What To Do About Nightmares?

[maddog]

The extent to which therapy, or anything in your life that brings trauma memories to the surface in any way, can cause and sustain nightmares, was absolutely unbelievable and terrifying to me. I honestly went for years - all of my young adult life - without ever having any, or only vague and abstract forms of frightening imagery, and then within the space of a couple of current events and a pivotal point in trauma therapy, the nightmares erupted into my world... and they've been here ever since.

I honestly cannot remember the last night when I didn't experience either a vividand remembered nightmare of past events, a vivid and remembered nightmare of partly real, partly abstract events, or an unremembered sleep experience that leaves me waking in mortal fear or deep distress.

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever, ever, sleep peacefully again.

I know the drum about it being a positive sign overall, the mind's unconscious way of dealing with and integrating past trauma, but that doesn't help when you've woken paralysed with terror for the fifth time in a night, so tense with terror that your muscles are cramping and the ability to breathe seems a distant memory.

My heart goes out to anyone who experiences trauma nightmares - they can feel soul-destroying, as though you've been possessed, and as though they will never end.

Maddog

 

[Joslyn]

So, I have thoughtfully and vigilantly sought out therapists who can teach me techniques for managing different modes of anxiety, panic, flashbacks, etc. I have also seen a sleep disorder specialist.

I must say EMDR has been the main contributor to healing the trauma of flashbacks and such. I would suggest spending a couple hours on the internet/phone to locate an therapist or counselor who specializes in EMDR. There are tons of people who claim they can do it. But, in my experience, utilizing one that you are comfortable with and who has multiple years of training and study has been a factor in the overall successes.

Over the years I have been told, for me believe it to be true, that nightmares and night terrors are two different types of sleep intrusions. Last year I started to keep a journal of sorts. No, Not writing down content of sleep issues. I keep it bedside and grab it when I get woken up so I don't forget the event occurred. I include the Date/ N for Nightmare/ T for night terror/ and there are other acronyms on the list/ Time of sleep event. I go over the dates and frequency, improvements. It's a physical way of tracking improvements in managing events and/or we discuss how to approach the emotional upset.

In fact I just got startled and paniced during a night terror which woke me up sweaty, anxious and paniced. I do not remember what the night terror is about. However, the physical memory of what I went through is there. I use cognitive techniques and typically get up out of bed for water, potty break or something that is familiar to my bedtime routine and restart the going to bed routine with the hope of returning to sound sleep. Not working tonight...so I logged on and found your forum.

When I have a nightmare, I usually sleep through it and can remember the content the following day.

Techniques I use for any of the PTSD emotions include cognitive behavior (described above), breathing techniques, and EMDR has been the biggest contributor to getting rid of traumatic memories. In a way my T and I have re-invented the ending to a traumatic scenario. I also have used a medical psychiatrist for about 9 years. Having low doses of certain meds, for now, I have a lot to heal and I speak with her weekly.

i am glad you posted this forum, there are a lot of great suggestions to your question. Rest well and have a great week.

 

[timetorecover]

I am craving a peaceful nights sleep, but I have accepted that whilst I am ill, its another symptom. EMDR really is very interesting and has helped with the processing of my traumas and is supposed to work towards deleting them, like a computer file! Because my therapy has stopped for a while, I am struggling again, but was doing well with it. Side effects can be more nightmares, but it is supposed to be for the good!!

<line breaks edited by catjudo>

 

[cdinwv]

You are not alone timetorecover or any of us here. I greatly relate with what you say about the nightmares and terrors do seem stronger and more invasive through the recovery process after opening up that door of PTSD awareness in healing. I have not had a good solid night of sleep without horror invasion for decades since finding out and getting help with PTSD.

I was not officially diagnosed with my PTSD until 2009. I spent most of my life seeking the therapy available to what I could afford and even as a teenager PTSD was not diagnosed nor treatable to Incest Survivors back then. Alternative methods of therapy was not available. As a teenager I was given anxiety and depression medications with harsh side effects that left me unable to function in high school. So I quit medications. As an adult I actively sought talk therapy and help when I was having a hard time accepting the death of a grandmother who was one of my prime abusers.

I felt like I was going crazy with nightmares, lack of focus, constant emotional roller coaster and anxiety and fear like I had never known. Then I found out what PTSD is and does to a person. Most of my life has been spent without proper diagnosis and treatment. Now I can't shut the door even in sleep deprivation and sleep invasions. I realize that therapy is working but the road is long, difficult and draining.

