Nightmares - every night

[Trips]

Hi all,

Hopefully I am not alone on this....

I have a lot of nightmares. A lot.

I'd say I get a nightmare almost nightly (per week, on average, I'd say I get about 5).

I'm not sure if what I have is technically even a nightmare. They are the exact same every night. I have a big phobia of spiders and in my nightmare, I will be lying in bed (as though its real life) and a spider will either come down from the ceiling or crawl on the bed somehow. My boyfriend has said that I am usually calling out/screaming and crying when I 'see' the spider. My nightmare will only seem to really stop when he turns the light on.

Again, I'm not sure if its a nightmare or perhaps it could be a hallucination. It sounds weird but I am never sure if I am awake or not when it happens. Sometimes I don't remember its even happened the next day (and I will only know because my boyfriend has told me).

This has only really started happening in the last couple of months (before these last 2 months, I would only get the nightmare sporadically). It is starting to get quite distressing. I.e. I'm am getting to the point where I don't want to go to sleep (which I'm sure is only making it worse).

I don't eat late at night, I don't watch TV particularly late. I stop drinking caffeine at about 2pm. Although my job can be stressful at times, I wouldn't say it was so stressful that it would be causing this, and I've had this job since December. In general, I really don't think my everyday lifestyle has changed in the past year. Its very frustrating, and I don't feel like its a good enough reason to go to the Dr.

Any other suggestions? Or does anyone else have this? I really think it would make me feel a lot better if I knew I wasn't alone!

[BrunetteBarbie]

I would say see a doctor. Sleeping pills might help but you shouldn't really take them every night

[xxstrawberry]

It sounds like instead of nightmares you might be having "night terrors" which are much more terrifying from what I've heard. It's hard to explain, even though you're technically awake and can see your surroundings, your brain is still in a sleep-like state, causing you to still "dream" or hallucinate. My friend had them and she would wake up in the middle of the night and see all kinds of terrible things in her room, even though they weren't real and she was still dreaming.

I suggest going to the doctor, he might refer you to a sleep specialist or give you medication to keep it from happening.

[Meowface]

It sounds like you are having nightmares.

Have you tried winding down before bed.. having a hot bath, relaxing oils, cooling down your bedroom (if its hot you are more likely to have them) you could even try listening to relaxing music before bed, you could try some herbal remedies such as St Johns Wort which might help.
Although if it is really distressing you, then I would go to the doctor, although Doctors can only really prescribe antidepressants (not because you are depressed however those are the only things that seem to work) If you have had a traumatic time recently you may have post traumatic stress syndrome, which would cause night terrors. The more reluctant and scared you are of going to sleep sadly the worse it will be. So maybe ask your boyfriend to give you a gentle massage or whatever really relaxes you.

I used to have them all the time when I was younger. I had a vision of a car speeding into a white light and then it would just start spinning.. sounds a bit crazy but it was always really scary. Trying some of these techniques I haven't had any for a couple of years now.

[Kazekage14]

Try to reassure yourself that you are in a peaceful, safe place before you sleep.
Do whatever it takes to relax before bed.

I used to have repetitive nightmares of insects bursting out of my skin..I began going to a Buddhist temple for meditation sessions.
The dreams began to decrease. I was in a happy, relaxed state.
Do what it takes to reach that.

I also advise against taking sleeping pills, or staying up too late to avoid sleep, and avoid the dream.
I've tried all of those. It's given me sleep paralysis before. And trust me, you don't want that! :/

Once you've done all you can, talk to your doctor and see what they can do for you. I hope your nightmares stop!

[Trips]

Thanks so much for all the advice.

I really am convinced its night terrors now. I had never even heard of this before. I did a brief google (yes I know you can't believe everything on the internet lol), and everything I read was pretty much identical to what I'm having (as opposed to nightmares), particularly the hallucinations in the actual bedroom.

I'm just really confused as to why this has only just started. Nothing traumatising has happened to me recently. I've really been trying to think and I honestly can't think of anything I have done or any lifestyle change that would have caused this. And from the research I did, it appears as though night terrors is something young children have and grow out of, as opposed to something adults randomly get.

Its also horrible - because, although I'm scared of spiders, in my night terrors I am literally hysterical. Which I would NEVER be like in real life. And if I get woken up (by the light switching on) I can just remember this horrible, hysterical feeling which again is really distressing. I read that you aren't meant to wake someone up if its happening, so my boyfriend has agreed that next time it happens he won't wake me - this should help stop me feeling like this so much as apparently you don't know its happened then (which has happened to me occasionally). If it does continue, I think I will go see a doctor though as not sure how much longer I can do this for (i.e. being scared about going to sleep). And of course I will make more effort to relax before bed, and use all your tips. I never thought about how hot my room is, and that it needs to be cool temperature, so hopefully that might help too.

