When I was a kid, I had a dream that I still consider to be the scariest dream in my life. The dream occurred some time after I watched the "Little Mermaid" cartoon (not a Disney variation). I got deeply scared by the Witch. In fact, it was her creaky voice and laughter that made me horrified, not her appearance. I refused to watch this cartoon again during my childhood. About the dream itself: as I mentioned, I saw this dream in a few days after I watched the cartoon. It started with me watching the same cartoon on our big old TV. At some point I realised that I am approaching the moment when the Witch was going to appear. I didn't want to see and hear her, but, for some reason, I could not turn the TV off. So I got up from the sofa, and started leaving the room. And suddenly I saw the volume bar appearing on the screen, with the sound starting to increase slowly to the limit, by itself. At that very moment I left the room and ran to the balcony, so I could not hear the voice of the Witch. Once I reached the balcony, I started to watch the corridor from the interior window - the same corridor I ran. Suddenly, I realised that the Witch is gonna come up out of the TV because the volume reached its maximum. And once I thought that, at the same moment I saw the Witch running towards the balcony to get me. I was completely shocked but managed to hide behind the armchair, still realising that it won't stop the Witch from finding me, because she knew I was there. I wasn't able to know what happened as the dream ended without the Witch reaching the balcony. I am still uncomfortable with watching this cartoon, even though I realise it's all unreal and the Witch is actually pretty funny, not scary. But I still get goosebumps when I think of her and write this dream description. I still experience horror
Based on your description, it seems that this dream represents a deep-rooted fear or trauma caused by your encounter with the Witch character from the "Little Mermaid" cartoon. The dream reflects your fear of being unable to escape from her presence and the feeling of being pursued or chased.
The fact that you were unable to turn off the TV in the dream suggests a feeling of powerlessness or inability to control the situation. This may reflect a general sense of vulnerability you experienced as a child, both in the dream and in real life when you initially watched the cartoon.
Running to the balcony and trying to hide behind the armchair indicates your desire to escape and find a safe place. However, there may also be a sense of inevitability or the belief that the Witch will always find you, symbolizing the enduring impact of this fear.
While you recognize that the Witch is not actually scary and is meant to be funny, the dream suggests that the fear still lingers and affects you on a subconscious level. The continued discomfort and goosebumps you experience when thinking about the dream indicate that this fear has not been fully resolved.
To address this, it may be beneficial to explore the underlying reasons behind your fear and consider confronting and reframing these negative associations through therapy or self-reflection. By understanding the origins of your fear and challenging irrational beliefs, you may be able to release the lingering dread associated with this dream.