Thank you for sharing and letting others know that we are not alone and the price of recovery is worth every ounce of struggles we face to heal from something we never chose nor asked for.

 

[cdinwv]

I agree with you Malcolm. I refuse to take any prescription or over the counter medications to help me sleep or function daily with PTSD. I have felt the harsh side efforts of epilepsy medications and anxiety and depression medication and the fear of using these prescription drugs side effects is harder to cope with than the nightmares. I have never tried to commit suicide but with prescribed meds, I have never felt closer and that's more scary than the night horrors.

There isalot of good advice on here that I will try also. I do not know how to stop the nightmares and lack of sleep either. But I have noticed that so much of my every day occurances in raising a teenage daughter has even striked up nightmares of my own abuse even though I am miles and years removed from any of my abusers.

I feel like salt is constantly being poured in these wounds that can never heal but isolation is not the answer to heal. But what can one truly do other to cope the best one can.

Seizures taught me alot of self-care tips through trials and errors to avoid having a seizures like avoiding certain lights, no driving in the rain and snow, or video games but with PTSD, I am learning what triggers the nightmares by trial and error also. I can't stop it but I do gain hope in knowing that with awareness of trying to find out what may have done it that I can cope the healthiest and most constructive way that I can.

I find that writing lyrics, short stories, poetry, keeping a daily journal summarizing all activity of the day, food intake, caffeine intake and releasing upon paper the nightmares---that one day, it will loosen up and I'll be broke free from the PTSD symptoms, nightmares and the terrors that won't release me now. But one day, it will. Constructive hobbies and creativity help me to release the horror that has prisoned me in many ways but it is more beneficial to me than a pill or even therapy at times. Tears work great too.

 

[Keith Shannon]

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I found this site randomly not even searching for anything related, but there seemed to be a lot of great posts & conversations on here so I figure I'll give it a try!

Anyways, I've dealt with nightmares ever since my first tour of Iraq when I took part in the assault on Fallujah. For years I didn't know what to do, nor did I talk about it with many people. I just warned my girlfriend at the time & anyone else who would possibly be trying to wake me up at night to make sure they stay a safe distance away because I sometimes lash out violently without realizing it especially when touched while sleeping.

I started doing the whole therapy thing and the doctor prescribed me Ambien which definitely helped me get to sleep and stay asleep for at least 4-5 hours a night which was a big improvement. Studies I've read about and my doctor told me said that sleeping through to the end of a dream actually helps it not recur as often as the subconscious mind can work on processing & dealing with the information if it's not interrupted. However, if I was woken up by a nightmare or something else then I would have bad visual & auditory hallucinations (a rare side effect of Ambien) especially if woken up during a nightmare.

So sleeping through them if possible can help lessen the nightmares so if you have a partner or someone that wakes you up when they can tell you're dreaming.

Just a couple weeks ago my doctor at the VA hospital prescribed me Trazadone to help me sleep a little better as well as Prazosin which is a blood pressure med that is commonly used for anxiety, PTSD & nightmares. I can't say that I've had less dreams... But one really weird thing that started after taking it which makes me think the Prazosin is responsible. What's happened since I've started taking it is that now when I'm dreaming I am actually able to slightly control what I do in the dreams. Normally, even when I know I'm dreaming if I try to move somewhere, or do something I get that really sluggish feeling I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. But since taking it I can move around freely some of the times and change the way the dreams going. So kinda weird...

This next part I'm sure some of you will think is a terrible idea... However, it's honestly helped me more than anything else.

Since getting out of the military I have used LSD and mushrooms sometimes... They both not only help me work out some anxiety and other issues during the trip as you lose your ego and can see things as they really are instead of the way you normally misconstrue them to your benefits. However, the best part about it (especially after using mushrooms) is the sense I get for a week or two after using it that everything is just going to be ok... My panic attacks are a lot less, I sleep better, and when I dream there are not nearly as many nightmares. I know they have started medical testing on PTSD with MDMA, and psilocybin (mushrooms) on both PTSD patients and terminal cancer patients and it's had a lot of great effects on both groups.

I do have to state though... I definitely do NOT recommend going out and trying this with at least someone to babysit you during and it's even better to have someone who has done it multiple times that can guide you through the experience and knows how to guide your trip out of a bad place if it starts going that way. I've never had a bad experience but my first few times were with people who were very patient, explained everything happening to me, as well as taught ways to control the direction of the trip.

It's helped me the best... But everyone is different. I much rather use LSD or mushrooms than a pharmaceutical.

