Overcoming Fear of Sleeping After Being Arrested Twice

[Chelleen]

After two a*rests stemming from illnesses, one to unalive myself and the other a diabetic emergency, I find myself afraid to sleep because I have had so many nightmares about being a*rested again without knowing WHY. How do I get past this? Medicine, including Prazosin, isn't working. Does anyone have any tips for me, please? TIA.
Chelleen

 

[Friday]

It makes sense that helplessness x2 (health emergency + arrested) would play out in your sleep & nightmares.

My best tricks for nightmares =

Sourcing What’s causing me the most problems? (Refusing to go to sleep, being woken up & can’t go back to sleep, waking up repeatedly, waking up too early, etc.)…. And then tackling those aspects.

IE, Yep. The nightmares are going to happen. How do I work around that?

 

[Ecdysis]

Have you tried EMDR?

 

[Friday]

Have you tried EMDR?

Agreed, it’s so durn useful when there are specific events in play, I’m a strong 2nd.

 

[Nixx]

Hey @Chelleen,
I've literally been there, arrested twice, did actual time, its really why I'm here. I have an intense fear and hatred of the authorities and especially the police in my small town. Even being pulled over for a traffic stop that's routine will leave me physically shaking. If a cop is behind me while driving, I just assume I'm being pulled over even though I know I've done nothing wrong. I've pulled my car into an ally or side street more than once to hide if I think I'm being followed. This is irrational and I absolutely KNOW it is. So I really get it. With the bad dreams and fear of sleep. full spectrum weed edibles are a god send for me. It has to have a good ratio of cbd and thc. My understanding is that it stops or suppresses somewhat REM sleep, that's the part of sleep where you dream. So your dreams are either dulled or non existent. But I'm always careful with telling people who have anxiety to use the stuff, because it can exacerbate and magnify those feelings if you take too much. Not a doctor, or even someone who really knows a ton about medical cannibals', I can just talk from experience.

 

[arfie]

dunno if it is near enough to be useful, but my fear of sleeping stemmed from having had to live with sexual predators as a child. when i was able to sleep at all, i often woke abruptly, hypervigilant and ready for battle.

i got past it by formalizing perimeter checks. when fear of predator attack was keeping me awake or i woke in that hypervigilant state, i ran perimeter checks on my quarters, actively looking for clear and present danger. after assuring myself i was safe, i plied grounding tools to calm the hyper-vigilance. i ran my perimeter checks as needed, comforting my inner child as i went. with consistency, the need began to fade. it's been a goodly while since i have experienced this psychoweird.

but that is me and every case is unique.
steadying support while you find what works for you.