A. Situations of great stress precipitate us out of "ordinary" reality into non-ordinary or dream-like states of consciousness. This too is a reactive way the psyche has of dealing with feelings that in our ordinary states could not be "borne" so we find a place, in our minds, that is bearable: I am going to wake-up and none of this will be true. Slowly, reality seeps in and we do come to realize that we are awake. But we have taken time into our own hands by slowing it down ever so slightly. This is different than denial which is much more rigid, longer lasting and needing professional intervention.