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New here - any suggestions to help avoid nightmares?

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Oh that comment of mine totally wasn't to dissuade anyone from medicating, separately or in functional combos.

More just personal reminiscing to the lifetime ago I was on those two.

Didn't know the combo has a fancy name tho, so thanks for the info :tup:

No worries. ? I fought it without meds for years tried self medicating and lots of other stupid stuff. Cost me two marriages and a lot more family wise. I thought I could control it because I had never found something I could not do. That is what made it so devastating. I would make a step out then fall two steps down. PTSD brought me to my knees and humbled me more than anything.
 
It works better when you take it with Effexor in the morning. They work in synergy with each other. Google “California Rocket Fuel.” It’s much better that way than on its own.

I had bad side effects with Effexor, too. If I remember correctly, it was tremors. But I'll double check next week, when I see my psychiatrist.

No worries. ? I fought it without meds for years tried self medicating and lots of other stupid stuff. Cost me two marriages and a lot more family wise. I thought I could control it because I had never found something I could not do. That is what made it so devastating. I would make a step out then fall two steps down. PTSD brought me to my knees and humbled me more than anything.

Sorry to hear about your marriages. Sounds like you're in a much better place, now. Hoping some day to somewhere decent myself.

Well I have come to the conclusion I am stuck taking something forever so not even going to attempt to come off. Yes both can be horrific to come off of at the same time. Quality of life over quantity of life. I am pretty much on the outside of the rabbit-hole so would rather not fall back in if at all possible as long as it’s working. I am not 100% but know that is an unrealistic expectation. Just keeping my stress level down as much as possible.

Hey, if you found something that works for you, stick with it I'd say. All of us deserve to have functional, quality lives. Now whether or not that's possible for everyone is still up for debate.
 
Placebo & belief.
Ooooh! Ooh!

Speaking of cool mind tricks?

I already know my brain is good at making connections to things that don’t exist (triggers & stressors)... so one of my fav things to do is cause it to make other associations that are useful to me. Like spraying on a certain perfume with medication A, and a different perfume with medication B, and keeping a 3rd strong scent around for when I find myself happy/blissed out/relaxed/excited... pervasively good feelings of any kind.

It takes a loooooong time to build the association, and the effects can fade relatively quickly without continued pairings -pretty much the opposite of trauma associations which snap into place in the blink of an eye, and take a looooong time to unravel- but it’s crazy how effective the placebo thing can be once the association is there. If I used the perfume I associate with benzos? My whole system floods with warm/calm. Not for long (certainly not the whole 4-12 hours of taking an actual pill) but long enough for me to usually manage to get a grip on my reaction and start backing myself down.

It’s a nifty trick.
 
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P
Ooooh! Ooh!

Speaking of cool mind tricks?

I already know my brain is good at making connections to things that don’t exist (triggers & stressors)... so one of my fav things to do is cause it to make other associations that are useful to me. Like spraying on a certain perfume with medication A, and a different perfume with medication B, and keeping a 3rd strong scent around for when I find myself happy/blissed out/relaxed/excited... pervasively good feelings of any kind.

It takes a loooooong time to build the association, and the effects can fade relatively quickly without continued pairings -pretty much the opposite of trauma associations which snap into place in the blink of an eye, and take a looooong time to unravel- but it’s crazy how effective the placebo thing can be once the association is there. If I used the perfume I associate with benzos? My whole system floods with warm/calm. Not for long (certainly not the whole 4-12 hours of taking an actual pill) but long enough for me to usually manage to get a grip on my reaction and start backing myself down.

It’s a nifty trick.

Pavlovian response.... just like training a dog. Repetitive responses to a particular behavior.
 
Yes! Knew there was a word for it. Couldn’t remember it for the life of me. Mad thanks. Would have woken me up at 3am :facepalm: Same principle as placebo, your body believes it, so it responds as if. Like the belly-clock, must be chow time. Or all those deaths in the 50’s & 60’s & 70s from non-lethal-GSWs. (Wildly popular Westerns created an association for almost a whole generation that to get shot meant you died. Drove doctors nuts for yeeeears // is part of what spawned the everyone’s wounded, nobody dies??? thing in the 80’s. An appeal to Hollywood via the medical industry).
Pavlovian response.... just like training a dog.
I’ve always been a bit of a bitch :smug:

#devildog
 
Setting up your sleep environment so you feel as safe and secure as possible helps. My friend recommended me that I sleep with a machete under my pillow because this ended his nightmares. It doesn't work for me but I understand now why it worked for him, cuz it made him feel like he can defend himself if someone attacks him in his sleep. With me, it's different, when I sleep somewhere that feels spiritually protected I get way less nightmares.
 
I hope its ok to post.
I had the worst night sleep for a long time. Have been having violent nightmares that I can't remember for a few weeks but last night was absolutely hideous. I woke up and and was sick, remembered the whole thing and still feel ridiculously shaken 6 hours later.
I listen to meditation tracks to calm down and fall asleep, and I'm doing my best to avoid triggers during the day, although yesterday was bad and the thunderstorm sounds and lights in the afternoon set things up badly.
Anyone got any suggestions? Already I cannot bare the thought of going to sleep again tonight....

Huge thanks.

Me too! Horrible nightmares and I wake up with severe anxiety. Can't control the nightmares. I have my husband rub my back or arm or any part of my body as a relaxer and distraction for my anxiety. Putting on music can be helpful as you tend to "sing or hum along" and the music vibrations and beats help to calm the nervous system down. I am not a fan of medications as they poison the body and cause many other problems/side effects. Word has it that marijuana is very helpful as it prevents your brain from the continuous hypervigilance and anxiety. It also helps with lifting the depression associated with it. I wonder if one takes it before bed if it helps with reducing the PTSD brain activity? Can anyone help with this? Would appreciate feedback.
 
Word has it that marijuana is very helpful as it prevents your brain from the continuous hypervigilance and anxiety. It also helps with lifting the depression associated with it. I wonder if one takes it before bed if it helps with reducing the PTSD brain activity? Can anyone help with this? Would appreciate feedback.
You might be interested in this article >>> The pros and cons of using cannabis for ptsd
 
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