Do the nightmares ever stop?

[blackmagic]

I’ve been free from my emotionally and physically abusive husband now for 7 months now after he was arrested for threatening to kill us. I’d been married (removed by moderator) years to him and life was just awful. I’m slowly getting to know myself again and trying to heal. The problem is I keep having nightmares about the abuse and especially ones about him getting back into the house somehow and living there as if nothing ever happened and controlling/abusing me again. Then me trying to get him to leave, but he won’t. These nightmares happen once or twice a week. Does anyone else have this problem? And will they ever go away?

[Fudgecake]

I think nightmares are quite normal. They are a symptom of the trauma you’ve gone through. They can appear at any time after you’ve left the situation. And I believe they can restart if you’re triggered by something/ someone and you then flashback to the trauma.
I ,as many on here do, get them and they’re horrible. It’s like reliving it all again.
I don’t think there’s a timeframe for when they end. You can seek councilling, talk to your GP or to WA to seek help and advice though. But I think it’s something we have to work through as part of our healing.

[HopeLifeJoy]

Yes I had nightmares and still do sometimes. When they were frequent almost nightly at one point, I went to my GP and received strong sleeping pills which knocked me out beautifully for 9 hours straight, no more nightmares or insomnia. It helped me relax during the day too because I had a good night of sleep. I can only highly recommend it, it did help me get back my sleep, some normalcy. I was referred to therapy afterwards which also helped. They do go away but are replaced with new ones. Best to seek out help to learn how to deal with them. I have anti-anxiety pills in house that I can take when I haven’t rested well because of nightmares. Also through counseling you’ll learn technics how to acknowledge the nightmare and take back control by telling it to leave. This worked for me with recurrent nightmares but only the lighter ones not the full blown ones.
Seek help at your GP, they will know what to do. Wishing you a peaceful night tonight 😴🌙✨

[Raindrops]

Most of us went through what normal people find very very difficult to comprehend. Most often trying to vent brings more problems because they don’t understand what you’re passing through. And then we bottle up and live in a world where it’s the awful terrifying memories and us.
My experience with my ex is indescribable, unbelievable, incomprehensible to families, friends and colleagues. As a (removed by moderator), I adapted to the very few self therapies I could.
These nightmares drain all strength and leave behind very terrible agonies that are capable of snuffing out life itself.
I am gonna tell you one basic thing I do; talking to myself. I made myself my best friend, companion, confidant, supporter. I could tell myself everything and the good news is: myself understands me and is very emphatic and patient. I started enjoying my being alone. I was looking forward to when I would be with myself alone.
Go in front of your mirror inside of your room, talk to yourself, advice, appreciate and love that self who has become your best friend and companion. That’s the best step to being free, enough and stronger. Just know you are not alone and this forum is the beginning of a good end.
Good luck!!!

[Author]

Posts