Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.
LonerStonerCasual Contributor
In response to: Nightmare
MazaritaSenior Contributor
Hi @LonerStoner, I'm here if you would like to chat. 
In response to: Re: Nightmare
Unknown userMember
In response to: Re: Nightmare
MazaritaSenior Contributor
Hi @Former-Member, @LonerStoner, I'm 55 now but I left home when I was 16. I lived with a 17 year old friend though when I first moved out. I've had that feeling too of waking up in a bad way from a nightmare and having no-one around to talk it out and help things feel okay again. Feeling for you, @LonerStoner. Hugs (if you'd like them). But, with any luck, you have already fallen asleep again. In which case, I hope you feel much better in the morning. Also, welcome to the forum.
In response to: Re: Nightmare
marchhareSenior Contributor
Thanks Mazarita.
In response to: Nightmare
LonerStonerCasual Contributor
In response to: Nightmare
LonerStonerCasual Contributor
In response to: Re: Nightmare
MazaritaSenior Contributor
@LonerStoner, just a dream. Hope you might already be feeling a bit better, there's been a little time now since you woke up. If you happen to have chai or hot chocolate or something like that, it might help ground and settle you.
In response to: Re: Nightmare
MoonGalSenior Contributor
Hi @LonerStoner, hope you managed to get back to sleep feeling safe?
One thing I do when I have had a nightmare is get up for 15 minutes, have a cup of warm milo and read a book a bit. Then when I go back to bed, I purposefully create a visualisation of something very tactile and interesting - my fav. go too is a friendly red dragon who I ask if I can go for a fly - then I imagine flying over the city, then the suburbs then the country, imagining what all the treetops look like from above, until we reach a red-sand desert. We go down, I get off and dig a huge hole with my hands and put all my troubles and worries into it, cover it over and then get back on and 'fly' back to myself. I am usually asleep before I arrive "home".
You might be able to craft in your own mind a special safe visualisation you could imagine and use whenever you are scared of sleep to control your thinking until you fall safely alseep.
Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
Help us push aside the stigma and discrimination surrounding complex mental health and change the way people talk about, and care for, mental illness.
SANE acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
SANE values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.
You’ll soon be able to use one secure login to access all SANE services.
For added security, members are now required to log in with their email address and password - member names are no longer supported for logging in.
If you had a Forums account before 19 May 2026 and haven’t set up your new login yet, you'll be prompted to set up your new secure login when you sign-in.
Fields marked * are required
