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Sleep, or lack thereof
This is quite long, sorry.
Ever since I was young, I've had what I suppose are 'bad' dreams. I've never really considered them bad, beacuse I've had them all my life. They generally involve running to things and running from things that want to hurt me. Some of the more vivid dreams have included me being beaten up, shot and almost raped [none of which, despite the pain, I've woken from like you see in the movies]. Most of these I don't really recall and I do know that the vividness and frequency is directly related to stress. However I found out today that I still have these sorts of dreams at least once a week, even though as far as I'm concerned I haven't been. And apparently they must be the vivid sort, since apparently I talk and cry in my sleep.
I've been informed by my partner and a good freind of ours that this really isn't normal and that I need to see a shrink. Isn't it and do I?
But that's not all. Again, since I was very young [since I was a baby too, apparently] I've always had trouble getting to sleep. It takes me a good 3 hours to get to sleep, some times longer if I'm stressed. I've tried all the tricks in the book, but the only reliable thing that will be knock me out almost straight away is a glass of wine followed by a painkiller [yeah I know - you can lecture me about how non-existant my liver is later]. Even when I was at school and was reliably going to bed at 10 and waking at 8, this was still the case. Again, I thought this was normal considering it's been happening my whole life, but again I'm infomed it's very not normal. Is this true?
Two more things, possibly related. My eyes don't shut completly when I close them. This sounds really freaky I know, and I know that it's true when I'm awake beacuse I can see out of the slits, but I'm told it happens when I'm asleep as well. I'm highly sure that this isn't normal... but it may relate to this: I'm never really awake. I often feel really groggy during the day despite getting a 'good' night's sleep. Dark thinks that not only might this be related to the dreams, but also to the fact my eyes don't shut, but I don't know. I wouldn't say that I feel groggy all the time, but a large percentage of it. The few times I've woken up feeling really energetic and awake where when I did the last NaNoWriMo and went to sleep on a tonne of caffene and when I had wine and then took a painkiller. So, is that normal too?
So, for those that couldn't be bothered to read the thing:
How normal is it to:
Have a high frequency of very vivid bad dreams? [What sort of frequency is normal for those sorts of dreams anyway?]
Not be able to sleep several hours after turning out the lights to sleep? [Is this what insomnia is? I thought it was only if you couldn't sleep ever]
Not wake feeling rested and refreshed, despite how you thought you had a good night sleep?
I don't want advice on how to get to sleep, I just want to know if I'm some sort of freak who should see a doctor and a shrink like my partner is trying to get me to. Hell, any discusion would probably be useful....
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Want to answer more questions in the Health & Fitness category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Mental health?
First of all, you are not a freak!!!!
I believe seeing a pyschiatrist is not a bad idea, but what I believe you should do is find a person who knows about symbols in dreams.
Symbols in dreams reflect ourselves, not the outside world. For example, a doughnut in a dream actually represents the Self.
Keep a journal on your dreams, and share them with a pyschiatrist. Consulting a Medical doctor on a sleeping pill, such as Ambien, may work too!
Not having your eyes closed all the way is actually fairly normal for people and many people have this symptom. It does not affect your dream. It can be common for people with fair skin, but can be seen in every background.
Getting to a pyschologist and dream specialist may help you work through a deep pyschological problem you may need to work through.
The wine and the painkiller also may make your dreams more weird and tainted, and probably are exactly the reason you feel groggy during the day. That is why a medication for sleeping can help you, as wine and a painkiller can hurt you.
You do have some symptoms of insomnia, because it is a chore for you to get to sleep. It is not that normal for people to have many bad dreams, but it may represent a thing you need and CAN work through.
Just remember, you have a problem many people face, and by getting help, you will be a beacon of light for them, so you are NOT a freak! And don't let anyone think you are!
Good Luck!!! :-)
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I really don't think a shrink is necessary. And if you go to a doctor he will just give you medication..which I don't believe is necessary. I used to have those types of dreams for the longest time. I don't know if you are Catholic, but I am and what I did, one night I prayed to Mary and asked her to please help me to not be afraid anymore and to take the bad dreams away, and I said 10 Hail Marys. That night I slept very soundly and my bad dreams have gone away ever since..that was a couple of years ago.
Now about not being able to sleep after several hours after turning out the lights. I am the exact same way. I usually sleep with the tv on to keep my company while I sleep. But you have a partner so you could possibly ask him to stay up with you if he doesn't mind.
About waking not feeling rested and refreshed, I used to be the exact same way. I told my mom about this and she gave me vitamins because she thought that I was vitamin-defficent or something. After a few weeks of vitamins and sleeping for about 8 hours, I eventually started waking refreshed.
This is completely normal and don't let anybody tell you that you aren't normal. =]]] hope I helped!
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I have to agree with Siren...
i have the same problem...sort of. and what i did is wrote down on a piece of paper all the things i'm scared of and then wrote down all the things that would make those things go away then i would just try to sleep. My dad works at the hospital so he talked to a sleep doctor and said what might help is if you just have your bed and a pillow and blankets n stuff in your room take everything out...well that didn't work for me. so i put back my stereo...and if i turn that on to i kno i kno...CLASSICAL (eh...) music it'll help some. and just a suggestion...cut down on the caffene.
And if i'm not much help then see a doctor...they might request a sleep medicine called lunesta.
Hope i helped
--STEPHANiE
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You actually sound quite a bit like me. I would find a sleep doctor in your area and get a sleep workup done. Like, sleep in a lab and whatnot and see if the doctor can't figure out what's wrong.
For instance, I have 3-4 nightmares a week, and if I don't have nightmares, I don't have REM sleep. Adults are supposed to have something like 1 nightmare every few weeks. Not to mention I can't stay asleep for more than four hours, but that's me.
So you're correct in thinking that these things aren't quite normal, but you're not a freak. Get yourself checked out. A sleep doctor would be more useful than a shrink. A shrink might be able to help figure out what's kind of dwelling in the back of your mind, but you could do that yourself through freewriting, which I strongly suggest.
But in any case, find a sleep doctor, get checked out. You're not a freak, you just have sleep problems. My sympathies, those suck.
Good luck!
-Siren =)
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i think a shrink would deff help you out. it isnt normal and maybe there is something you can take to help it
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It's not the norm to consistently have nightmares all the time. The only way I can see this being ok is if you are one of the few who remember most of your dreams but even if that’s true, you should still be remembering a considerable number of “good” dreams.
And from your question, you seem to have a lot of insomniac tendencies. You’re tired most of the time and you can’t usually sleep without help.
Yeah, you definitely need to get some sort of consultation. I would recommend seeing your doctor before you see a psychologist, maybe the problem really does reside with your partially open lids.
And you’re not a freak.
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