I have to say I feel a lot more relaxed knowing this is an actual 'thing' and that I'm not alone. I guess I just hope it is a phase that I'm randomly going through and that it will stop. I'm just glad mine don't seem that extreme - I read that kicking, hitting and throwing things can be quite common. I think I've hit my boyfriend a couple of times (poor him lol) but that was more from thrashing around in bed as opposed to intentionally doing it.

Thank you all again for replying and giving me advice

[Meowface]

Thanks so much for all the advice.

I really am convinced its night terrors now. I had never even heard of this before. I did a brief google (yes I know you can't believe everything on the internet lol), and everything I read was pretty much identical to what I'm having (as opposed to nightmares), particularly the hallucinations in the actual bedroom.

I'm just really confused as to why this has only just started. Nothing traumatising has happened to me recently. I've really been trying to think and I honestly can't think of anything I have done or any lifestyle change that would have caused this. And from the research I did, it appears as though night terrors is something young children have and grow out of, as opposed to something adults randomly get.

Its also horrible - because, although I'm scared of spiders, in my night terrors I am literally hysterical. Which I would NEVER be like in real life. And if I get woken up (by the light switching on) I can just remember this horrible, hysterical feeling which again is really distressing. I read that you aren't meant to wake someone up if its happening, so my boyfriend has agreed that next time it happens he won't wake me - this should help stop me feeling like this so much as apparently you don't know its happened then (which has happened to me occasionally). If it does continue, I think I will go see a doctor though as not sure how much longer I can do this for (i.e. being scared about going to sleep). And of course I will make more effort to relax before bed, and use all your tips. I never thought about how hot my room is, and that it needs to be cool temperature, so hopefully that might help too.

I have to say I feel a lot more relaxed knowing this is an actual 'thing' and that I'm not alone. I guess I just hope it is a phase that I'm randomly going through and that it will stop. I'm just glad mine don't seem that extreme - I read that kicking, hitting and throwing things can be quite common. I think I've hit my boyfriend a couple of times (poor him lol) but that was more from thrashing around in bed as opposed to intentionally doing it.

Thank you all again for replying and giving me advice

Oops i totally meant to say night terrors.
I hope you start to have better nights soon and that some of the methods work out for you!

[Kazekage14]

Thanks so much for all the advice.

I really am convinced its night terrors now. I had never even heard of this before. I did a brief google (yes I know you can't believe everything on the internet lol), and everything I read was pretty much identical to what I'm having (as opposed to nightmares), particularly the hallucinations in the actual bedroom.

I'm just really confused as to why this has only just started. Nothing traumatising has happened to me recently. I've really been trying to think and I honestly can't think of anything I have done or any lifestyle change that would have caused this. And from the research I did, it appears as though night terrors is something young children have and grow out of, as opposed to something adults randomly get.

Its also horrible - because, although I'm scared of spiders, in my night terrors I am literally hysterical. Which I would NEVER be like in real life. And if I get woken up (by the light switching on) I can just remember this horrible, hysterical feeling which again is really distressing. I read that you aren't meant to wake someone up if its happening, so my boyfriend has agreed that next time it happens he won't wake me - this should help stop me feeling like this so much as apparently you don't know its happened then (which has happened to me occasionally). If it does continue, I think I will go see a doctor though as not sure how much longer I can do this for (i.e. being scared about going to sleep). And of course I will make more effort to relax before bed, and use all your tips. I never thought about how hot my room is, and that it needs to be cool temperature, so hopefully that might help too.

I have to say I feel a lot more relaxed knowing this is an actual 'thing' and that I'm not alone. I guess I just hope it is a phase that I'm randomly going through and that it will stop. I'm just glad mine don't seem that extreme - I read that kicking, hitting and throwing things can be quite common. I think I've hit my boyfriend a couple of times (poor him lol) but that was more from thrashing around in bed as opposed to intentionally doing it.

Thank you all again for replying and giving me advice

Oops i totally meant to say night terrors.
I hope you start to have better nights soon and that some of the methods work out for you!

Agreed, I hope all goes well!

And Meowface, that car dream sounds strange!

[Meowface]

Oops i totally meant to say night terrors.
I hope you start to have better nights soon and that some of the methods work out for you!

Agreed, I hope all goes well!

And Meowface, that car dream sounds strange!

It is honestly the strangest dream. For some reason its so scary..

That however isn't my strangest dream..

I have a recurring dream that I'm in an invisible penguin suit. Which is huge. I have to get through this door but I can't and everyone is staring at me and trying to call me through but I can't fit but no one knows why.. yeah I'm kinda weird!!

[Kazekage14]

Oops i totally meant to say night terrors.
I hope you start to have better nights soon and that some of the methods work out for you!

Agreed, I hope all goes well!

And Meowface, that car dream sounds strange!

It is honestly the strangest dream. For some reason its so scary..

That however isn't my strangest dream..

I have a recurring dream that I'm in an invisible penguin suit. Which is huge. I have to get through this door but I can't and everyone is staring at me and trying to call me through but I can't fit but no one knows why.. yeah I'm kinda weird!!

