aquarian
22-06-11, 17:30
Does anyone recognise these symptoms?
I sleep through the night, but I'm aware of having unpleasant dreams. When I wake up, I feel anxious, low and still tired.
I often don't awaken properly at first, though. For 30-60 minutes, I find myself stuck in an in-between state where I continue to experience the nasty feelings associated with the dreams, and I seem unable to apply rational thinking to dispel them. It's scary to feel haunted by recollections of events that aren't even real, or which might be unreal but I'm not sure.
Eventually, this state evaporates so that I'm able to think straight again and get going for the day. The feelings of anxiety and lowness often stay with me through the day, although that's more familiar territory as I've had regular difficulties with anxiety attacks over the last few years.
I'm not on any medication, nor am I consuming any substances that might explain this. As such, I'm struggling to understand what's going on. I find it difficult to describe to others how real the experiences feel as I wake up, and why I'm often literally clinging to the bed-clothes, not wanting to move in case I discover that my night-time fears are true in reality.
I'm not keen to go to my GP as: (a) this situation seems laughably silly; and (b) he's likely to suggest anti-depressants, and I don't wish to go back on those unless absolutely necessary. About a year ago, I came off a low-ish dose of citalopram, having endured some of the side-effects over many months without finding it noticeably beneficial.
Many thanks for reading this far! If anyone can offer me any insights then I'll be very grateful. :)
I sleep through the night, but I'm aware of having unpleasant dreams. When I wake up, I feel anxious, low and still tired.
I often don't awaken properly at first, though. For 30-60 minutes, I find myself stuck in an in-between state where I continue to experience the nasty feelings associated with the dreams, and I seem unable to apply rational thinking to dispel them. It's scary to feel haunted by recollections of events that aren't even real, or which might be unreal but I'm not sure.
Eventually, this state evaporates so that I'm able to think straight again and get going for the day. The feelings of anxiety and lowness often stay with me through the day, although that's more familiar territory as I've had regular difficulties with anxiety attacks over the last few years.
I'm not on any medication, nor am I consuming any substances that might explain this. As such, I'm struggling to understand what's going on. I find it difficult to describe to others how real the experiences feel as I wake up, and why I'm often literally clinging to the bed-clothes, not wanting to move in case I discover that my night-time fears are true in reality.
I'm not keen to go to my GP as: (a) this situation seems laughably silly; and (b) he's likely to suggest anti-depressants, and I don't wish to go back on those unless absolutely necessary. About a year ago, I came off a low-ish dose of citalopram, having endured some of the side-effects over many months without finding it noticeably beneficial.
Many thanks for reading this far! If anyone can offer me any insights then I'll be very grateful. :)