i have always had vivid nightmares since i was a kid. around middle school the escalated to full-blown night terrors,but they slowly started going away.
as i talked through my stuff, they got less and less frequent. now, they have returned and are far more terrifying and physically exhausting than before. i didn't sleep more than 2hrs collectively for 4 days, and in those 4 days i still managed to hang out with friends, go to work, and do some freelance photography, so i definitely needed the sleep.
they keep getting more physical, and not in the way night terrors are for me normally. i can excuse the chest pain, difficulty breathing, and soreness as overreaching anxiety, but today i tried to sleep and after a half hour or so (and a terrifying dream abt losing my bf) i woke up with blood on my hand. i had literally freaked out so badly in my dream that i was actually bleeding.
all is bandaged and fine, but as everything escalates I'm starting to get worried. is there any advice anyone has on night terrors, or how to deal with them? they've been so exhausting recently and I'm grasping at straws here.
" I am lost without you here and outside it looks like rain."
I'm sorry I don't have any advice but wanted to say that sounds really scary and I'm sorry you're going through this. I have vivid nightmares every night so can understand a little. Have you spoken to anyone about this?
I put it down on paper and then the ghost does not ache so much.
Don't try to calm the storm, calm yourself, the storm will pass.
a few IRL friends know about it, but not what the dreams are about, or about what happened recently with my hand. I'm worried that anyone who knows me IRL would get too worried.
I should, but idk who to talk to about it.
" I am lost without you here and outside it looks like rain."
I found an old thread in abuse&bullying support that might be helpful nightmare help thread
If your nightmares aren't related to past abuse then it might not all be relevant but there should be some helpful bits. I say this as I don't know your history and I in no way expect you to disclose said history unless you chose to.
Things that help me with night mares include making my bedroom feel safe before going to sleep. Simple things like closing the door, leaving a nightlight on if I am on edge, having cuddly toys/ plushies in bed with me. I have sometimes found doing some grounding before sleeping helpful as well to get my mind in a more settled state.
Last edited by long road : 02-09-2024 at 06:50 PM.
i'll definitely check out that thread. they used to be caused by that but the recent ones seem to be things that haven't happened yet, like losing loved ones.
i don't currently have a doctor other than my neurologist. is this the kind of thing to bring up to a neurologist? I'm trying to get back into therapy so if this hasn't been resolved by then therapy will probably be helpful.
" I am lost without you here and outside it looks like rain."
think it would be worth bringing up with a neurologist if thats what you have got. especially because its brain related but impacting you physically. they could at least advise on next steps for support or looking into.
Please do not give me virtual hugs unless you are only using the hug function on threads. Thanks.
You can't always keep it separate.
This is happening, this is part of you.
so they're still happening, and have now changed a bit. they stopped for about two weeks, which was nice but didn't last. I was able to talk to my mom about it and she recommended cbd (well actually she told me to smoke some weed but I stopped smoking weed a long ass time ago), which helped until it didn't.
now though they aren't all what ifs, it's started reliving some trauma now too. At first, it was everything with me and my bio-dad, and how all of that went down. a few nights ago it was reliving my SA from freshman year, and last night it was relieving the first time my ex hit me. both times I woke up with my hands bleeding again, but last night I woke up with blood in my mouth, i guess I bit my lip or something???
I talked with my neurologist about it, and she said I should be put on a sleep med, and to ask my psych med provider to put me on a sleep med. She thinks maybe it's because I'm going to bed too late, so I'm already anxious by the time I start to sleep. idk if that's the case but I'm hoping that once I get sleep meds it'll finally stop.
" I am lost without you here and outside it looks like rain."
