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Nightmare returned-slept only 3hrs

Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd

The nightmares from last Saturday night returned last night.  Memories of combat I survived as a missionary kid during a 6 year civil war overseas.  An incident when I was 11 and the war brought an intruder into my own house and I had to defend my little sister and my babysitter. 


https://www.dailystrength.org/group/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/discussion/nightmares-before-public-presentation


As a result, I only slept 3 hours last night.  As you know, when we're underslept, it triggers other flashbacks and PTSD symtoms and can create an avalanche effect.


Because I was overprescribed Seroquel years ago and now have chronic kidney disease, I can't take any PTSD meds other than Prazosin.  Prazosin's not working for me for the first time in 4 years of taking it.  I have to ride this out raw.


Support welcome.

silverlight
silverlight
Oh ((((((((Muji))))))))))

I was thinking yesterday how you said in my journal you hadn't slept the night before very well if you feared impending nightmares..

I am so sorry you had them again!

Praying for a deep, dreamless sleep for you tonight, my friend.

Again, i'm sorry...i know all to well how distressing nightmares are AND the resulting PTSD symptoms in waking life can be.

Peace to you.
pineappleSun
pineappleSun
Ugh, nightmares suck, and the fear of sleeping is a real thing. At this time it becomes a waiting game to let it pass.

Peace be with you Muji.

Try and do something for yourself if you can muster the energy. If not, it's no big deal.
arfie
arfie
is the paradigm shift of the nightmare still with you? the one i speak of is:

"I was the 63 year old man on a cane that I am now, and I couldn´t fight him off this time. He got my weapon away from me and turned it on me instead."

in my own psychotherapy work of my recurring nightmares, we held paradigm shifts as highly significant, though mine were where i was able to defeat the perpetrator behind the trauma.

i find myself wondering if the paradigm shift in the opposite direction is significant. just wondering in a not-mine-to-sort sort of way.

continued support while find your peace.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
Thanks, everybody. The nightmare didn't return last night, and I finally got good rest. Yeah, there's some paradigm shift going on there, arfie. Could it have to do with accepting aging and who I am now as opposed to who I was then as a kid? Hmm. Sorting, as you say...
Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
Gentle hug Muji..... I am so sorry that you're going through such a rough time.... Not sleeping is miserable.... I hope that tonight will be a better night.... xo
lilmissy7
lilmissy7
Aqui contigo Mujica
(((((abrazos)))))<3
silverlight
silverlight
((((((((Muji))))))))

So glad to hear that you were not tormented by that nightmare last night and got a good night's sleep.

i pray for more of the same for you for tonight, my friend.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
I am feeling better. 3 nights dreamt same memory of combat when I was 11 yrs old in Uruguay. Then cuddles with my friend Sandra here in Mexico, and 2 nights w no nightmares. I like it, but what's that about? How does that work? It didn't in either marriage back in the States. Is it that I'm better understood in Spanish, since that combat happened in Spanish? Hm.
Eireloom
Eireloom
Ah those nightmares. How well I know about that, and deliberately keeping myself up, until I was so exhausted I would be half unconscious and be able to get some sleep. Then, I learned of a therapy that was developed for soldiers, I wonder if it would help in your case? You have been through a lot. The therapy knocked back the nightmares and anxieties to a very manageable level. It is called Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy. Have you heard of it? It seemed so crazy, but after years, and years of trying to cope with the memories, the panic attacks, waking up tangled in sweat drenched sheets, I got relief in 3 sessions. It was unbelievable. I felt 85%-90% healed.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
Yep, EMDR gets a lot of recommendations here, Eireloom. It works really well. I hadn't had any nightmares in 4 years, so they came as a surprise. They're gone now, not from EMDR but from becoming grounded in my intimate relationship this week. It turned out that worked, too, I'm happy to say.
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