I have been having nightmares almost every day and am having trouble dealing with them and also with the lack of sleep. Just am scared to even try to sleep. Just want to stay awake because of the fear of recurring nightmares. The nightmares are always the same and I always wake up screaming. I am so tired of taking med's to just get through the day. But have to so I can cope at work. Seems the more I get into my personal T. and also group T., the worse I am doing.

I am open to any suggetstions you might have. I really appreciate the posts here. Don't know what I did without all the help I got and am getting on MS>

Thanks

Ken

Hi Ken

I truly believe that all of us get better with time, even if it doesn't always feel that way. When I was younger, I had grisly, grotesque, nightmares every night. Then, they just stopped suddenly. I still have nightmares occasionally. Usually, the abuser shows up, often in the form of Freddy Krueger, Dracula, a serial killer, or an evil stepfather.

I don't know about medication for them, if there is any. But I think they happen more frequently when you are under a lot of stress. Maybe the only way to stop them is to find relative happiness in your waking life. For me, writing helps. I don't know where I'd be without my writing. Even expressing my pain brings me joy.

Also, if you're not satisfied with your therapy, don't hesitate to get a new therapist, or join a new group.

I don't know if that was very helpful. This may sound kooky, but I look up my own dreams in "The Dreamer's Dictionary" by Lady Stearn Robinson & Tom Corbett and try to analyze what they mean. It doesn't make the nightmares go away, but if I understand them, I feel like they have less power over me.

Thanks for the information and your concern. I think the frequency of my flashbacks/nightmares might have had something to do with my med's. I decided to stop/slow down the doses for awhile and see if that helps.
Ken

There's a great med that is actually a high-blood pressure medication, but they found it works alleviating the nightmares of even holocaust survivors. I'm not a drug rep, message me for the name if you want. I take it and it has significantly reduced my nightmares. I no longer wake up from them feeling like I'm going to puke. I still have a couple nightmares every week, but not as severe as before. Very few side effects. My doc said to try and write the nightmares down when I wake up, but I am usually to terrified or groggy to do it and when I do, I can't read my handwriting in the morning. Now if I can just stop grinding my teeth. I see a dentist in a few weeks and will try to get one of those tooth guards.

Wow guys finally someone else understands. I suffer from nightmares as well. I also have a mouth guard but bit through it within three weeks in my sleep. Its very discouraging. My therapist is suggesting going for hypnosis. He thinks that i am suffering from sexual trauma.

I am considering it.

hugo

Suffering from sexual trauma? Duh... Is this news?

But don't be discouraged; you have some definate physical symptoms that should be a good indication of how well your phychological healing process is going. Just keep a good supply of mouth guards handy. Chewing up your own teeth is the least of your worries...

I don't mean to seem glib, it's clear that you have issues. The nightmares, the teeth grinding; they are all indicative of underlying stress. But treating the dreams and the jaw-clenching is only treating the symptoms.

Once you have reconciled your abuse, your feelings about it and have recovered from the trauma, those symptoms will disappear. I know the short term problems make your life miserable, but it's the root cause you should focus on.

That's easier said than done, I know. Believe in yourself, take seriously the signs that your body gives you, and pay attention to your feelings. That's the best advice I can give you.

Best of luck to you.

Lazarus

I wish i had some advice...i'd use it myself! I have the same problem.
I tried the medication...Prazosin it's called. It helped with the nightmares, but made me feel like i was passing out every time i stood up. I use marijuana. It's just the only thing that works for me right now. It also helps with my depression and lack of appetite.

Of course it isn't good for me, but it provides so much relief from so much of my suffering right now that i really don't care, and all the "research" done on it has been so agenda influenced that i really don't know what to believe about it anymore. It's like "yeah, research marijuana--as long as your results conclude that it's nothing but bad. Otherwise you loose your funding and never research anything again." At least that's how it is in the U.S.

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I really appreciate the input I am getting r/e nightmares.

I know if I have a bad day and lots of triggers or I think about upcoming T. appts. and group that I attend weekly, the chance of the same reoccuring nightmares is almost a certainty. I have learned pretty good how to deal with the nightmare once I wake up. Its just the screaming and wakeing up in a sweat that I just hate.

I guarantee tonight will not be good either. I am waiting for a call from a MS co-ordinator for the WoR in March. He wants to interview me regarding my acceptance. I am sure I will be a basket case by the time this is over.

Thanks for the input guys.

Ken

I had an idea just today that i think i might try. I used to have allies in the form of a lion or a tiger that would come into my nightmares and, strangely enough, instead of being afraid of them, i would immediately
feel calm and safe again. But they have been on vacation for too long and it's time to get them back on the job.

I'm going to start doing visualization exercises to see if i can establish an automatic reaction in my subconscious that will bring them into the picture when things get dicey. I have managed to dream lucidly every once in a while, when i'm lucky enough, and i always go right to flying which is really fun! I'm sure it will take time and persistence, but i'm holding out hope.