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Nightmares an indication of anxiety or something else?
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<blockquote data-quote="Andy" data-source="post: 244837" data-attributes="member: 5096"><p>Thank you Marg! Yes, nightmares are complex. I do understand about dreaming as a way of the brain sorting things out. That is how I explain nightmares to difficult child, "You brain is sorting things and grabs weird combinations of items that get mumbled into a dream."</p><p> </p><p>When the thread was discussed regarding anxiety causing nightmares, I wondered if sometimes nightmares could be an indication of anxiety (or other health issue). My difficult child even though he tells me a lot about what he is struggling with, he also keeps a lot closed up deep inside of himself and when his nightmares started returning with the same theme of self harm or harming others as he had during the darkest days of his anxiety, I began to wonder if that was a sign that something is again brewing?</p><p> </p><p>I guess I am more nervous about the nightmares following the same theme as in the past. If the nightmares were different (such as being in a plane crash or brush fire based on current news) I don't think they would scare me as much. I am very good at dismissing one or two but when something recurs and it concerns him enough to come to me with, then I start wondering when to act.</p><p> </p><p>A fear starts up in my heart when I hear my son struggling with thoughts of hurting himself or others. I then think of the kids who do hurt themselves or others and wonder how they may have fought not to and then couldn't stop those feelings. I watched those feelings grow stronger in difficult child and really did believe on several days that he was destined for a life of crime. He really could not control those feelings at times and was deeply afraid that some day he would act on them. I feel blessed that for whatever reason, he felt comfortable in confiding in me and actively seeking help to stop the feelings. </p><p> </p><p>It is an extremely hard thing to tell your parents or anyone that you feel like harming anyone. The fear of being ignored, scolded or simply told to stop the feelings or judged is too high, best continue on struggling in secret.</p><p> </p><p>I often wonder when something of this magnitude is revealed how deep it really goes. Is he telling me about his dreams to feel me out as to if he should tell me those thoughts are coming back in waking hours? Is he concerned about those thoughts going further than his dreams? I don't know, time will tell. I think I need to find a way to ask him if this is only nightmare or if he is having thoughts while awake also.</p><p> </p><p>He is not on medication at this time. He has been off Clonazepam for about 7 - 8 months and off of Fluoxetine for about 2 months. He had a very smooth withdrawal from both. Just a few bumps with the Fluoxetine that were very short lived (less than one day) each step down.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Andy, post: 244837, member: 5096"] Thank you Marg! Yes, nightmares are complex. I do understand about dreaming as a way of the brain sorting things out. That is how I explain nightmares to difficult child, "You brain is sorting things and grabs weird combinations of items that get mumbled into a dream." When the thread was discussed regarding anxiety causing nightmares, I wondered if sometimes nightmares could be an indication of anxiety (or other health issue). My difficult child even though he tells me a lot about what he is struggling with, he also keeps a lot closed up deep inside of himself and when his nightmares started returning with the same theme of self harm or harming others as he had during the darkest days of his anxiety, I began to wonder if that was a sign that something is again brewing? I guess I am more nervous about the nightmares following the same theme as in the past. If the nightmares were different (such as being in a plane crash or brush fire based on current news) I don't think they would scare me as much. I am very good at dismissing one or two but when something recurs and it concerns him enough to come to me with, then I start wondering when to act. A fear starts up in my heart when I hear my son struggling with thoughts of hurting himself or others. I then think of the kids who do hurt themselves or others and wonder how they may have fought not to and then couldn't stop those feelings. I watched those feelings grow stronger in difficult child and really did believe on several days that he was destined for a life of crime. He really could not control those feelings at times and was deeply afraid that some day he would act on them. I feel blessed that for whatever reason, he felt comfortable in confiding in me and actively seeking help to stop the feelings. It is an extremely hard thing to tell your parents or anyone that you feel like harming anyone. The fear of being ignored, scolded or simply told to stop the feelings or judged is too high, best continue on struggling in secret. I often wonder when something of this magnitude is revealed how deep it really goes. Is he telling me about his dreams to feel me out as to if he should tell me those thoughts are coming back in waking hours? Is he concerned about those thoughts going further than his dreams? I don't know, time will tell. I think I need to find a way to ask him if this is only nightmare or if he is having thoughts while awake also. He is not on medication at this time. He has been off Clonazepam for about 7 - 8 months and off of Fluoxetine for about 2 months. He had a very smooth withdrawal from both. Just a few bumps with the Fluoxetine that were very short lived (less than one day) each step down. [/QUOTE]
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