Do You Wake Up Depressed After Depressing Dreams?

[Grama-Herc]

I know that the terror memories are trying to make their way to the suface of my mind. I am having night terrors and a lot of mid night sweating and last night I walked in my sleep. That scares me more than anything. But back to subject!

I'm conscious of dreaming about depressing things and being depressed, but I still have no clue of the subject matter. Waking up depressed when I have a cool day to look forward to is just plain crappy. Been trying for 3 hours to get myself out of this funk and get happy and motivated to go out and follow my plans for the day.

So are my dreams a big reason for my depression. I'm on meds--like it or not--and have been since my hospital stay years ago. I know the stress of caring for mother is taking it's toll, but as I get use to her lack of memory due to aging, the task is getting easier and we have started enjoying eachother again. So I don't think that is the source of my current depression.

I'm just so dam tired of feeling like this. Is it to much to ask, to just BE HAPPY? I have no reason to not be happy and every reason to BE HAPPY!! So what is goinng on in my brain or is my brain even "going on" ?

 

[Tosh]

I may not have the same shoes as you, but I've been where you are. Somedays I feel that way too. Nothing gets me out of "that" mood, no matter how good my day goes. Sometimes it's like I don't feel the happiness that I know I should be feeling.

At the suggestion of my therapist I sat down and started to write a list of things I was thankful for, believe it or not it did help change my mood a bit. When I can't get out of it I tell myself little phrases like: "This too shall pass..." or the serenity prayer "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

I too have night terrors. Once I was triggered by a movie that I was watching before bed. I ended up waking up in the middle of the nightmare, I sat up, but. I couldn't move, I was breathing fast, but I felt like I couldn't breath, and I could see both the nightmare still playing and my living room. It was really strange. I was just stuck like that for a few minutes before I snapped out of it. My therapist told me to get one of those relaxing sound players that I could hit when I wake up during a bad nightmare. Like the ones that play ocean waves, rain, nature sounds, etc.. After I have a really lucid bad nightmare I am always depressed the next day. It's the kind of depressed you can't shake off too. I feel like the trauma still has control over me. Recently I talked to my doctor about my meds, I was on a really low dose SSRI, and since he bumped it up a little things are a little more manageable. It helps with my nightmares cause I don't have them as often now. I don't think there is anything wrong with being on meds, I would be a mess if I wasen't.

 

[Reclusive]

If I have a depressing dream, I definitely wake up depressed. Sometimes even when I have happy dreams about the way things used to be. Typically, I try to get a nap in as soon as I can because that's the only way I can get out of it. I really wish they WOULD make happy pills that I can take to be HAPPY instead of un-sad.

 

[ronin47]

I do feel depressed when I wake up post-bad dreams. However, it usually fades away. I just have to keep reminding myself they're only dreams.

 

[Grama-Herc]

Tosh,

I got one of those sound machines for Christmas, but have never used it, guess now is as good a time as any to start. Gonna give it a try. Somethng has to work. They can't increase my meds any higher. I'm on the max dose now.! Just so tired of feeling this way!

 

[cherryblossom]

Perhaps a change of medication could help? Sometimes if you are on the same meds for a long time, your body gets used to them and they stop being so effective.

 

[Tosh]

I got a new tip yesterday! My therapist told me that when I wake up from a nightmare to close my eyes and put a happy ending onto it. She said it's like you are daydreaming, but resolving the nightmare and adding a good ending. I am going to try this!

 

[Grama-Herc]

CB, I'm so terrified of reverting back to my premedicated condition, just the idea of changing meds scares hell outta me. My condition is worsened by stress and boy do I have the stress in my life these days. But I am managing, I guess. Just very glad I am able to isolate myself when necessary and have a calm down session with myself