I have had nightmares most of my life and because of that I usually avoid scary movies. There are some horror films that I have never had problems with. If it is a scary movie with aliens, I digest those just fine. If it contains fictional characters like werewolves and vampires, I’m in. I love the Underworld series. I have also never had a problem with Zombie movies. I love Shawn of the dead – hilarious. World War Z I found very entertaining.  I have never really understood why people are afraid of Zombies.

     Zombies for the most part move very slow. They are also depicted as not being incredibly smart and do not plan ahead. They tend to move with the crowd and get picked off fairly easy when on their own.

     Another interesting stereotype about zombies that gets overlooked is that they do not usually eat or kill their victims. For the most part they bite them, infect them, then leave the victim there to turn. Zombies are created by turning someone else into a zombie, they do not breed, hatch, or propagate in any other way.

     Zombie movies can be classified as scary not because of the fear of death, but because people do not want to be turned into Zombies. There really is not any other reason to worry about a Zombie apocalypse.

     Once turned, Zombies do not seem to mind if the trash is taken out, what kind of car they drive, or what neighborhood they live in. You do not see Zombies giving out business cards or trying to make a sale. Zombies also do not seem to care how they look or if they have the newest gadgets. 

     If anything, the world should crave Zombie domination. Think of how much simpler life would be if we were all alike. What if the world had exactly the same standards for everything and no one ever did anything different than anyone else?

     While writing the book version of PTSD-Sucks, I started having Zombie dreams”?”

     The first one I woke up laughing. I thought; where did that come from? I had not seen any zombie movies recently and I don’t find zombies interesting, why would my brain go there. I tried blowing off the dreams, but they continued. Not every night but a few times a week.

     When the dreams started, I was a front runner. People were scared and needed protection. I would build shelters and safe houses and gather resources. Over the course of a few dreams, others strong people would show up and we would work together to protect the weaker.

     We would basically lock the others in a safe house and gather necessities for them. I would wake up laughing but exhausted taking care of others is a lot of work.

     As others joined in the protection area, the dreams were easier, but calming everyone down when the zombies did attack became emotionally exhausting. I wanted the dreams to stop, they didn’t make sense.

     For those of us with nightmares lucid dreaming can be useful. When the nightmare is a memory the best I have been able to do is have an Avatar stop the abuse or in some cases bring myself in as a grown-up to see that the action was wrong.

     Where I have had the most use is in asking myself why I am having recuring dreams.

     Most religions categized dream interpretation as important. Several cultures even practice inducing dream states such as peyote or ayahuasca. I do not think every dream needs interpretation, but this one kept coming back.

     Dreams are our brain’s way of communicating with itself, to store memories, solve problems, or entertain itself. It is recurring dreams that leave me with an emotional reaction that make me ask what is going on in my head.

     The zombie dreams were not going away so I thought I would try something new. Normally your dreams help you solve problems. These dreams I handled backwards.

     During the day I would try to remember what was in the dream the night before and come up with things I could change the next time the dream occurred. I now had help protecting the people in the dream, so it was time to try something with the zombies themselves.

     I started leaving things out for them. At first it wasn’t much, some water bottles or crumbs left over from meals. The zombies would take the items, so I started putting more stuff out. I would leave flashlights, clothes, hygiene stuff. Whatever we could spare and like the water bottles they would be taken so I continued.

     After a few of these dreams we would open the door and find people sleeping at the doorstep. Just one person first, then it was a woman and a sister of one of the people inside. We took her in, got her cleaned up, fed and rested. Her loved ones were so grateful to see her, they thought she had turned into a zombie. It continued that way, I would leave things out at night and in the morning, people would be found sleeping on the doorstep.

     The fear of zombies had subsided in the bunker, but no one knew why these people were allowed safe passage through the wall of zombies, and why they were allowed to sleep so safely.

     I did not really care. The dreams continued but now they were more like a story I was reading. When they showed up I enjoyed them, when they did not I didn’t worry. Then one day…

     I have a large group of loved ones in my life and one of the people in my life said something… My first thought was ‘You are just like those Zombies in my dreams’. It was in that moment I understood the dreams and why I had been having them!

     I lived surrounded by zombies! These zombies are a bit different but zombies nonetheless. They want things to be like they are and they do not like change. These zombies also believe that everyone should be like them and if they are not, then they need to be turned.  Then everyone will act, behave, and believe as they do. Does that sound familiar?

     People are afraid of zombies because we are living in a zombie apocalypse. The people found on entry in the dream didn’t walk through the zombies, they were a zombie that turned back.

     The societal zombies of You need to be like ME and if you are not we will come at you, until we can turn you into a zombie too. 

     Zombies say things like: That is just the way things are., It’s time you accept limitations., Just get over it., Leave the past in the past., Be strong do what everyone else is doing., Why can’t you_______? You need too____., or any other saying that means whatever it is that separates you from them, needs to conform.

     Zombies come in different shapes, sizes, and from different class structures.

     What they tend to have in common is confusing logic. Some of these things include: anti-abortion -But/And- pro- death penalty”?” They say things like: We are going to automate everything -But/And- Why don’t these people have jobs. They want something done with the homeless population, but do not build low-income housing.

     For those of us with PTSD the most damaging is that we need to get better but should not talk about anything that upsets or requires change.

     Sometimes it takes a few minutes to recognize that you are talking to a zombie but sometimes you can spot them by their red hats.  For the most part they can be avoided. When they are a loved one, try to deflect the hurt by keeping in mind they are just a zombie and being who you are stops the apocalypse from spreading.

      The phrase that my favorite zombie uses on me is: “That just seems like a lot of work”. Every time she says it the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. To some extent it also feels like a knife jabbing me in the chest. It is a compilation of the varying statements that people have told me through the years. I should just take a job and retire like everyone else. 

     Yes, the life I have chosen for me is a lot of work, but it is my life. Every day I live, instead of watching the years pass, waiting for the day I myself turn into a zombie.

     I now have a quote I throw back. Now the conversation goes “That just sounds like a lot of work.” And I reply, “Some people aim at nothing and hit it with AMAZING accuracy!” –  Zig Ziggler😊.

     Fighting zombies does not need to be taking them out. The sleeping people on the doorstep were zombies. I can see it in my loved ones as they start accepting differences in others.  We should use the same method of reproduction as they used on us, let’s turn them back into humans. Not by force or aggression. We do not need to take their heads off, that serves no purpose at all.

     Let’s leave them water, crumbs, and necessities like education and love. Let us see if they start showing up at our doorstep. Remember, zombies are not that bright. Arguing or trying to get them to see things our way will only frustrate both parties involved. Show them that you are happy in your chosen life, and when they ask questions, answer with love and honesty.

     Fighting will make them think there is something wrong with us, not fighting will make them wonder if there is something wrong with them.