I just woke up from a very, very vivid dream - fragmented nightmares, where I felt very scared and out of control - really just pointless fragments about nothing, very fear based and random images of being trapped and being in danger. I slept for like 40 minutes, I remember waking up a few times but being frozen in my body. I still feel kind of scared - I woke up in a panic, but I also feel a sense of calm and like 'completion' almost? I know that fear is just fear and it's in my head.
I generally normally wake up with a racing heart and anxiety attack a couple of times a night but I don't really remember the dream... so maybe I have nightmares all the time, I just don't remember them? Why else would I wake up with an anxiety attack?
I was definitely sleep deprived and exhausted before I went to sleep. I also did some somatic experiencing exercises before hand, so I 'm not sure if this is me processing it or feeling more ready to handle the fear and my nightmare memories? Anyway, I just wonder - can nightmares after therapy exercises be related to processing things? It's funny, with my PTSD I often feel in a constant state of fear for absolutely no reason.... and then I get scared of the fear... it's not really concretely tied into any set trauma (as in I don't generally get mental flashbacks, only sometimes) - it's just like an experience of fear that makes me frightened of everything...
As an aside, I'd really recommend anyone to look into SE - first time I have really felt safe in my body and like I could better contain the fear, rather than being overrun by it. I'm trying it myself, using the book 'Healing Trauma' by Levine - going very slowly, but it's very grounding and comforting...
I generally normally wake up with a racing heart and anxiety attack a couple of times a night but I don't really remember the dream... so maybe I have nightmares all the time, I just don't remember them? Why else would I wake up with an anxiety attack?
I was definitely sleep deprived and exhausted before I went to sleep. I also did some somatic experiencing exercises before hand, so I 'm not sure if this is me processing it or feeling more ready to handle the fear and my nightmare memories? Anyway, I just wonder - can nightmares after therapy exercises be related to processing things? It's funny, with my PTSD I often feel in a constant state of fear for absolutely no reason.... and then I get scared of the fear... it's not really concretely tied into any set trauma (as in I don't generally get mental flashbacks, only sometimes) - it's just like an experience of fear that makes me frightened of everything...
As an aside, I'd really recommend anyone to look into SE - first time I have really felt safe in my body and like I could better contain the fear, rather than being overrun by it. I'm trying it myself, using the book 'Healing Trauma' by Levine - going very slowly, but it's very grounding and comforting...
