Nightmares That Are Really Flashbacks

[Bird33]

Does anyone have nightmares about actual events that have happened? They are exactly the same every night and I wake up at the exact point every night. I keep having the same ones over and over and then I cannot get them out of my head during the day. I just really want to get them out of my head and I have done mindfulness stuff, I run everyday which helps for that time, and I do grounding things but it just keeps coming back in my mind. Does anyone have any tips?

 

[Ariane]

Have you tried lucid dreaming? There are videos to help you to meditate yourself into a state of lucid dreaming. As well as just plain trying to change the dream yourself. Control your mind, don't let it control you.

 

[Noel Bush]

I used to have these all the time too. What I did to help lessen the nightmares is listen to instrumental music while I'm sleeping. It has really helped, and I get a lot less nightmares now. But I found that if I listen to music with words in them, it doesn't really have the same effect.

 

[Bird33]

Thanks for the ideas. I never heard of lucid dreaming before. Is it easy to learn? I would love to be able to control my mind. Just not sure how.
I will also try the instrumental music.
The nightmares just affect me so much because I don't sleep well and then I can't get them out of my mind during the day so I am willing to try anything.
Thanks

 

[Friday]

I've never taken it, but prazoin is supposed to help with not being able to remember your nightmares the next day.

I basically have 3.5 kinds of nightmares ...

- Flashbackish
- Total fiction
- Some blend of the two (I call these having too much nightmare fuel ;) )
- 1/2 = some of the flashbacks have totally new emotions overlaid! some have the exact same emotions as I had back when.

Personally, I prefer my flashbacks when I'm sleeping. Far less obnoxious than having nightmares while I'm awake.

To combat the linger? I generally go burn off whatever chemicals are still floating around in my bloodstream. Exercise, loud music, grounding stuff.

 

[Bird33]

I have taken prazosin and it did help but then I had to go off it because I ended up in the hospital with blockages on my heart(unrelated to the prazosin).
I agree with I would rather have them when asleep and I run everyday to get it out of my head but then they come right back in and I am just tired of doing all the grounding stuff all the time.

 

[sgirl33]

Does anyone have nightmares about actual events that have happened? They are exactly the same every night...

I go through the same thing. I have nightmares or flashbacks of my abuser every single night. Then I wake up to the same thing in the morning. I run too but it's a temporary fix.

I have taken prazosin and it did help but then I had to go off it because I ended up in the hospital with...

Yes I took the same thing but it didn't really help

 

[Bird33]

Isn't it really hard? I wonder how long the nightmares will continue? When I run, I feel good but soon after the feelings and memories come back. I am tired of thinking about this stuff. I just want to be able to sleep. I stress about sleep now because the nightmares always come and at the same time every night, it is really weird.

 

[Kailani]

i had that for awhile; didn't take meds; switched shifts to be up at night and sleep during day which helped; it cut down the nightmares; was sooo exhausted and dreamed work stuff which was better. Not sure how much help that is except they did go away

 

[Bird33]

Thanks. It does help to know they go away. Just hard when the night passes so slowly and you are afraid to go back to sleep.

 

[Sara Emily Carby]

Struggling with nightmares/lucid dreaming I wake up exhausted!!!
I gym 3x a week, just started melatonin. I'm desperate to have a deep restorative sleep! I also do guided mediation every night.
I use crystals and essential oils n magnesium oil.
I'm going to a session of Accupuncture soon.
Anymore ideas. Has anyone stopped their nightmares!?
Thanks guys

 

[Sara Emily Carby]

Have you tried lucid dreaming? There are videos to help you to meditate yourself into a state of lucid dr...

I lucid dream now instead of repetitive nightmare bt it's still exhausting and I'm not fully in control bt I know I'm dreaming! Any tips