Stupid nightmare has got me worried sick :(

[87sal87]

Hi,

Since I ended up in A&E last December with a major panic attack, I've not really been the same person, but as the year as gone on, I've made progress into getting back to 'normal' but it seems since December has come around again, I'm back to square one!

I'm worried sick that it's all gonna happen again like last year because it completely destroyed my christmas & I DON'T want it happening again.
But I've been so stressed, it's like it's out of my hands...I can't control it.

Anyway I must have had stuff on my mind because the other night I had a horrible nightmare were my house was on fire & everyone was trapped inside & I couldn't do anything about it. & There was this voice in the dream telling me that 'one of you will be dead by Boxing Day' :(

I woke up in a right state & I've been worried ever since. I keep thinking that it's an omen & the house is gonna catch fire or me or one of my family is going to die at Christmas :(
I know it sounds stupid but it has worried me sick. I do have very vivid [sometimes horrible] dreams alot of the time but this one took the biscuit :(

What do you guys think? You ever had similiar dreams? Is it just the anxiety?

[ems43]

I guess if you were dreading christmas anyway, as its associated with the time you were really ill then it would make sense that you would have these kind of nightmares. I guess its a bit like someone who has their worst panic attack in Tesco, then is terrified to go back to tesco or even seeing an advert for it can trigger memories and anxiety. The key thing you said is about control, even if these things were to happen, you would have no control over them. I know its so easy to say, but try and just see them as anxious thoughts playing tricks on you again and let them go. I know for a fact that my anxiety can play major tricks on me!! And my dreams/ nightmares are often linked to my core fears, so for example I always fear I am going mad or am going to develop psychosis. So, the other night I had a nightmare that I was covering the walls with tin foil as I thought it would stop voices getting at me, and was eating worms and all sorts of horrible things. I found it really hard to shake this off as well, but realised that it would make sense that my anxieties even invade my sleep. Take care xx

[margaret jones]

Hi sorry you feel so worried but I am sure it is panic/anxiety that is doing it
You say your last christmas was bad due to panic attack well there is your answer hun you are anticipating a return of the dreaded panic /anxiety .
in DEC 2008 I was just the same as you and did end up in Hosp with a heart problem that was fixed with a Pacemaker but o dear what a rotten thought last yr as nov 2009 approached I was like you feeling better but then panic set in What If this was going to be like last yr , so i made a decision to do something completly different for xmas 2009 and me and hubby went away for xmas and it was fine and this yr we are of on holiday again so Maybe try and plan for a different time at Christmas even if it is difficult to organise do try and ring the changes and I am sure you will be fine xx

Sorry for the long post hope you find it helpfull remember you are not alone with these thoughts i think caring people are born worries have a :hugs:

[Nigel]

Hi Sal,

This December won’t be like last December.
This Christmas won’t be like last Christmas.

You’re a different person now with more knowledge, so even if there are a few anxious panicky moments, at least you know what they are and have a better idea how to cope with them. So it can’t be like last year.

It sounds to me like you’re worrying a lot about this, and when a person is anxious they tend to do a lot of dreaming at night. So that bit makes sense. But dreams aren’t omens. They’re more about what has already happened. They appear to be related to what was on a person’s mind that day, in particular, those thoughts that aroused emotions but didn’t result in any action being taken. At the end of the day the mind doesn’t know what to do with those thoughts, so it tries to resolve them by replaying them as dreams.

Dreams are very metaphorical – that is, things represent other things. So the fire might’ve been something from memory, or something you saw on TV, or a picture in a magazine, from anywhere really, and your mind picked it to represent one element of the thought it was trying to work through. It’s a bit like how little children play, using things they find around them to represent people and things in the games they play.

Perhaps the fire represented your anxiety if that’s been on your mind a lot. Maybe the voice was your mind’s resolution to the problem – that whatever happens, it’ll all be over by Boxing Day. Who knows... :shrug:

It’s gonna be a good Christmas Sal :hugs:
Just let it happen and enjoy it :)

Nigel

[87sal87]

Thanks SO, SO much for putting me at ease guys. I know it was a silly reason but I have been worrying about it.
I think I just need to get it out of my head for abit...
& That was wonderful advice Nigel, thank you! :hugs: