Messed up dreams

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I've been feeling kinda stressed lately. For the most part it has to do with the fact that I haven't seen the person I rely on the most for a long time (which can't be helped). I can feel my temper getting shorter and have already had a couple of meltdowns.
The most worrying aspect of all of this is my dreams. They've been getting more and more disturbing. I keep dreaming about harming people; killing, torturing, mutilating. There are also times when I play a dual role: seeing things from both the victim and the attacker's point of view. Not only that but while I'm asleep I enjoy what I'm experiencing.
I'm not sure how concerned I should be about this. I know people can't control what they dream, but I'm sure dreaming about hurting others should always be cause for alarm. Do other people get fantasies like this? I really don't know what's going on in my head right now!

If it makes you feel any better, ive already dreamt I was a zombie that was super-intelligent, would use traps and such to hunt down some brains to eat.

I dream like that sometimes, I don't think it's anything to worry about - if I remember right it's just your subconscious trying to organize the feelings your experiencing into a way you'd associate them with in a real setting. But I'd consult a book for specifics.

How long have you been dreaming like this?

^^Usually it's on-and-off. But recently it's been almost every night.

Brutal

Is it frightening? Do you feel uncomfortable during them?

No, when I'm in the dream I don't feel frightened or uncomfortable at all. I find everything completely thrilling, even if I'm seeing things from the victims perspective, I'm imagining being gutted and loving it.

Doesn't sound too worrying (imo)

I suppose it is just an outlet for your emotions, back when I was doing a pretty high stress school transition I dreamt once of being harrassed by soviet teddy bears and a few nights later of hanging people .

Can't relate to the victim thing though, must feel kinda funky enjoying being carved up like that .

I had dreams like that, at the age of 20. I was very uncomfortable with my emotions, back than, and there were some people who did me wrong, that I had fantasies of killing, and I'd dream about such things. I've calmed down quite a bit, since than, and I've let go of all my grudges.

Oddly , ive never had dreams of killing someone . . . its usually been of monsters chasing me or "the bottomless pit" nightmares (all until my mid-teens, and i have mild acrophobia, so endlessly falling scares the crap out of me). Other than that, my dreams are just odd or the random adult scenario . . . and yes, im not one of those that can control his dreams.

Ick. I wouldn't be too afraid, as long as you aren't sleep-killing.

I've had some awful dreams recently... the worst one is that I raped someone. I'm a woman who has been raped in the past, you can imagine how badly that dream affected me. (I didn't know the victim in the dream, and in the dream I was male.)

Anyhoo... turns out it was something to do with meds I was on, they caused violent hallucinatory dreams. I dreamt about rape, but it was too painful to relive it, so I swapped roles.

Might this be what is happening to you? You've been the victim a long time, you need to work through that, but it's too painful, so you switch roles and persecute your persecutors?

(Can't believe I shared my nightmare with you guys. Hope you don't all think I'm a sick thing.)

The only reason I shared the specific of this dream was so that you would know I really do understand what you mean about messed up dreams. Imagine waking up mid spontaneous orgasm, crying because you think you've just raped someone. This happened nine days ago. The worst of that dream was when I woke up and thought it had really happened. If there had been a knife handy I'd have stabbed myself.

But I know that I'm not a rapist, and that I'm not responsible for what my body/mind/medication throws up at me.

Neither are you. Hang in there.

I've had really, really weird dreams - very disturbing and very real. Sometimes it takes a while to even believe that they weren't real.

I think the more you worry about this dream, the more likely you are to repeat it. I know, easier said than done.

I've had dreams like that. Basically you just need to relieve stress. You feel cornered, and your taking out on everyone around you. You should try to find a way to take some of the burden off.

Last night, I had a sort of romantic dream. The night before that, I was really mad at everyone. Go figure.

Thanks guys. I'd really been worrying about this. I suppose so long as I'm not consciously having those thoughts it's alright. I guess I'll just monitor it.

@mgran: That's horrible! I can't even imagine how sickening that must've been. I'm not sure if it's to do with things that happened to me. I've never been physically abused, but I have had my fair share of bullying, but that was years ago. I thought I'd gotten past all that although I suppose it's possible there's been some emotional scarring.

I think bullying does cause some mental scarring. Maybe that's why, now that you're stressed, you're having these horrible dreams. But I'm sure it will pass... and yes, you're right, you're not consciously thinking these things.

Hope you're feeling better now.