Nightmares

I am scared to go to sleep because of how bad my nightmares have been. I am exhausted. My doctor prescribed me Ambien, but I don’t want to become dependent on it. I feel like I am vibrating with anxiety when I’m lying in bed because I am flooded with violent thoughts while I’m alone with my thoughts. I feel exhausted all of the time. I feel like I have no one who understands. I feel so lonely and have no one who can empathize with how hard having consistent nightmares is. I’ve had them for about 20 years, but over the last 6 months it has gotten almost unbearable. I can’t take SSRIs because I have bipolar disorder as well, and it can trigger manic episodes. I am taking Prazosin for the nightmares, but it just feels like they will never end.

TexasOCD41

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y

You can take Anti-Psychotics. I am not a DR and you should seek medical advice from one but as someone who used to have night terrors that made me run through the house screaming I can give you some options to discuss with your dr. 1. anti-psychotics if you are bi-polar. Aslo Buspar. it is an OLD and VERY safe and tolerable drug with almost no side effects. I take it with my SSRIs and it sedates me. It was originally created as an anti-psychotic but was later just used as a mild sedative. 2. Ambien can be tricky for some people and cause more dreams. If you are uncomfortable, don't take it. 3. What is your before bed routine- this matters quite a bit. If you are doom scrolling or watching tv or on your phone or eating within an hour minimum before bed these can all affect your sleep quality and dreams. I try to start my " wind down" about 2 hours before bed. no food, only water, dim lights, Golden Girls on the TV ( it makes me feel happy and like I'm not alone) a HOT bath or shower in a dim bathroom (candles) cold temp, cozy pjs, made bed to get into. and I either watch Golden girls for a little while and turn it off or I read a bit of a fun book. 4. I take 1mg of Klonopin a night right now as I'm adjusting to new medication and I take 15mg of Buspar and 10mg of Melatonin. This is my magic mix and I do dream but they are not scary. I will say... before my medication started working, yes my dreams were awful, anxiety does that. Get some melatonin at the store, some night time tea, get a slow down bedtime routine and talk to your dr about maybe taking bi-polar specific medication.

Khamani

Date posted: 1y

I don’t really have nightmares cause I don’t dream at all, people say I don’t remember my dreams but it’s just blackout, I have very bad problems going to sleep too to where I’ve been taking melatonin since I was a kid and I’ve always felt hella paranoid which I guess you could say(I’m scared of the dark) also mixed with being physically alone and not having anyone to hug in my sleep making me feel more empty. I think I’m like this because of my overthinking but idk atp sometimes I think I hear or feel stuff that’s not there maybe I’m just crazy…

kickflip

Date posted: 1y

@Khamani Sometimes I hear things too, like a muffled radio or thinking someone is on the phone. You’re not alone!

Vangogh00021

Date posted: 18w

Help please

I was trying to sleep in an aunt house and I’m suffering from nightmares or when I take naps or sleep I dream horrible things, and I took a little nap and I was about to start having a nightmare and I woke up. There’s a person that lives here and he’s not even here but I was about to have a dream with him it’s so scary he’s not even my family member or anything. And like it’s a delicate topic. But it’s the feeling that I can’t even sleep sometimes without dreaming this things that are so scary . And the groinal responses are about to kill me ! This is truly destroying my life I don’t know what to do I don’t want to be like this but I’m too tired to stay awake and too tired to sleep

Dutchie2020

Date posted: 18w

Vivid dreams & medication

Hi all, Im taking Lexpro now for several weeks and I feel like it helps a bit while still waiting on therapy but I notice that my dreams became more vivid. Like they feel so real sometimes and I can even think in my dreams. Sometimes it is also around OCD but most of the time other stuff. It makes me so tired sometimes during the day because I do not feel rested with this dreams. At first I took my medication in the evening and then I also had a lot of scary vivid dreams so I switched to the morning but it is not helping enough. Does someone has tips please?

sr.ek

Date posted: 17w

Beta blockers and nightmares?

Is anyone else on beta blockers (propranolol, metoprolol, ect.) and experiencing the weirdest and most visual dreams and nightmares? My GP has recently prescribed me bisoprolol since I asked him for beta blockers due my physical anxiety and as I recently started my A-Levels (“Abitur” in Germany) I really wanted to make sure that I do everything I can to prevent panic attacks. He only had bisoprolol in his office, and although I know that bisoprolol is usually only taken by patients with generally high blood pressure, we both agreed that I still try them first as he had nothing else available at the moment (I just love the shortage of medication). Although bisoprolol is quite different from propranolol (higher potency, therefore harder to dose, only blocking one receptor) it does seem to help at least a little bit, but the dreams I experience are actually insane. I dream almost immediately as I drift into sleep, even if I’m still half awake I feel like I already start dreaming. I frequently wake up because of it, though most of my dreams are not really “brutal” or morbid by any means, they all seem to center around my friend that I recently had a really bad argument-situation (don’t know how to explain it) with. So although I’m calm throughout the day, I constantly wake up in fear and total distress and I instantly start ruminating once I’m awake, but since I also happen to have a sleep disorder, I already don’t sleep the way I’m supposed to and my sleep schedule basically nonexistent. I really appreciate the medication in itself, but I do think that this whole dream situation is a side effect from bisoprolol since I never remember my dreams on the days on which I don’t take it. Does anyone experience something similar?

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