I had a recurring nightmare when I was little, it was a grainy black and white movie.
Spongebob walked down a dark cobblestone alley, away from Acme, carrying bags of groceries in hand.
Mickey Mouse wears a trench coat, and uses a large kitchen knife to chop him up.
Spogebob drops his groceries in slow motion, and the glass jug of milk shatters.
The whole thing is silent except for a classical song in the background.

Later, Mickey walks into Acme buying lots of onions.
The cashier asks why he has so many onions, and he says they're for a friend.
Mickey hands him some bloodstained dollar bills.
He walks up a large, grassy hill to Spongebob's grave, and leaves the onions there.

I watched too many cartoons.

[Meowface]

I had a recurring nightmare when I was little, it was a grainy black and white movie.
Spongebob walked down a dark cobblestone alley, away from Acme, carrying bags of groceries in hand.
Mickey Mouse wears a trench coat, and uses a large kitchen knife to chop him up.
Spogebob drops his groceries in slow motion, and the glass jug of milk shatters.
The whole thing is silent except for a classical song in the background.

Later, Mickey walks into Acme buying lots of onions.
The cashier asks why he has so many onions, and he says they're for a friend.
Mickey hands him some bloodstained dollar bills.
He walks up a large, grassy hill to Spongebob's grave, and leaves the onions there.

I watched too many cartoons.

I'm not sure whos dream is creepier however If I could give myself a dream I would totally have that one, just once, It sounds so in depth! Why onions though?

[Kazekage14]

I had a recurring nightmare when I was little, it was a grainy black and white movie.
Spongebob walked down a dark cobblestone alley, away from Acme, carrying bags of groceries in hand.
Mickey Mouse wears a trench coat, and uses a large kitchen knife to chop him up.
Spogebob drops his groceries in slow motion, and the glass jug of milk shatters.
The whole thing is silent except for a classical song in the background.

Later, Mickey walks into Acme buying lots of onions.
The cashier asks why he has so many onions, and he says they're for a friend.
Mickey hands him some bloodstained dollar bills.
He walks up a large, grassy hill to Spongebob's grave, and leaves the onions there.

I watched too many cartoons.

I'm not sure whos dream is creepier however If I could give myself a dream I would totally have that one, just once, It sounds so in depth! Why onions though?

I don't even know. I wouldn't eat onions until I was like nine because of it.

[Diorette]

So I don't know why I always have these nightmares:

1. I'm inside an elevator and it stucks or it starts falling, I'm scared of elevators in real life so I don't know if that has something to do with it.

2. The "end of the world" this nightmare is about me looking at the sky and it is red/black/orange and there's no sun or the sun is different, and I always wake up scared, in the dream it is supposed to be the end of the world (2012?)

[Meowface]

I'm not sure whos dream is creepier however If I could give myself a dream I would totally have that one, just once, It sounds so in depth! Why onions though?

I don't even know. I wouldn't eat onions until I was like nine because of it.

Thats so strange. Do you still get the dream?

[Kazekage14]

I'm not sure whos dream is creepier however If I could give myself a dream I would totally have that one, just once, It sounds so in depth! Why onions though?

I don't even know. I wouldn't eat onions until I was like nine because of it.

Thats so strange. Do you still get the dream?

Haha, no. I do watch Spongebob though, because I have a little brother.

[Meowface]

Thats so strange. Do you still get the dream?

Haha, no. I do watch Spongebob though, because I have a little brother.[/quote]

I have an older brother who loves it!

Do you have really imaginative dreams? I do and I have no idea where my brain comes up with this stuff!!

[Kazekage14]

Thats so strange. Do you still get the dream?

Haha, no. I do watch Spongebob though, because I have a little brother.

I have an older brother who loves it!

Do you have really imaginative dreams? I do and I have no idea where my brain comes up with this stuff!![/quote]
Yes, the randomest things pop up in my dreams.

[crazycandy]

i am no expert. but as soon as you sleep you remind yourself of the unsettling dream you had the other night. so it become a habit that stick in your brain.
my sister when she was younger use to have the occurring nightmare, trying to analyze why she have it and becoming scare to go to sleep. i just explain to her you keep thinking of it which is why the dream always occur. and it stop.
i too use to have night terrors (not too often but its scary when it does happen, i'm screaming in my dream), but i think this is because i was in a stressful time is my life (ex-partner and horrible work environment). i don't have it now (gradually went away), as i'm in a more positive state. try doing something positive or a hobby etc. this will and may reflect on your dream conscious.
hope this helps x

[Afra]

I'm a type 1 diabetic with a lot of phobias and I very often get nightmares about them. Mostly when my blood sugar is very low, sometimes when it's very high too. I would say that it might be related, get your blood sugar checked just incase.

[Jessie226]

I have night terrors regularly, too! They are absolutely terrifying. I swear I can feel people's hands on me but I'm paralysed. Can't move at all or scream no matter how hard I try. It happens most often after the weekend if I've been out or if I'm extra tired.