Seasounds
Diamond Member
Glad you are here, welcome!
Meds: Make sure to let your Dr. know if the 1rst med doesn't work. Truly, each provider starts with what they have found works, and or one where they just always try first. Sleep meds are very individual; what works for one doesn't workfor another. And you may want to meet with the Dr. yourself--the person to person trust is key.
For me, right now, what helps decreases flashbacks during the day is an SSRI, Lexapro. I think it also helps decrease flashbacks at night, indirectly. In order to sleep, I use a very low dose of clonazepam and lorazepam. Before my Dr would let me use these benzodiazepines, I tried lunesta, ambien, trazadone, prazosin, and natural products-tryptophan and melatonin.
For the flashbacks, besides therapy that helps me understand and feel my emotions around traumatic experiences, what has helped transform/stop the nightmares was 'looking at what skill I didn't have in the nightmare-that prevented me from being empowered. Then I would, through classes, develop that skill, until the nightmares turned around.
Examples:
1. Nightmares of waking up not being able to breath and not being able to scream for help, I took two years o Linklatter Voice Technique.
2. Nightmares of being tied up to be shot or killed, I learned how to shoot a pistol in a handgun safety class.
3. Nightmares of being beaten-taking a full force self defense class:Model Mugging-can Google. It breaks the Fight, flight, and Freeze response.
4. Nightmares of being raped-it broke a level of the nightmares to share my trauma in a group, in addition to sharing it in therapy;it 'broke the secret'.
I look forward to seeing more threads started by you.
You might continue this thread in a discussion group forum, since this is your first introduction, many people are 'greeting' you, as we do for new members.
Be patient, be kind to yourself!
Sorry you are amidst the pain of having nightmares. I have approached nightmares two ways: dealing with the situations in the nightmares, and taking meds so that I can get at least 5-6 hours a night while I work on breaking the spell of the nightmares.
Meds: Make sure to let your Dr. know if the 1rst med doesn't work. Truly, each provider starts with what they have found works, and or one where they just always try first. Sleep meds are very individual; what works for one doesn't workfor another. And you may want to meet with the Dr. yourself--the person to person trust is key.
For me, right now, what helps decreases flashbacks during the day is an SSRI, Lexapro. I think it also helps decrease flashbacks at night, indirectly. In order to sleep, I use a very low dose of clonazepam and lorazepam. Before my Dr would let me use these benzodiazepines, I tried lunesta, ambien, trazadone, prazosin, and natural products-tryptophan and melatonin.
For the flashbacks, besides therapy that helps me understand and feel my emotions around traumatic experiences, what has helped transform/stop the nightmares was 'looking at what skill I didn't have in the nightmare-that prevented me from being empowered. Then I would, through classes, develop that skill, until the nightmares turned around.
Examples:
1. Nightmares of waking up not being able to breath and not being able to scream for help, I took two years o Linklatter Voice Technique.
2. Nightmares of being tied up to be shot or killed, I learned how to shoot a pistol in a handgun safety class.
3. Nightmares of being beaten-taking a full force self defense class:Model Mugging-can Google. It breaks the Fight, flight, and Freeze response.
4. Nightmares of being raped-it broke a level of the nightmares to share my trauma in a group, in addition to sharing it in therapy;it 'broke the secret'.
I look forward to seeing more threads started by you.
You might continue this thread in a discussion group forum, since this is your first introduction, many people are 'greeting' you, as we do for new members.
Be patient, be kind to yourself!
