Help With Nightmares!

[Padfield]

I have seen a therapist for almost a year after being struck by a car and we later found more trauma that has happened earlier in my life. I just finished CBT and EDMR. She recommended I take a few months on my own without therapy. My PTSD is very mild. My symptoms were never too bad but they were there. They are gone for the most part. But I still get nightmares. My therapist never was able to help me with my nightmares. They freak me out. I've never been a violent person. Always have been a pacifist, tree hugger type of person lol. But I've had nightmares for a long time. Violent ones. Usually ones where I am hurt or killed. Usually I am shot in the head and I wake up breathing heavily, sweating. I can usually never fall back asleep afterwards. And if I am able to fall back asleep, the same dreams occurs sometimes and I wake up again. It's starting to affect me physically due to the lack of healthy sleep. What have you guys done for nightmares? I've tried medications to help me sleep but they are too sedating, and I still have nightmares regardless. Has anyone had any luck getting nightmares under control? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[KwanYingirl]

For me, Reiki and acupuncture have almost completely banished my nightmares.

 

[Silver.]

I used to keep a dream journal, and wrote in it immediately after I woke up. The more I was able to recall my dreams, the more I was aware of them. I got myself to a state where I can usually wake myself up during a nightmare (unless it is a really bad night terror).
I also try and do meditation before bed to calm my mind or even reading.
Also making sure that your bedroom is conducive to sleep for you (dark, no blue light (from alarm clocks and such), I use a white noise machine which helps immensely, no tv before bed etc)
I am sorry your therapist could not help you with your nightmares and sorry you have to go through this. I hope people here can be of help to you and give you some more ideas. x

 

[EveHarrington]

Sleep hygiene things have personally helped me.

I think there is a med that helps with nightmares but it's not a sleep med per se. I thought I'd mention it as many docs don't even know about it. (Mine don't----but I never needed it as I was able to control the nightmares with sleep hygiene type things). I think it's a blood pressure med?

 

[Gadgie]

Yea! I get that sometimes, what happens is, I hear an explosion in my head, followed by automatic gun fire, I jump up scared to death, as it felt so real, only to find that I'm safely tucked up in bed?

It's so weird, as when it happens it's so real, .............yet I can't believe that it was all a dream?

 

[Padfield]

I used to keep a dream journal, and wrote in it immediately after I woke up. The more I was able to rec...

A dream journal! What a great idea!

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

Like Silver, during my terrible nightmare stage, I used to keep a dream journal. Doing so not only helped me figure out what the dreams meant, but they helped me process the dreams. Also, the journal gave me a sense of control over the dreams. I do believe the dream journal was instrumental in ridding myself of nightmares.

I payed attention to my bedtime fears and made my room a safe sleep place: nightlights, flashlight at my bedside, SuperHeroAnimal stuffies, bed in corner against wall, locked door.... At one point, I even had a toddler bed rail on the single exposed-side of my bed. In brief, I succumbed to every reasonable desire to make my sleep space safe.

OH: I learned NOT to take sleep medications, as they caused me more trouble than good.

Ben

 

[Naoru]

Prazosin is the blood pressure med sometimes used to treat nightmares in PTSD as Eve mentioned. Maybe you can research it and check with your doctor? I haven't used it, but it's been highly recommended. :)

 

[Padfield]

Thanks everyone! I am no longer symptomatic except for my nightmares and unrelated anxiety. I'd really like to get them under control. Thanks again. You guys are great.