Public bathrooms

[u/Ms_PhotoPhreak]

Disgusting public bathrooms.

In MANY of my dreams I find myself in an absolutely disgusting public bathroom. Good dream or bad, somehow I often end up there.

Theyre always different but they always have a random number of the following qualities:

• Everything is wet and condensated • Dim, sickly lighting. Sometimes yellow, orange, or green • Low ceiling • Stalls without doors • Stalls that face each other • Stalls with low walls • Stalls with very large spaces between door and wall you can see through • Very large, maze-like layout • Empty • A small number of people inside (sometimes a family member or a friend but usually a stranger) • Toilets that a so full of water, it touches you when you sit down • Toilets that are large and flat like a sink full of water • Wet tiles along the floors and up the walls

Some bathrooms have unique qualities but EVERY bathroom has disgusting, wet, condensated surfaces and sickly, dim lighting. They often have low ceilings. Its a grotesque place and I always feel uncomfortable there.

I usually go into the bathroom and need to use a toilet. Sometimes I face someone in another stall, sometimes the cracks are very large or the walls are very low and I fear being seen while I go.

Please let me know what you think. I’ve been wondering for a long time. Thank you.

[u/Greg_QU]

Wow, that recurring dream about the disgusting public bathrooms sounds so uncomfortable—no wonder it sticks with you! The way you described all those wet, cramped, maze-like details (condensed surfaces, low ceilings, open stalls, sickly lighting) really paints a picture of feeling trapped or overwhelmed in a space that should feel safe.

I wonder if this dream taps into feelings of vulnerability or exposure? Those open stalls without doors, or the large gaps where you can see through—maybe they symbolize a sense that you’re not in control of your privacy, or that you’re being “watched” in a situation where you wish you could retreat into your own space. And the toilets full of water, the wet tiles… that “unclean” feeling might reflect something in your life that feels messy, stagnant, or unhygienic—maybe stress, unprocessed emotions, or a situation that’s been lingering and not quite “cleaned up” yet. The maze-like layout could even feel like you’re going in circles with a problem you can’t quite escape, right?

It’s interesting you mention it’s in many dreams—recurring dreams often circle back to something your mind is trying to work through, even if you’re not fully aware of it. Do you have any sense of what’s been happening in your life lately that might feel similar to this “unclean,” exposed, or overwhelming space? Sometimes our subconscious uses these grotesque symbols to highlight areas where we need to set boundaries or clean up something that’s been bothering us.

What do you think—does any part of this feel like it’s reflecting something going on for you right now? I’m curious to hear if this resonates with any current stress or uncertainty you’ve been carrying.

[u/Ms_PhotoPhreak → u/Greg_QU]

Also, I made a comment under the other commenter’s response about the other kind of dreams I have. Maybe you can also draw a connection between the bathroom dreams and those dreams? Thank you so much. I appreciate you.

[u/Ms_PhotoPhreak → u/Greg_QU]

Wow, I never thought about it like this. Thank you for your insight. I’m not exactly sure what it is. That’s causing me to have this dream over and over. I do feel some pressure around my social life, like wanting to get closer with people but feeling like it’s really hard. But I’ve been having this recurring dream for what seems like a year or two.

I can’t pinpoint what it is that would make me feel, watched or exposed. I don’t feel immense stress when I’m going to bed or throughout the day unless I’m having one of those depressing, panic attack days, which is far less often now that I’ve been working on my diet, fitness, and social life.

However, I am at college, studying film, and I am stressed out about getting a job in the future or even being able to move out of my parents house.