2000 Saturn SL1 lights

I took out the trash and went to bed. My car was acting normal. I woke up, and went out the door to go to work. I found my headlights on, the switch was in the off position. The car started okay, but my dash illumination lights were dim. I tried turning them up, but as soon as I took my hand off the switch, they dimmed out again. When I got to work I had to disconnect the battery because I could not turn my headlights off. When I reconnected the battery, the headlights worked normally for a small while, then went back to always on. Also, the high beam indicator comes on, when the high beams are not on, and when they are on, the indicator light shows me having only my low beams on. The dash illumination still dims unless my hand is on the switch. Any ideas? All a part of the same problem, or three different problems that coincidentally started at the same time? I have no idea. I haven't touched anything but minor things in the last 6 to 7 years. But that is no longer economically feasible. So I really need a little advice. Thanx - Macatac