Hello, I am a 54 year old male, living in South Carolina. I have spent an entire lifetime thus far suffering from chronic nightmares. I had constant nightmares as far back as age 4 or 5 in my memory, can still remember some specific nightmares back to the mid 1950s. To my knowledge, I have never experienced anything dramatic in my life that could cause these dreams. I have hideous and often violent nightmares anywhere from 5 to 7 nights a week. In real life, I am a peaceful and calm person, never prone to bad temper or violence, I abhor either trait. I remember the dreams clearly, and have several journals filled with written details and colored drawings, sometimes they stay with me for t he whole day. My longest streak was having nightmares for 5 straight weeks without a break. I do not drink or use illegal drugs. I am at the point where I am afraid to sleep, but can not function without it. I have been on Ambien for over 4 years now, but no, it is not causing the nightmares, been going on so very long. Don't know what else to do, sometimes I just can't deal with it anymore. Life is hard enough, working hard, dealing with health issues (due to age), etc, and then to be tormented every single night by this hades called nightmares. Don't know if these would be considered clues, but I am very left handed, only one every in my family, have always had extreme mind for detail and still have vivid sense of imagination. Would love to know what is really going on with me. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

Some of the themes, though they can be of anything: my father (died in 1993), tornados - often, tidal waves - that come out of no where, snakes, mutated animals, violent car wrecks - though I have never been in one. I have been shot and/or stabbed to death numerous times in nightmares, just a taste to think about.

I don't have an answer to your problem. But, I am responding to your question so that it will get more noticed. There are some people on this site who are really good at figuring out your sort of problem. I am hoping that one of them will respond.

Purple,

Have you ever had a sleep study done? It may be beneficial to see if you are going through the proper order of sleep patterns.

Also, I wonder if you have ever had any form of depression, or if anything has ever happened to you that you may have repressed.

It very well may be worth your while to have a sleep study done and/or sit down with a therapist who is well versed in your particular problem.

I am sorry, but at this late hour, that is about all I can come up with. I will continue thinking about this though.

Hope you had a good night's rest.

J

In addition to determining whether there is a problem in sleep patterns, which can be observed by an EEG-contact a neurologist-you should also assess whether you have enforced a particular lifestyle which contributes to poor sleep cycles.

Some believe nightmares are a consequence of the brain attempting to make sense of fragmented information emitted during the REM sleep cycle.

So, in considering your sleeping lifestyle, do you work against yourself?

This may be in the form of keeping too many lights on before or at bedtime. Light has a dramatic effect on sleep cycles. Also sleeping with audible noises like tvs and radios can stress your mind and body while sleeping because though you are sleeping, your brain is still processing the information retrieved during sleep.

Eating too close to bedtime is known to disturb sleep cycles, too.

Also, creating a bedtime routine can program your mind to respond in certain, positive ways. So before spending anymore money, I would seriously analyze your lifestyle to see if you could make a few changes which might enhance your body's ability to rest peacefully.

Many psychologists believe adult nightmares are generally caused by stress and anxiety. After conventional methods to remedy the nightmares fail, then a sleep specialist is called for, as mentioned above. A Sleep Study, also called polysomnography, can be performed to determine your underlying issue. In rare cases, special meds are required to suppress or reduce REM sleep, thereby preventing nightmares.


However, taking meds to effect your REM is serious business, and the benefits must outweigh the risks involved. Best Wishes and hope this helps!

Thanks Quaint for your suggestion. I have been through the Sleep Therapy means, and nothing conclusive was ever found, they said I slept well and heavy. It's not just a case of Adult Nightmares, as I have never had a break or improvement from Childhood Nightmares. I have often wondered, but have no assurance of course, that if when I die, will that torment finally end.

J_9, thanks for your ideas too, yes went through the whole sleep study staying over night in the clinic thing with my neurologist. Being new here, and not trying to be a wise guy, why does it say that I would have to pay .75/min to talk to you? There must be something missing in this picture here.

That's for one-to-one advice through skype. The service on the forums is free. We just offer one-to-one service so that the people who help out here might be able to make a little money for the services they provide on the site.

It's possible that it is some form of posttraumatic stress. Though, what happens in your dreams may not have actually happened to you, it may be manifesting in a different way. I mention this because many veterans of war have reoccurring nightmares about war and violence. I would find a psychologist that specialized in dreams. Find one that specialized in psychodynamic therapy.

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Originally Posted by PurpleLagoon

why does it say that I would have to pay .75/min to talk to you? There must be something missing in this picture here.

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As Cappy stated that is for one-to-one advice through Skype wherein the advice given is private and not on the board, it can either be through instant messaging or over a microphone were we can speak directly to one another.

Just a way a struggling student nurse can make a little extra money.;)

Auttajasi, thanks for the words. I appreciate any kindness. I came back from a tour of duty in Viet-Nam (US Navy) in 1971, other then the stress of being in a combat zone, wasn't any exposed to anything in particular. I should add, that I either suffer or am blessed my whole life with hyper sensitive sensitivities. I have unusaully acute eye sight, both day and night, ate age 54, still have 20/20 vision naturally in both eyes, I am very sensitive to temps, I always know the correct temp +/- 1 degree indoors or out. My hearing is almost too sharp, live near railway tracks, I can hear a train coming sometimes as long as 10 minutes before anyone else, or hear full conversations of people in restaurants from many tables away, etc. In the past 4 years, have had olfactory hallucinations on many occasions, been test via MRI for any sign of brain tumors, also been checked for rare form of epilespy that can cause those, still no explanation. Don't know if any of this figures into. Was always known as the very sensitive child growing up.

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Originally Posted by PurpleLagoon

Thanks Quaint for your suggestion. I have been through the Sleep Therapy means, and nothing conclusive was ever found, they said I slept well and heavy.

