no one knows who I am or anything. I hope… I guess I’m just a crazy girl in a dream-forum after all.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16 years, Oslo, Norway

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Follow-up to interpretation

And, about Liv Elise's reaction in the dream... Well, that might have been her reaction in real-life if I told her anything. She would've been surprised at my "proof", but probably she would gently shake the idea off. I don't blame her for this, her mind isn't like mine, or ours, thoughts and ideas like that aren't for her. She isn't made to understand.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16 years, Oslo, Norway

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Follow-up to interpretation

Oh, if you count me in, there is seven of us, in the swimming-pool dream. And that means both completeness and change, well, doesn't change my interpretation. Just thought I'd mention it.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16 years, Oslo, Norway

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Follow-up to interpretation

Hi Gerard! I wondered if I might have forgotten to post "Follow-up to interpretation" on my three previous posts, posted them at the wrong time, or maybe you overlooked them or something. If you have, it's perfectly OK, I just thought that I'd make you aware of your or my mistake. Either way, I hope you will look at my posts, if it's not too much trouble of course ;)

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16, Oslo, Norway

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Follow-Up To Interpretation

Johanne,
Haven't forgotten you. Just my time has become so limited in the past few weeks due to new responsibilities with my work. Let me give your response a proper inspection either later today or in the morning and see if I can provide any insights. The social dragon {doing what society requires of you} has pre-empted much of my time when looking at dreams. I always want to provide my best 'intuitive' insights to every dream and that is often hard to do when the mind is stuck on worldly things. But alas, that is one of the dragons to be slain when engaged in the hero journey of self discovery and personal growth. If Luke Skywalker can persevere then I have a good chance in slaying this personal dragon.

gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 58 Murfreesboro, Tn

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Male

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes

I see, and understand ;) Just take your time, it's better to wait a while for a good interpretation than to wait a shorter amount of time for one which isn't as good. Everyone has periods with lots to do from time to time, just make sure you don't overwork yourself (I'm the biggest mother hen at the age of 16... Wonder how I'll be at 40...) Anyways, just want to make sure everyone's OK. I don't want to be some kind of unwelcome duty, I feel bad when I get the sense that I'm taking up too much of another person's time when I'm not sure if they're Ok with it. So, what I really meant by all this (I've talked myself away, again...) is that... Don't be stressed out, I can wait if you have other, more pressing obligations (which you do, by the looks of it) ;)

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16, Oslo, Norway

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Follow-Up To Interpretation