Nightmares Vs Flashbacks

[Enaila]

I have been having terrible nightmares and night terrors, which isn't unusual, but then the last two days I was able to actually sleep well. However, the trade off for sleeping well has been some majorly intense and longer lasting flashbacks. Has anyone else experienced the flip flop of flashbacks and nightmares? I'm not sure which I prefer the most....the flashbacks put me in tears in public or where ever I am, but the nightmares make sleep poor and I feel in a fog. It is so frustrating. I just wish I could have one day with a break from both!

 

[Insight]

I am sorry to hear you are struggling with flash backs and nightmares,

I have not experienced a trade off, just nightmares and certain things that trigger flashbacks for me. Nightmares are a horrible thing to experience, especially when it is impacting your sleep. Have you considered a medication called Prazosin? It is not approved by the FDA for treatment of PTSD, but it may help with the nightmares.

I would rather have a flash back during the day and learn how to cope with the sadness than a nightmare and not be able to sleep. Have you done any therapy to be able to cope with the flash backs you are experiencing?

 

[Enaila]

I am taking Ambien, but it doesn't seem to help much with the nightmares anymore and is hit or miss on helping me sleep. The side effects and possible dangers of taking it have me worried as well.

I try to remember to breathe, be mindful, try to hear noises outside the flashback to ground with, and write about it later, but I still find myself caught off guard. Luckily, my supportive best friend, chosen sister, was with me at the restaurant when the intense flashback occurred. She has been learning about PTSD with me for about three years and patiently waited for me to return from my dissociation, wipe my tears, and figure out where we had left off in our discussion.

The flashback was different this time in that I was really angry at my abuser and remember turning to face him instead of hide. It is a flashback of one of my earliest memories of trauma from when I was for years old. I have written about this flashback many times, yet it still catches me off guard.

 

[Enaila]

I am on lexapro and have seen a therapist every two to three weeks for past four years when the delayed onset PTSD appeared.

 

[gypsysoul]

Personally, I have never had the flip-flop of flashbacks and nightmares that you describe but I have had both. I just started an intense therapy called, prolonged exposure, have you heard of it? It pretty much helps your brain to sort out all the thoughts to help reduce the power of the flashbacks and decrease the nightmares. I can't yet testify to the effectiveness of prolonged exposure, but I'm more than happy to keep you updated, if you're interested.

Ambien definitely doesn't help with nightmares, it isn't even designed to KEEP you asleep, only to help you get there, and after awhile, even that doesn't work all the time. If your nightmares are real bad, maybe inquire about seroquil... It's typically giving for more serious mental health conditions, but the military gave it out like candy for nightmares, and I must admit, it helped.... However, it's not a permanent treatment.

 

[Enaila]

Personally, I have never had the flip-flop of flashbacks and nightmares that you describe but I ha...

Please do keep me informed about your progress with prolonged exposure. I don't have problems falling asleep, just staying asleep as the nightmares wake me eventually. I have to keep my fingernails short as I also clench my fists during the nightmares.

How is prolonged exposure done or its that just trigger exposure to decrease sensitivity to them?

 

[gypsysoul]

Please do keep me informed about your progress with prolonged exposure. I don't have problems falling asleep, just staying asleep as the nightmares wake me eventually. I have to keep my fingernails short as I also clench my fists during the nightmares.

How is prolonged exposure done or its that just trigger exposure to decrease sensitivity to them?

Wow! Your nightmares sound super intense. I clench my teeth, which is so painful the next day.

So prolonged exposure is suppose to be a once a week session for 8-12 sessions. The very first session we chose a traumatic event that has had the most influence on my ptsd. Then we made a list of all the things I avoid because of it and rated them from 0-100 in anxiety level. Now I'm on the imaginal part where I repeat the traumatic experience over and over until our session is over (and it's recorded). During, my therapist will stop me and gauge my anxiety level, then I'll continue. Afterwards, we talk a little about my feelings behind the event. Between sessions, I do something that I avoid on that list we made from the first session as well as re-listen to the recording of me talking about the event. Right now, it's pretty tough, but yea, I'm hoping to decrease my sensitivity to the thoughts eventually. However, I figure my life is already pretty tough, so why not try it out? We will see...

 

[Enaila]

Wow! Your nightmares sound super intense. I clench my teeth, which is so painful the next day.

How long are the sessions? I am really good at avoidance and have extreme difficulty staying on topic during a session even with therapist redirecting. I WANT to focus on healing, but the flashbacks are painful and I don't want to go through them. Rock and hard place.