Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

last night i dont know if i dreamt it or if it really happened. I have severe ptsd from my sister getting attacked by a dog and last night the dream or reality i don't know which one was that my sister woke me up and told me she had a night mare and i asked her what of and she said a dog attacking her. I gavent been back to sleep since 2am and im.terrified to go back to bed.

My sister didnt reamention it this morning do i left it and later on this arvo she was happily playing with our dog so im starting to think i dreamt what i thought happened. Ive tried to tell myself that it was just a dream but in reality the attack did happen. I feel really sick and shaking like crazy and its been bothering me all day and its worse now.

Im sooo terrified

[Phoenix_Rising]

Hi @Former-Member, It sucks that you are feeling so terrified. Fear is a yuck feeling! Are you able to identify what you are feeling so terrified about right now? Is it the uncertainty around whether your experience of last night was a dream or not? Or is it fear about having a similar experience tonight? Or something totally different? Do you have any strategies around coping with the fear feelings? I know my go-to strategy when I am super scared or escalating into panic is slow breathing. What things work for you?

[Former-Member]

Its everything. ... i dont even know if it was reality or a dream. Im worried about it happening again and im just terrified. Its really horrible and im super panicky!
Ive tried distraction and deep breathing and mindfulness and journalling and nothing is working not even self harming.

I feel like i cant breathe

[Phoenix_Rising]

Hi @Former-Member I'm sorry I disappeared last night. Did you end up sleeping much? I don't know your situation at all so this might be the most stupid question ever, but I'm wondering if it would be helpful to ask your sister about your experience of the other night - i.e. ask her if she did come and tell you about a nightmare or not. I hope today is a brighter day for you.

[Former-Member]

Hi @Phoenix rising

Thats ok i dont expect everyone to be awake all hours if the night. ..

I didnt end up going to bed until 2am and got up at 6am.

I dont want to bring it back up as my sister who had the dream or thought had it is only 6 and i dont want to distress her in any way. I thought about asking her too but i thought id leave it.

I ended up talking to a friend who happned to be on nightshift at the time and talked to her about it and she thinks it was just one of those really strange dreams as it was really weird the way i dreamt it ans when i opened my eyes for 'real ' she was sound asleep......

[Former-Member]

@Phoenix_Rising

[Phoenix_Rising]

Hi @Former-Member, Oh I am so pleased you found a friend to talk to. I tend to agree with her that it was most likely a really strange dream. It reminds me of a dream (or experience ) I had many years ago soon after my mum died. In the middle of the night, I suddenly thought my mum was in the room. I live alone and it totally freaked me out. I remember telling myself that it was almost certainly a dream, but if it WAS a ghost, well, it was only my mum so there was nothing to be afraid of.

I find it really disorientating when I get vivid dreams. Is that how you experienced it? I've learnt that the trick is to try and be open and curious about the experience. That is, I will kind-of lie in bed thinking "wow, that felt really weird" without letting myself get tangled up in thinking about the weirdness of it. I'm not sure if that makes sense.

I hope you are able to have a restful day after your lack of sleep last night. I plan to stay off the forums for the rest of the day and TRY to be at least vaguely productive .

[Former-Member]

Yeah ive had very vivid very scary dreams associated with my sisters attack.

But im always busy through the day so hopefully that helps me

[Former-Member]

This was a nightmare i had a few nights ago. I journal most dreams that i have.

So this one was:::

I walked into a pound and was walking around there looking for a puppy to rescue. One of the workers there said "here ill show you this dog" so i followed him into what looked like an intertogation room where the people on the other side cant see you but you can see and hear them . On the other side was a young girl and i began to wonder what was going on amd it was starting to worry me. I really wanted to get out of thr room but the worker was standing in front of the door. Another worker opened a shoot and let a large dog through there. The dog just trotted in and looked friendly. It went up to the girl who was wondering around and she turned to pat it when it came up to her but the dog launched and began attacking her. I couldnt get out of the room and i was forced to watch this girl get attacked. I heard her screams her crying her pain pierced me and her yelling help help and the dog growling and snarling..

I couldnt wake up out of this dream very quickly but eventually when i did break out of it i didnt go backto sleep and was having a very major anxiety attack.

[Former-Member]

Why does dealing with otad anxiety and depression so hard!!! No matter what i do its always there and i dont aeem be getting anywhere despite people telling me im doing the right thing 😞

Its a struggle 24/7 😞 😞