Nightmares Don't End

[Nymeria]

I've been having nightmares ever since the events happened 1 1/2 years ago. The Zoloft only seemed to make them worse, so I'm not taking anything now. Still have to use a mouthguard, otherwise I'm grinding my teeth off. A lot of times, I feel like I'm making progress during the day, just to be thrown back every night and having to fight my way back again in the morning.

I've also just recently discovered that I didn't want to go to sleep because of the nightmares, and oftentimes stayed up until 4 or 5 distracting myself and drinking wine, until I was so tired that I fell asleep immediately and remembered less of the dreams.

 

[IamFree]

I often have dreams about my traumas but I do not like to call them nightmares...I think nightmares is such an emotionally loaded term instead I try not label any of my dreams as good or bad ..its not easy trying to find acceptance in something so horrible. I have discovered a lot of my dreams are like lessons and if I face up to and explore them there trying to tell me something about what I need to know or feel....I always tell my self as well...dreams are just dreams and dreams can not kill me.

 

[J'qel]

Sounds like you're having really nasty nightmares. I-until very recently-never got them.

As of late december that changed. Terrifying, afraid to go to sleep, heart pounding, covered in sweat, terror. Unlike you, I have o idea what caused them, but I'm on a medication that seems to be working.

After some reading, it seems nightmares with PTSD are pretty common. It's when you're having problems operating that you need to seek help, and I would highly suggest it. Good sleep makes a world of difference in being able to recover and endure what life throws at you.

If you can, talk to your doctor and a therapist.

I don't often make recommendations, but you may wish them to look into Prazosin. Even on a tiny dose, it's turned my terror into just profoundly disturbing-which is a bigger upgrade than it sounds like.

 

[Nymeria]

I recently started therapy again and will discuss it with my therapist. The last few weeks it has gotten a bit better. I go to sleep earlier and try not to read or watch anything that would be triggering and rather read a good novel. I still use the grinding thing though and in the mornings can often feel my jaw bones kind of clenched. So.. it's a process, but it's moving forward!