Constant nightmares

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Every time I sleep I have nightmares. They're usually trauma related, or just generally really f****d up dreams that distress me. It's been affecting my sleep quality for awhile because they wake me up, and sometimes I can't go back to sleep afterwards. I also am now finding it hard to get sleep at all because of how anxious I'm getting over having them + how bad they're getting.

Is there anything that I can do to stop having nightmares, or reduce the amount that I have?

I learned to influence my own nightmares so that my dream self solves the problem. This works for me on repetitive nightmares. I can change the trajectory of the dream so a positive outcome arises from action I take.

Should a nightmare wake me up, I go into the kitchen and eat 2 bowls of cereal. Then I can go back to sleep without the nightmare recurring.

Then there are always drugs. Lorazepam would do the trick, I suspect.

Therapy helped me somewhat with this. It made it worse for awhile, too. Some people find specific medications helpful. Things can get better with time as well.

I still wake up screaming sometimes, but it doesn’t happen that often anymore. I’m usually not afraid of the dark, either. I used to have to sleep with the light on. Of course, my difficulties seem to come in waves. I’ll have a good patch for awhile and then a bad one. The bad ones are less prolonged and severe than they used to be.

The main takeaway is that things will probably get better with time and help.

Sorry you're having nightmares Fairfield. I know that feeling of not wanting to go to sleep for fear of what will happen - I get sleep paralysis periodically and I get like that too. I really hate the sensation of adrenalin flooding my body which can happen with nightmares. It sucks.

I guess lucid dreaming might help if you can master it, but I have this weird thing with sleep paralysis where after a few days of getting it, I know what's happening as it's happening, that it's not real and all I have to do is wait it out but my body's response to it, the terror and associated adrenalin dump isn't affected by this knowledge at all, it's like they happen at the same time in different parts of my brain. So maybe it will help, maybe not. The subconscious brain is weird.

But it sounds like you're on the right track with therapy. There will be some kind of anxiety or trauma at the root of it that you're not able to deal with consciously at the moment, the nightmares are your brain trying to deal with it subconsciously and freaking out. A good therapist will get to it.

Have you tried CBD oil? I find it subtly calming, if I buy the good stuff. Might help a bit?

There's a specific type of therapy for dealing with trauma called EMDR, which you may want to look into or ask your therapist about, if you have a therapist. I think it's relatively common these days, it's been available on the NHS in the UK for more than a decade and I've heard quite a few people talk about there positive experience of it here and in other countries. It involves directly addressing difficult memories and feelings with the therapist so it may be a bit scary at first and perhaps not something you'd want to throw yourself into too quickly if you don't feel ready. But from what I understand of it, I'd imagine it would help a lot with nightmares, as the aim of the therapy is to sort of reprocess memories and experiences and get them filed into their proper places in your mind (in a sense), instead of flying around unprocessed, constantly causing problems in your subconscious, such as (presumably) nightmares. I hope that makes sense...I'm definitely not an expert.

Anyway, I hope you find something that helps. I've struggled with recurring nightmares in the past and I know how distressing it can be. Good luck!

I was originally going to have emdr but after a few conversations with my therapist he decided that because of the complexity of my ptsd and severe dissociation it would be best to do talking therapy over a longer course.

It depends on the individual I think.

I never spoke to anyone about what I went through and I still struggle to find the words for the emotions and so I spend the full hour growling, swearing, rocking and dissociating. It's really tough so emdr really wouldn't do for that.

Sorry you get all these nightmares dude.

Sounds like some counselling might help. I am having the same thing atm.

I had lots of nightmares when using a blanket which didn't dissipate humidity and was generally too warm. After switching to a blanket with tencel/lyocell filling, it got better.

I also have problems breathing through the nose in certain sleep positions. That can also cause nightmares. So I'm using nasal dilators. Now I almost don't have any nightmares anymore.

Nobody seems to have mentioned this so; Check if any of the medications and/or supplements you are taking (if any) are conflicting... I had 10 years of solid nightmares due to a then unknown reaction between two medications...

Put everything you take.. even vitamin and mineral supplements.. into drugs.com 'interaction checker' to see if anything pops up...

another thing to consider may be that these horrible dreams are a side effect of meds you might be taking. I never had dreams much until I began a new med aimed at controlling my depression and anxiety. I felt great during the day but the dreams were so upsetting I dreaded going to bed and to sleep. I finally connected the horrible graphic and distressing dreams onset to the meds. Hope you find something that works for you!