Dreams

Hi @SCORPION

Dreams can be so powerful, and distressing.

I can't say that I have had dreams to the extent of which you describe. But I thought I'd suggest people who may be able to comment on this. @Rick @kristin @Loopy have spoken about having PTSD. I wonder if they might be able to provide some advice?

Also, you might like to know that we have a Topic Tuesday coming this week that's about strategies to cope and recover from trauma. You can view the conversation here. There's also an interesting Ted Talk that you might find helpful on the post.

CB

Hey @SCORPION

I'm so sorry to hear that you are suffering from terrifying nightmares or unrefreshing sleep. What a dreadful choice to have to make.

I have had very terrifying nightmares over many years (though thankfully not so consistently as you suffer from). They often wake me up, but it is worse when I can't wake up even though I know I am dreaming. I can't remember what the condition is called but sometimes I am actually paralysed by fear whilst dreaming, and cannot fully awaken until I can move something (usually a finger or toe is all I can force to move with all my willpower). So I can relate a bit to the terror.

BTW the ones reliving the accident are possibly flashbacks(?). These tend to be terrifying even when one occurs when you're awake. You mention that you can't tell the details here of the more terrifying ones (presumably because it would potentially be too triggering?), might it help if you tell us what they are about more generally? I rarely have nightmares these days, I think because I have spent so much waking time facing up to the fears which I had unconsciously hidden away from myself for self-protection.

I wish I could help or offer suggestions but I can't much, perhaps you may find something in my experiences with this that may be of some use. I know that when I am struggling with sleep I need to work at preparing myself before going to sleep, I even have to be conscious about which side I sleep on and trying to relax my jaw and legs, as I tend to clench my teeth whilst asleep (to the point of migraine sometimes, or even breaking a tooth) and press down with my right foot (like it's on the car brake). These are things I've come to very recently to help myself not to be triggered by my body position whilst asleep. Is there a possibibility that something in your room/bed/sleeping position is triggering you in your sleep?

An example is that I cannot handle having anyone sleep on my right hand side, (that's the side my step father got in on), not even my 6yo. I need to sleep facing that way. Even worse when my little girl does climb in for a cuddle because she's had a nightmare she tends to throw her arms around once she falls asleep. I find it incredibly triggering to be touched or knocked when I am asleep. I was starting to become aware of this recently through mindfulness, but reading a book called The Body Remembers by Babette Rothschild gave me heaps of insight and understanding about why; and so some ideas of how to counter it. @Rick can you add anything to this, can you make any suggestions?

You are quite right - trying to function without a reasonable amount of refreshing sleep is like breathing underwater. I really hope something gives soon, and you can achieve some good regular REM without nightmares.

Hope for refreshing sleep endures...

Kindest regards,

Kristin

Hi

Thanks I will look in on Tuesday.

Another bad night 5am and sitting up as too scared to go back to bed as I really don't think I can handle meeting what awaiting if I fall asleep again. So ill just hang around the fourm and read other posts.

Thanks for support

Scorpion

@SCORPION

Hi yer Dude,

Well nightmares are a common sympton of PTSD as you no doubt know. Knowing this is no great help.

Unfortunately in this case you cannot say what meds you are actually using for these nightmares and what sound like night terrors.

I have nightmares regularly, and I take anti psychotics for sleeping as nothing else was effective for my insomnia. The problem with sleeping is that it opens up your dream capacity. Interupting REM sleep seems a little drastic, and could be counter productive as this kind of sleep is a neccessay sleep stage to get into deep sleep.

I use a high blood pressure medication which works well for me. It's essentially a beta blocker I think.

I woulld be asking for a medication review as is your right. If a medication is essentailly effective but has side-effects which are unacceptable you have more than enough grounds to question it's helpfulness.

It is important too, to remember that research into sleep disorder is considered hi priority and has been well studied for over 4 decades. There is enormous amounts of data and treatment options are many and varied because of this. I believe that you have options here.

So maybe continue taking the REM suppressant until you can get an appointment with your quack and a medication review.

And Scorpion, keep in mind that you have undergone enough trauma and you do not need to undergo more.

Will be thinking of you

Hope endures yknow,

rick

Hi

Thanks I'll be see my pshyc on Tuesday so will be taking about it all with him.

I don't like taking to many meds at the best of times and over the last 3 years have had so many at weekend I sometimes feel I need a break from them probably not the smartest idea I've had.

Thanks again

Scorpion

Hi thanks for support.

I saw my phsyc yesterday and he has suggested I go on physcotropic meds He suggested that they would be beneficial to me but the thought scared me to an early exit from the session.

Yes my thought process may be muddled at times and the nightmare situation not good but I just don't know what to do.

Last night could not sleep for the thought that I have regressed .

so last nights fourm was interesting my merry go round just movein wrong direction.

Any views are very welcome ?

Scorpion

Here I sit darkness scared to go back to sleep again how many times must we relive the same thing that

brought us to this. It dark lonely and filled with doubt. But sleep even more so.

oh how I long for true deep restful sleep where you wake jump out of bed refreshed and look forward to the day. That place seems so far and distant from me at this moment.

Ijust sit and listen to the night.

Scorpion

Hey @SCORPION

So sorry you have been struggling with these. It can get into such a vicious cycle, the more nightmares we have the more sleep-deprived we are, the more sleep-deprived the more we have nightmares.

I just noticed @Baboo posted something on the carer's forum about an app which is supposed to help with nightmares. I thought you might want to check it out. Let us know how you go please?

Kindest regards,

Kristin