Nightmares Are A Constant...

[Healing Reins]

Hi all!
I hope everyone is having a lovely evening, morning, day night, wherever you are!

So I wanted to talk about some nightmares, and thoughts before bed I've been having. Often times I have a rough time falling asleep due to nightmares of my assault- which I'm not surprised about, so honestly no surprise there. What I am concerned about though, are the thoughts I get before I fall asleep. I tend to think a lot before I fall asleep but somehow my thoughts always slowly turn into nightmares and it's starting to make me terrified of going to sleep. I have been putting off going to sleep by doing things that are productive like doing my homework, taking a bath, doing my hair so I don't have to get up early in the morning to do my hair, and such.

But I was wondering several things;

1) if any of you are on meds that help you sleep? If so, what meds?

2) Do any of you have rituals that help you sleep? If so what are they? Do they calm your thoughts down?

3) Do any of you have maybe some ideas for coping with the anxiety I get during the night?
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Also the weird thing is I have thoughts of things that haven't even happened to me. I have these mini dreams where he is assaulting me again , but I always wake up in time before the worst happens. But when I cry out in the dreams no one is around to help me, and I guess that terrifies me. Is this a natural part of recovery? Or is all of this sounding crazy and something I need to get looked at?

Thank you all so much for your support and love! It really means so much to me!
<3

 

[xanda11]

Hi

I have exactly the same thing, weird visions of things that haven't even happened to me.

The best thing I have found is to play some music that I really love, my favourite is Loreena McKennit, and let my mind go into the music instead of all those strange and disturbing places.

 

[onesie]

I can relate too. I take amitriptoline. It helps. Also trazodone has helped in the past with severe anxiety, depression, and insomnia. I took that when I was battling cancers etc. Now, what I do is, listen to peaceful music, birds chirping, waterfalls, anything soothing. Running my hands under warm or cool water helps me too. I center myself. I tell myself, I am safe, I am alive, and I am strong. As soon as a negative thought aka memory of trauma, I replace it, with something beautiful.

 

[EvenStrongerNow]

((((Taia)))), I can relate. Early in my recovery, I had nightmares a lot. In those, nobody was around to help me either.

What I did and still do to cope, I play word games in my head (counting to 200, then starting over and enunciating the numbers in my thoughts and forcing myself to say, "one hundred and fifty four", going through the alphabet and thinking of unique baby girl names, then starting over with baby boy names.

Another one I just recently learned for anxiety and sleep is breathing. Taking deep breaths in and out--not judging myself for how I am breathing (am I holding it long enough? am I supposed to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth? does it matter if I take too big of a breath?)--I use thought stop to get back to breathing. I listen to my breath. I really listen to it and feel it. When I do this, my mind automatically shuts off.

If I go back to the thoughts and I notice it, I don't judge myself for it. I just say to myself, "It's OK. You are safe." and then repeat the process. This helps me get to sleep and relieves the anxiety that I feel.

There are just going to be times where I need to process things and with that comes the nightmares. I remind myself that it's a part of the process and it means I am ready to do so. That radical acceptance really helps me with the anxiety that I feel.

Then there are times when I find the need to take some Benadryl to get to sleep. Then there are times when I just can't sleep no matter what I do or take. That's OK too. This is how I practice self care, by practicing radical acceptance and reminding myself that not being able to sleep is just a part of the process too. It really helps me and I hope it helps you as well.

Wishing you peaceful sleep really soon because you deserve it!

 

[PureDogs]

@Taia12896

You were not only one because I do get nightmare lot as well and it can be annoyed or cause me to wonder what trigger/stressor that lead me to have nightmare. My nightmares is related with whatever is an reminder of something and sometimes it happens out of blue without any possible reason such as I could not figure it out.

To answer your questions.

1) if any of you are on meds that help you sleep? If so, what meds?

I used to take Trazodone in the past and I despite it because it made me feel so groggy all the times and it caused too many vivid dreams. Right now, I am not on any sleep medications, however, I am on Prazosin which is for high blood pressure - No, I don't have high blood pressure. This medication helps to block the nightmares. Does that helps? Not always and I am on the lowest dosage. Lately, I have been getting vivid dreams. It freak me out and does not like it but - I wonder if it is part of recovery. Of course, the feeling isn't pleasant.

2) Do any of you have rituals that help you sleep? If so what are they? Do they calm your thoughts down?

No, I have not try or have them. Lately, I don't sleep throughout the night, I would woke up few times in the night and went back to sleep without any incidents.

3) Do any of you have maybe some ideas for coping with the anxiety I get during the night?

Whenever I have nightmare, I woke up and I take few seconds to look around then remind myself where am I, and what today's date is. Does that help? Sometimes and I don't know about you if that may help but you can try that and see. It also helps when you use your eyes movement to get your mind re-connect into reality and look around, talk about it with your therapist or a trusted friend who truly understands you without any judgement.

I hope this helps..

 

[CountryGirl2014]

I take a medication called Xanax it helps to ease my mind and relax your body to get to sleep.. But everyone is different. I have been abused all my life and I am 36yrs old now .. Sorry to hear about you struggles. I am here to help in anyway that I can even if it Is just to vent or to comfort you in any way.. I pray that you get some help to get away from your night mares. Sometimes a nice cup of hot tea helps as well before bed.. Take care and talk to you soon..

 

[Mary]

I also struggle with nightmares and persistent pre-sleep thoughts. Things that help me in order of how much they changed things for me, from least to greatest:

I bought Tranquil Turtle. http://www.authorsden.com/visit/vie...eep trying stuff, and hang in there! ((hugs))

 

[Healing Reins]

Thank you guys so much for the help! And sorry about putting this in the wrong forum..I honestly did not see the sleep forum! So sorry about that!