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You're Welcome, PL. :-)

Considering "nothing conclusive was found", may I ask of your spiritual beliefs?

Forgive me for being forward in mine, but in Ephesians 6:12 it says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."




Do you have any thoughts on the subject of "demonic oppression"? I hesitate to elaborate on such a subject without assurance of your interest. Yet, after eliminating the natural and obvious, perhaps the not-so-obvious is to be considered?

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Originally Posted by PurpleLagoon

I have often wondered, but have no assurance of course, that if when I die, will that torment finally end.

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Each soul has the power to overcome the darkness in this life, if they choose to. Don't give up your pursuit of deliverance. It is out there, friend. :-)

Quaint11, don't usually choose to answer religious questions on line but will make an exception. I grew up an atheist from a family of athiests. Became a Christian back in 1976. Was a protestant until 2001. At which time I became a Roman Catholic. Not convinced any religious connection to my sometimes bizarre afflictions. Thanks again for your input/concern.

No problem. Thanks, PL, for making an exception. I appreciate the exchange. Best Wishes!

I have lately began to reason with myself, that death might be the only relief, and sometimes I wonder if the nightmare world is reality, and the daytime world is the dream. I wake up sometimes not convinced one way or the other. Because I am in one world when I wake up in the morning, and I am in another world when I "wake up" in my alleged dream life. Well, I know what people really think, it's the old "your problems aren't my problem." LOL

The lack of help, suggestions, or possible answers feeds into my paranoid state all the more, to be quite honest. I see there are a lot of curious who love to read about the tormented, much like accident chasers, but offer not any opinion. Can't say I am surprised.

The nightmares have a new theme, one that keeps coming back, they always surround the end of the world, it happens in many forms and fashions, sometimes its war, sometimes a natural or ecological disaster, but the fear we, I , feel in the dream is all too real. Too real to bear if it was really taking place, or is it really taking place?

Still hard to know the difference.

PL, please don't be offended by the lack of responses. People typically do not respond here if they have no advice or knowledge of a particular question.

Just because you lack responses is no reason to become paranoid.

Your last two posts here lead me to believe you need some intense counseling. You sound as though you are, or have become, suicidal... this calls for action on your part.

Do you live in the US? If so, I could give you a link to a place that you could contact so that they could put you in touch with just the right counselor for you.

I don't think any of us know what to suggest.

J_9, perhaps you are right, check out time might just be around the corner. I live in western South Carolina to be more exact. I work a very responsible level position, have most of my life, raised a family, have responsible children. Can't help what I feel, certainly have no control over what comes into my head at night in the manifestations of horrible nightmares, night after night after night.

One way or the other, it will have to end. There is no quality of life when one endures this form of torment nightly. I suspect that even serial killers have better and more peaceful dreams then I do, and I don't have a hostile or angry bone in my body. Lol.

Capuchin, thanks for the reply, but don't you know that using words like "us", only make paranoid thoughts more paranoid, sure you didn't mean it that way, but now you have me considered about the "us" part, and whom is in your federation.

PurpleLagoon, though I have worked with many who suffer from PTSD, I don't feel qualified to give you advice regarding you hypersensitivity.

If you are feeling paranoia, auditory hallucinations, and nightmares, without giving you an idea of possible diagnosis, you need to see a psychiatrist. If this isn't something you are interested in, I might suggest some alternative solutions. Try going to a chiropractor who specializes in kinesiology. Also, I might suggest a therapist who specializes in EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). This is a fascinating type of therapy that can help you relieve emotional stress through pressure points in you body. I know, it sounds all weird, but I have learned it and frequently do it myself to relieve some of my own stress. At least give it a shot. It may also be a way to free yourself from some of the stress related to Vietnam as well as your nightmares. Good luck and keep us posted.

Oh please don't feel paranoid about us, by us I meant the group of individuals who had not responded, including me.

I will talk about me instead. I hadn't responded because I had no idea how to make you feel better or what to say. It doesn't meant that I won't keep listening into this thread in case there is something that comes up that I can reply to or reassure you about. I know that I definitely care about you.

I just didn't know what to suggest.

If this can be extended to how other people feel as well, then that is all that I meant by "us".

If you are considering "checking out" then it is time to take action, if you don't I hope your loved ones do.

Please contact NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness-The Nation's Voice on Mental Illness-Formerly National Alliance for the Mentally Ill for assistance finding someone in your area who can help you in your search for peace.

Now, please do not get me wrong, I am not implying that you are mentally ill, however, they are very helpful in identifying potential problems and connecting you with the right therapist for you.

Remember that suicide is the coward's way out and you are not a coward. It may just be time you face your demons and finally put them at rest.

J9, thanks for the reply. Checking out, is the one choice and decision that belongs only to the person that is considering or does it. It's so easy to say, cowards do it. Can you do it? If not, perhaps you are the coward. What are you afraid of on the other side. I do not feel that I am mentally ill. I have explained what is going on in my head, doctors over the years have been clueless. I feel like I have been wired up wrong from the start, it would explain in a non-medical way the odd collection of events/feelings I have held in my life from childhood to now. Is that my fault? I didn't ask to be conceived.

I think my other theory is correct, I see that over 145 people have viewed this ongoing back and forth of words, yet most stay silent. So why would so many people that must not be really interested in mental health issues be reading this, they must be the ambulance chasers, looking to see the nut cases, looking to see the curious and the odd.

BTW, I think the neatest, well least most interesting way to check out, would be to be in my hot tub, and cut a few major arteries, and just lay back and drain away into the warm water. It would be soothing, so very soothing. Then perhaps the nightmares would end once and for all.

I would be missed for probably all of two weeks, a small price for some to get rid of a nuisance in this world. I will have to give this some thought.