ABSTRACT
A woman had the following dream; this is her account:
I woke up screaming (I suppose soundlessly) from a dream. I was in a room when an old-fashioned little boy about six years came running towards me as for help. I recognised this at once as an hallucination and it simply terrified me and I started screaming at the top of my voice. As he retreated I threw a cushion after him, then someone like Nannie appeared at the door as if to see what was the matter. I wondered whether she too would see the little boy, but it was rather blurred in that part of the room. I rather thought she picked him up. I hoped W. would hear my screams and come but by now I realised that I was actually making no noise. This increased my fears and it was in this state that I woke up, still quite disorientated. I did not know where or when, even though I heard the clock ticking. I remained in a state of fright for some time. Eventually I recovered enough to get out and pass water.
There were associations to the dream and the patient felt that it had to do with an interpretation in relation to dehallucination. The patient described this dream to me as by far the most terrifying of all her many nightmares.