 

[Gamereign555]

I have been taking Prazosin. I did some internet research on it and asked my doctor for it. It works by blocking the signals that produce adrenaline. For some reason it's only recommended that it be taken right before bed. It works good for me every time.

 

[Joslyn]

Hello and thank you all for being so open and sharing your experiences and opinions for what works best for you at this point. It is a lot of trial and error for me, too. I cannot be in intense emotionally driven conversations, arguments or to even be around severe anger is a huge trigger. Things have been going okay. I have been using a medical psychiatrist for 6 years and cognitive therapy for about 10. I have definetely improved. I am not curled up in the corner crying and haven't for nearly a decade. And my whole young adult life I, too, was undiagnosed until 38 years old when I stopped self medicating with booze.

Because of my severe and paralyzing night terrors (not nightmares), I agreed to trazadone which when I started I need sooo much to quiet my head. Now I only need a very small dose and sometimes I can fall asleep without it. However, I must state all the dosing down took years and I have tried to stop taking the clonopin (for the night terrors). I am very very sensitive to the medication issue. My body is hyper sensitive to meds, too. But at my age and state of being I need a good nights rest. without rest, I lean toward depression and hopelessness.

I have used some tools that work and others that I outgrow in terms of what to do about nightmares. Now I can accept a nightmare. It's a lot less frightening than a night terror/horror. I think one day I will not have the terrors. But, at my age the brain is pretty well skewed.

I have come a long way. I woke up feeling so hopeless. I log on here and see I am not alone. any of us can find the tools, we just need to pick them up and use them (be it meditation, yoga, meds, combination like me).

I never dose down or up without a consult with my psychiatrist and last week we realized I am only on 2 meds to help me sleep now. Oh and I believe Ambien is evil. It gave me blackouts and hallucinations so I have been on the trazadone.

Well, I just started a warm water therapy, juicing so I get more nutrients and am trying to work toward getting out of the house (severe agorophic, too) I want to be healthy despite my disability. Sleep well wherever you are and know tomorrow is a new day. Peace.

 

[Gamereign555]

I don't blame you for not liking the Ambien. My mother was prescribed it once and she woke up in the middle of the night and made a huge holiday like dinner, she became aware but didn't remember doing any of it. There are also reports of people sleep driving on it, or walking into town and not knowing where they were when they became aware.
I guess its one of those medications that will either help you a lot or scare you away from it.

 

[scattered]

When I am just drifting off I jolt awake as if I am having a nightmare but I am not even asleep yet..so the act of falling asleep is something that causes panic for me...

When I sleep, I wake up a couple of times usually in the night ...some nights- like tonight I just give up and get out of bed.

I don't remember my dreams, but I wake up afraid to the core. The few dreams I remember have involved confinement...not being able to get out..Sometimes I don't understand why the dream made me so afraid maybe I only remember part of it?

I took Temazepam for a solid six months and it did --help me to get to sleep-- but I still woke up. I usually sleep well one or two night in a row after not sleeping well. This has seemed to be a pattern with or without medication. I prefer not to take medication.

 

[Sues]

Hi everyone. Sometimes I don't remember any of my dreams. I can wake and know that I had a nightmare, but I can't remember it. I wake feeling scared, feel like crap, and sweaty and cold, but no memory of the dream. Those are, of course, my good nights. My bad nights are the ones when I remember what I dreamed. Either way, I wake frequently and have trouble falling asleep every night.

I'm like you Malcolm, I don't want to take drugs. I cave sometimes and take an over the counter sleep pill.

Things that seem to help me are:

I need to sleep with the bathroom light on. It started with me telling myself that I didn't like to sleep in the dark because I had moved (away from my abusive ex) and it was because I was in a new place that I didn't know. That was not true of course. I used night lights, but they aren't bright enough. So I gave up and I just leave the light on in the bathroom. It works great.

When it's bad, I'll sleep on the sofa with the TV on. The voices on the TV make me feel like there are other people in the room and it makes me feel safer.

I still can't sleep with the window open. My bedroom is on the second floor, but it doesn't matter. I feel like he'll find us, jump the fence, and climb up to my bedroom balcony and get in. I feel vulnerable, and unable to protect myself. So I just close the window and I sleep better.

 

[JustBe]

Me too. Even in the heat and humidity of the summer, as soon as it gets dark, I go into lockdown. :(

I've learned to leave nightlights on and either the TV or an audio book droning in the background all night long to keep the nightmares away.

I tried sleeping pills in the past but would have nightmares that I could not wake up...was driving with my eyes stuck shut etc. So, no more sleeping pills!