FAMILY tragedies

[AnaVicc 0]

For the past two years I've been having nightmares and night terrors of random families, that I have never met before. It's like the movies, they go through some suffering and then die. I'm either a relative in their family or I just witness the tragedy. I feel them so real, close enough to feel seconds of pain if I was the dying family memeber. Some were so horrific, that I've woken up shaky and sweaty. Their faces and fear haunt me, even when i wake up i still feel my heart heavy. I pray to God that they are just dreams and not real tragedies. Does anybody else go through this?? Somebody please help me. I have no explanation to this. I'm afraid.

[Mark G 1186]

These are most certainly dreams and are an extension of your waking anxieties. The sweats and shakes are signs of panic attacks in your sleep.   You may be lucid dreaming which are very real and can feel as real as when you are awake.  I have negative dreams about family members also which take a while to shake off once I wake.  There will be a connection with your anxieties somewhere.   Relax,  they are not premonitions or anything like that. 

[rachelfisher 0]

Hi, have you coped with that already? I'm also having frequent nightmares that are freaking me out. Tried meditation and it's helping a bit though

Rachel

[Mark G 1186]

Since i wrote that, i have made massive gains not only in understanding, but in practical methods of accepting nightmares for what they are.  Freaking out over these nightmare, solidifies them in your mind and can prolong the cycle.  Fear plays the largest roll of all, if you feel fear towards these dreams, you in turn enable more.  Dreams can give you a window into your subconsciousness where all your automatic thought processes take place.  This subconscious (or unconscious) can send coded messages to you through various visions and sounds etc. If you are anxious when you are awake then you can be anxious when asleep, it just presents differently.  The method i use is to just fully accept anything that happens.  You cannot control your mind/thought patterns, it's impossible, you have to just let it do what it does.  Reaction to thoughts and dreams is where the problem lies, and not the dreams themselves.  Meditation is very important in my opinion as you can train yourself to be more relaxed and also gain mental clarity.  That stuff really works

[Anneli 0]

Hi,

Accepting nightmares for what they are? Wow, it sounds hard...

I have nightmares for 2 yeras. Yesterday I tried meditation. I feel skepticism to that. But I try today. Any other advices?

[jonathan123 2367]

In Jungian therapy dreams or nightmares play a big part in resolving anxiety because, properly interpreted, they can be see as messages from the unconscious that are telling you a lot about your life. Nothing in dreams is ever as it seems because they are all symbols of something else. If any of you feel you want to message me on the subject feel free. I was trained in dream interpretation which has to be in the context of therapy. But a lot can be learned by a casual perusal of a dream. Books on dreams are useless because dreams are very personal to the person dreaming them. An animal may mean so many things to so many people. A death is not a death but something dying off in your psyche that you may not want or have any further use for. Sex may not be sexual in content but a symbol of something that needs to come together, to be whole. Anyway, it's a most interesting subject.      Jon.

[Martha111 0]

Hello everyone,

Jonathan - I find it relaly interesting what you are saying about dream interpretation. How can I interpret my nightmares? i don't think I have many problems in my real life and still at night I can't sleep. How can I explain that? I would like to get rid of them.

Martha

[jonathan123 2367]

There is a reason for everything. Nothing happens in isolation. You can't defy the laws of physics even in psychology. Cause and effect still operate. If you can't sleep and are having dreams then there's a cause. Finding causes is often difficult and that's what good therapy is about.

[rachelfisher 0]

Hey guys!

Meditation and calming myself before I go to bed helps a bit, also thinking about the nightmares in a more positive way.

There's this Facebook group I want to join called Nightmares Nightly, hope someone can help us there!

[jonathan123 2367]

Hey Rachel. Welcome to AC. .

If I may say you need to exercise caution when dealing with dreams and nightmares, which are, after all, just frightening dreams. Dreams are very subjective and only you have the answers to YOUR dreams. Never compare yourself with others and their dreams. Your personal unconscious is just that, personal to you.

Books that tell you what dreams mean are useless and a waste of money. No one sees two things the same way.

Meditation and calming myself before I go to bed helps a bit, also thinking about the nightmares in a more positive way

Yes, of course, but how do you know what to think? Their meaning?

It may help to join a group but don't be misled by the ignorant. I will message you about dreams if that's OK?    Best wishes.     Jon.

[rainbow 333]

Hi Everyone 

i have dreams off and on especially about unpleasant things I went through in the past. The difference like Mark said is when i wake up I choose to not distress over them or over analyze the dream. I have accepted that my subconscious will throw back things from my past it's how I choose to react to them. 

As for nightmares those I don't have as much. I am spirtual person so I just say a prayer bed  

Take care 

Amber 

[mvrrry 0]

Hey, guys!

I can see many of you really struggle with frequent nightmares. I feel you, I’ve had that problem for years. I've tried many things. I took pills and I tried meditation. Recently, I applied to be an alpha tester for this anti-nightmare app called Nightly. I was sceptical at first but I must say it calmed my mind and let me sleep better with less nightmares! I saw they are still looking for testers so if you wanna try it out you can apply on their website DreamJay (com)

 

[jonathan123 2367]

Hi. mvrrry. Welcome to AC. .

 I was trained in Jungian therapy and dreams, (nightmares being no more that frightening dreams), and they play an important part in therapy. If you ignore them, or, as in your case, try and eliminate them, you lose valuable information from your unconscious which is telling you something about your life. You have no access to the unconscious except through dreams. Less nightmares, as uncomfortable as it may seem, means less information you receive from the unconscious. Nightmares and some dreams are really frightening, but why do you think they happen? Ever thought about it? Something in your unconscious is hammering on the door and waiting to show you something important. The dreams have to be looked at and faced, not put away and lost. I looked at the site you mentioned and all they are concerned about is getting sleep. Fair enough, but there is so much more to it than that. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.       Jon.