Have you ever had a dream/nightmare but could swear you were awake when it was happening?

I have not had a dream like you describe. But I do know that some medications cause weird dreams. Is this the only time you have had a strange dream? Check out the side effects of the medications you take.

Oh, yes. I've had to convince myself for five minutes after waking that it wasn't real. I had been attacked in my apartment in college (someone broke in, not a good event, is all I will say) and for years thereafter, once in a while, I have this kind of dream--or an auditory dream of someone in the house.

I've had a dream/nightmare several times that someone was standing over me and I couldn't move. It seems very real. I haven't had it in a while though.

Yes, I have them often.....worse since I was put on some new meds...some are scary..(such as NickNack described) but most are not....just make you stop and think when you wake to make sure it was a dream...

Yes! Certain medications made me have hallucinating nightmares. I was almost afraid to go to sleep whenever I took them. Awful.

Yes, I dream that my purse is stolen and when I woke up I was really surprised that my bag is hanging on my closet. It was that real!

all dreams I thought I was awake:

When I was in HS I had a dream a guy climbed up a ladder, opened my bedroom window and said "You're not supposed to be awake" I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

Twice I dreamed I was at our church and saw a jet go down.

Friday I dreamed there was a bad storm, yellow and green churning clouds and our huge maple was struck by lightening.

I have had a couple of dreams where I was trying to wake up and couldn't. I was trying to call out to my husband but couldn't get words out or move. It is a terrifying feeling. It is called sleep paralysis.