Nightmares - lucid dreaming

[[el...]]

http://www.lucidity.com/LucidDreamingFAQ2.html#nightmares

 

.1.2  Overcoming Nightmares

 

Unfortunately for many people, instead of providing an outlet for unlimited fantasy and delight, dreams can be dreaded episodes of limitless terror. As is discussed in the books  Lucid Dreaming (LaBerge, 1985) and  Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (EWLD) (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1990), lucid dreaming may well be the basis of the most effective therapy for nightmares. If you know you are dreaming, it is a simple logical step to realizing that nothing in your current experience, however unpleasant, can cause you physical harm. There is no need to run from or fight with dream monsters. In fact, it is often pointless to try, because the horror pursuing you was conceived in your own mind, and as long as you continue to fear it, it can pursue you wherever you dream yourself to be. The only way to really "escape" is to end your fear. (For a discussion of reasons for recurrent nightmares, see  Overcoming Nightmares from  EWLD.) The fear you feel in a nightmare is completely real; it is the danger that is not.

 

Unreasonable fear can be defused by facing up to the source, or going through with the frightening activity, so that you observe that no harm comes to you. In a nightmare, this act of courage can take any form that involves facing the "threat" rather than avoiding it. For example, one young man dreamt of being pursued by a lion. When he had no place left to run, he realized he was dreaming and called to the lion to "come and get him." The challenge turned into a playful wrestling match, and the lion became a sexy woman (NightLight 1.4, 1989, p. 13). Monsters often transform into benign creatures, friends, or empty shells when courageously confronted in lucid dreams. This is an extremely empowering experience. It teaches you in a very visceral manner that you can conquer fear and thereby become stronger. 

 

 

[[rs...]]

Elizabeth, that is a very interesting post. sleep is very difficult and one of the main reasons i ever took a benzo to start with. vivid dreams and nightmares haunt me in my very few moments of sleep and hardly ever do i get to REM sleep. Last night I was playing cards with a mafia hitman. He was a very scary dude and was really intimidating me the whole time. This seemed to go on for hours with the bullying until finally i said "bring it on, I'm going to knock you out". This really terrified me and i awoke right before i nailed him. Funny thing is I looked at my clock and had only been asleep for 15 minutes. Seemed like a whole evening of listening to this scary guy mess with me. Night before last i dreamed of my little brother that committed suicide 20 years ago. We were walking down a dirt road and i was telling him about the terrible w/d's i am going through and to never take a benzo. really weird!!!! rstud

[[rs...]]

Elizabeth, sorry, I didn't miss the point of lucid dreams i just started thinking about all the weird things I've been dreaming lately. Sometimes subconsciously i do know I'm dreaming and don't have as much fear. It "seems" that when I am semiconscious or in the first stages of sleep I'm aware that i am starting to dream, but if i manage to fall into the REM pattern of sleep it is a very realistic world of weird things that become much more fearful. From now on I'll try to remember I'm dreaming and maybe something will turn into a beautiful woman. hope i don't wake up humping my pillow,lol, rstud

[[el...]]

Elizabeth, that is a very interesting post. sleep is very difficult and one of the main reasons i ever took a benzo to start with. vivid dreams and nightmares haunt me in my very few moments of sleep and hardly ever do i get to REM sleep. Last night I was playing cards with a mafia hitman. He was a very scary dude and was really intimidating me the whole time. This seemed to go on for hours with the bullying until finally i said "bring it on, I'm going to knock you out". This really terrified me and i awoke right before i nailed him. Funny thing is I looked at my clock and had only been asleep for 15 minutes. Seemed like a whole evening of listening to this scary guy mess with me. Night before last i dreamed of my little brother that committed suicide 20 years ago. We were walking down a dirt road and i was telling him about the terrible w/d's i am going through and to never take a benzo. really weird!!!! rstud

 

Have you ever come to find peace with your little brother leaving you? Would it help to write to him and ask him for help? That could perhaps change your dreams. Have you been fully able to express your pain for his leaving, and feel your love for him again?

 

I really think that the key to our healing is fidding our deepest love, our hearts determine how our brain interprets the world! Just remember how beautiful the world is when you are in love!

 

An interesting book to read about disruptions in family constellations is Bert Hellinger's Love's hidden symmetry.

It could be that you where suffering from post traumatic stress, and the benzo's just covered the pain.

 

[[el...]]

Elizabeth, sorry, I didn't miss the point of lucid dreams i just started thinking about all the weird things I've been dreaming lately. Sometimes subconsciously i do know I'm dreaming and don't have as much fear. It "seems" that when I am semiconscious or in the first stages of sleep I'm aware that i am starting to dream, but if i manage to fall into the REM pattern of sleep it is a very realistic world of weird things that become much more fearful. From now on I'll try to remember I'm dreaming and maybe something will turn into a beautiful woman. hope i don't wake up humping my pillow,lol, rstud

 

That would be funny!

[[rs...]]

Elizabeth, that is a very interesting post. sleep is very difficult and one of the main reasons i ever took a benzo to start with. vivid dreams and nightmares haunt me in my very few moments of sleep and hardly ever do i get to REM sleep. Last night I was playing cards with a mafia hitman. He was a very scary dude and was really intimidating me the whole time. This seemed to go on for hours with the bullying until finally i said "bring it on, I'm going to knock you out". This really terrified me and i awoke right before i nailed him. Funny thing is I looked at my clock and had only been asleep for 15 minutes. Seemed like a whole evening of listening to this scary guy mess with me. Night before last i dreamed of my little brother that committed suicide 20 years ago. We were walking down a dirt road and i was telling him about the terrible w/d's i am going through and to never take a benzo. really weird!!!! rstud

Liz, yes I think i finally have come to terms with my brothers suicide, my wife also killed herself four years ago. it really sucks but there is nothing I can do about it. I would write to both of them but not sure where to send it,lol. rstud

Have you ever come to find peace with your little brother leaving you? Would it help to write to him and ask him for help? That could perhaps change your dreams. Have you been fully able to express your pain for his leaving, and feel your love for him again?

 

I really think that the key to our healing is fidding our deepest love, our hearts determine how our brain interprets the world! Just remember how beautiful the world is when you are in love!

 

An interesting book to read about disruptions in family constellations is Bert Hellinger's Love's hidden symmetry.

It could be that you where suffering from post traumatic stress, and the benzo's just covered the pain.

 

[[el...]]

Just by a diary and start writing, the sorrow, pain, the joy you shared, the love you feel, the loneliness....

Free your soul from this enormous burden otherwise once the benzo's go you will still be in pain. 

 

[[el...]]

 

Have their been suicides in your familly line, aunts, grandparents.... have their been suicides in your wifes line?

 

We carry the sorrows, and pain of your families without knowing.