Long night, worse dreams

I've had really bad nightmares for about the past ten years or so. The ones that leave you sweating and shaking like you five years old again wishing you had a damn night-light. Too scared to get the hell out of bed to go turn the light on or simply roll over and go back to sleep so instead you sit there and watch the shadows waiting..for who knows what.

The past year though they've gotten worse, I don't know if this is a real term or not but night terrors seem to fit my dreams better now. I've already scared the hell out of people by screaming in my sleep. They have become so much more vivid/real, without me taking anything to help that.

I woke up from a dream the other night crying and in my dream there was someone holding my shoulders (yes I know it was most likely because I was tense) but my shoulders ached for the rest of the day and no I didn't check to see if there were marks. Honestly I was to scared that if there were I wouldn't ever be able to sleep again. I know it was only being upset and tense but I was so fucked up by the events of the dream that I went to run out of the room, getting my foot stuck in my backpack and falling on my ass. Than not being able to find the light switch and open the door. This all happened at 3 AM and I was shocked that I didn't wake up the whole house, thankfully they all snore.

That dream was at least not the same as they usually are. Still, I have never gone running out of a room for any dream I've ever had before.

For the most part It's a replay of having to watch my late husband while he commits suicide. Almost every night from him getting the drop light to the quiet music playing and his complete stillness.

I hate sleeping...

Just thinking about it I start shaking.

I just want to be held and to be able to hold onto someone...

 

Are you still taking melatonin? For me, it helps with sleeping but causes my freams to be much more vivid and real.

You can get a usable night light at the dollar store as well.

When your living situation improves, I'm willing to bet that your dreams will subside.

I wish I could help but I don't know how

 

no i'm not taking them anymore.
just something else i need to learn to live with i guess.

 

Our nightmares can be crippling some say it’s our subconscious having a bit of a clear our, others may say that we are reliving certain events. IMO and what I was taught in therapy training was that they are due to stress which as we all know is caused by many things such as a traumatic event, alcohol/drug use, medication, illness/raised blood pressure etc…

Reading your blog empty_remains has made me recall my own re-occurring nightmare one that haunted me for years, one that I’d wake up from crying and would then continue to relive it as I travelled to work on my motor bike arriving red eyed and heart broken.
However, once I’d analysed my nightmare and identified its key elements it simply stopped.
I can only assume that it’s no consolation but you’re not alone empty_remains, you take care now.

Maybe I ought to put it in a blog and share it…

 

Simon, I'd love to read some of your dream/nightmares. I find it fascinating in a sort of 'new awareness' sense (if that makes any sense). I wish they didn't impact you in such a painful way, however.

Be well.

 

While it would be tough to work on, have you looked into lucid dreaming? The idea is that you can train yourself to be conscious of the fact that you're dreaming while you're dreaming, and therefore have control over the dream. While it is usually used for more hedonistic or spiritual purposes, I have heard of it being used to combat nightmares among those who are prone to them.

Send me a PM if you'd like more info.

 

Hi Dave, I have heard/read about Lucid dreams somewhere 'Awake in your sleep' if I remember rightly they normally happen early in the morning before you wake up and only last for around 5/10 minutes I’m sure you’re well into REM by the time they start. I’ll have to Google it and do a bit of research.

OD, I will write up my nightmare, I don’t tend to have them now which is good. I do a lot of dream work with the therapy work I do. I enjoy working with dreams especially when you make that link and the dreams stop, take care all.