Dealing with nightmares

by Freedom rocks 8 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Freedom rocks

  I had some terrible dark nightmares when I was studying which disappeared once I got baptised. I think it was psychological based on the fact I believed Jehovah was protecting me after I was baptised.

  I had a nightmare tonight after just under a year of being out of the borg and woke up feeling a bit lost because in the past I'd have prayed and then gone back into a peaceful sleep but since I don't pray anymore I wasn't sure how to comfort myself to go back to sleep.

  Has anyone else experienced this and what did you do?
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  Still Totally ADD

  Yes it is called PTSD. I would suggest you look for some professional help. I did many years ago and it proved to be very helpful and no more nightmares. Cults have some very serious consequences on our psyche and PTSD is one of them. Take care of yourself you are worth it. Good luck to you. Still Totally ADD
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  caves

  I have CPTSD(complex post traumatic stress disorder) due to the cult, and my inability to cope with regular life with no family. My nightmares got so bad at one point in my life that I had them every night for about 3 years. It took some time but I have learned to self sooth after the nightmares. I dont have them much anymore.

  If not in counseling now I would suggest going to talk to one about having nightmares if they start getting out of hand.

  I look on dreammoods regarding my dreams sometimes just to break the intensity up of a fresh nightmare. I wake up from them and go directly to the site. Basically for me it just sort of puts it into perspective and I also breath deep and say my own little mantra.

  Hopefully yours will not be an ongoing thing like mine were. I guess in some ways I've come farther than I thought.
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  WTWizard

  Sounds like joke-hova's filthy angels at work. They harass you, and only stop when you do something to donate your energy to joke-hova. That way, joke-hova can use that energy to enslave the whole world. And, since giving up that energy is the only way those f***ing angels will stop (at least until they see fit to demand even more), you are expected to do this. In this way, many are trapped into going to church (or boasting sessions), studying and applying that damnation book, and praying to jesus or joke-hova to get rid of those angels.

  Of course, they blame Satan for it.
  
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  Jayk

  I'm not suggesting this but since I was about 16 I regularly smoked weed. About 3 years ago I stopped and for the first time in years I started dreaming. They where so intense it almost made me start smoking ago. The dreams have settled down but I dream more now in the past 3 years then I have in over 10 years.
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  smiddy3

  The brain is a complex organ and dreams can be so bazaar I wouldn`t put too much stock in anything I dreamed otherwise you could go round the twist .

  Dreams are not reality and don`t belong in the real world.

  Leave them where they belong in the imagination of the complex brain.
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  oppostate

  To back to praying if it helps.

  I pray. It helps for sure.
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  Half banana

  If praying helps then this may indicate that by doing so you are tapping into those brainwaves which give a sense of calm. You might try the autosuggestion, telling yourself that there are no existential terrors about to get you and that life and the world is good not suffocating in evil.

  Have you tried to think of something positive when you wake up in the night like walking on a palm fringed beach and letting a story grow from this. Watching the sea swirl gently around a rock, meeting friendly people etc? This is the portal for better dreams!
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  LV101

  Praying used to help me. I've 'heard' past few yrs. scientists acknowledge a certain section of the brain (this is weird) lights up -- (can't recall whether it caused relaxation but it has to), when individuals pray (or meditate?). I don't know but it would knock me out. I've had sleep issues since I stopped praying so need to learn to meditate.

  There are clinical psychologists here on the board to comment but we learned in psych decades ago how ever long it takes one to resolve/work out an issue when awake is how long it will take during sleep/dreams. If this is true after surviving/leaving the cult and all the anguish/distressing life associated with it -- it's obviously going to take some horror dreams to work through. Always good to go to a professional but I clearly understand what you're saying.