THE DREAM I was in a big type of public place - a community centre of sorts. I was seen by Adrianna (the boss) who asked me to go and get her a coffee. I did this - going to some kind of works canteen. I did not have the right change so gave him a pound. He said thanks and assumed that I was not expecting change. I did not say anything (thats typical of me - I will let people short change me and not say anything). I then put the coffees down and got confused. I was bumbling and not getting anywhere. Later I was Katy - who works there. She was saying that she was really proud of me. But I was thinking why would she think that. I was starting to panic because there were new people in the room - I do not like meeting new people (its part of my mental health problems).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION The dreamer suffered from badly from autism and was due to meet Adrianna the next day for an appointment. She had been receiving lots of help to allow her to live independently. Now she had shown signs of improvement there had been talk that she was to receive less help from social services. The dreamer did not feel as if she was getting better and was scared that she would lose help that she depended on.

DREAM ANALYSIS: It is often best to interpret dreams in reverse. In this case the dreamer was thinking about one thing in particular and so all of her emotional energy was being poured into her thoughts about that one thing. She had been getting help off social services for many years for her autistic tendencies. Now there was talk that she was to lose this help. This was worrying the dreamer.

Much of the dream seems to explore different examples of the dreamers unusual behaviour. She gets nervous when new people are in the room. She is short changed and just accepts it. She is confused and bumbling at one point. These are all examples of the types of behaviour which qualify people for help from social services. They show how vulnerable the dreamer is. They possible symbolise a thought like "I am still vulnerable and so I still need help". These certainly link to the next day when the issue of her level vulnerabilty was under question. Indeed she could lose the help that she had come to depend on.

At another point the dreamer is being told "how proud" everyone is of her by someone who works at the centre she attended for autism. This is a crucial point in the dream. The dreamer was being told in real life how well she was doing and how she did not need help any more. So this portion of the dream links to this thought "They all think I have made progress which I don't agree with. They are all proud of me! But for what!" That seems to be the meaning of the dream. Underlying the dream seems to be this feeling "They all seem to think that I have made progress. I can sense this and they seem to think that I should be discharged because of it. But I don't think I have made progress."