When Dreams Turn Dark: How To Face Dream Anxiety Disorder

When dreams turn dark: how to face dream anxiety disorder head on. Do you ever have the combination between anxiety and nightmares.

Of course you have. If you haven’t had a nightmare, you’re not human.

Anxiety and vivd dreams go hand in hand. I can remember a nightmare so vivid (it was about Hell) that I remember every single detail about it.

I was in a room with this person (a woman) and these “monsters” that were caring away a screaming girl down a cave corrider and then the screaming stopped.

At that point, I woke up. I didn’t want to see or hear anymore. I didn’t want to know what was going to happen to me!

Dream Anxiety Disorder Causes

Hence, Anxiety dreams can be caused by a number of factors, including:

Stress: Real-life stressors can cause anxiety dreams, such as those related to work, relationships, health, finances, or major life changes.
Trauma: Traumatic events, whether experienced or witnessed, can trigger intense dreams as the mind tries to process what happened.
Substance use: Excessive use of alcohol or drugs can impact sleep patterns and trigger nightmares.
Medications: Some medications, such as antidepressants, blood pressure medications, beta blockers, and drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease or to help stop smoking, can trigger nightmares.
Sleep disruption: Insomnia or disrupted sleep can cause anxiety dreams.
Unresolved issues: Unresolved distress in your life can cause anxiety dreams.

Anxiety dreams can be a way for the unconscious mind to process negative stimuli and educate you on your thoughts.

Nightmares and Panic Attacks

When dreams turn dark: how to face dream anxiety disorder, even through panic attacks.

Nightmares with panic attacks, double whammy! I’ve had quite a few of them. Sometimes I wake up in a panic not knowing what is going on.

I’m sweating to death and wide awake. My heart is racing and I’m trembling all over. I don’t want to go back to sleep (if I could).

Here are some things you can try if you experience nightmares or panic attacks:

Talk to someone: Talk to a friend, family member, health professional, or counselor about your feelings.
Practice breathing exercises: Calming breathing exercises can help.
Exercise: Activities like running, walking, swimming, and yoga can help you relax.
Try a relaxing activity: A warm drink, quiet music, a soothing podcast, or a favorite book can help put your brain back to sleep mode.
Consider psychotherapy or medication: If you have chronic nightmares, psychotherapy or medication can help.

OCD and Nightmares

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can cause nightmares and other sleep disturbances in several ways:

Intrusive Thoughts

OCD can cause intrusive thoughts that make it hard to fall asleep. These thoughts can then lead to intrusive dreams.

I have intrusive thoughts while I’m trying to fall asleep. Part of why I wasn’t falling asleep (along with tremors of Parkinson’s).

Distressing Dreams

People with OCD may have vivid, emotionally charged dreams that are similar to their waking obsessions.

These dreams can be distressing and may leave you feeling uneasy or wake you up.

Fear of Dreaming

People with OCD may develop an intense fear of dreaming itself.

They may worry that their dreams will come true in real life or that they will act out their dreams while sleeping.

Increased Compulsions

Nightmares can increase the desire to perform compulsions. I remember watching this documentary on a woman with OCD.

They filmed her scrubbing the white grout between the white tile on the floor with a toothbrush. She didn’t think it was clean and white enough. I hope she is doing ok.

Comorbid Conditions

The presence of other conditions, such as anxiety or depression, can also affect sleep.

Anxiety has greatly affected my sleep. At a point, I didn’t want to fall asleep because of nightmares.

Recurring Anxiety Dreams

When dreams turn dark: how to face dream anxiety disorder even through recurring nightmares.

My “Hell” nightmare was a recurring dream. I kept seeing her float by my bedroom door and laugh at me. But, I didn’t find it funny when I suddenly woke up.

I don’t know why I’m having this particular dream or why it’s recurring. Is there supposed to be a message there that I’m going to Hell when I pass?

I don’t really like to think about that even though my anxiety dreams keep bringing it up. Am I cursed? I’m not a dream expert, so I don’t know.

Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real…this is mine. That first dream of Hell was forever etched into my mind.

What does Dream Anxiety Disorder Look Like?

Here are some examples of dream anxiety disorder:

Being chased: This dream can symbolize anxiety about social situations or being around other people.
Car trouble: This dream can be a response to a sudden change in your life or trying to accept a new reality.
Drowning: This dream can be related to anxiety or panic disorders.
Earthquakes: This dream can suggest uncertainty or instability in your life.
Falling: This dream is common in anxiety dreams and usually happens at the beginning of sleep.
Forgetting something important: This dream can come from insecurity.
Losing teeth: This dream can be caused by anxiety causing you to grind your teeth at night.
Naked in public: This dream is often linked to feelings of inferiority.
Not being able to find a place: This dream can symbolize confusion, frustration, or feeling like you don’t belong somewhere.
Storms: This dream can represent emotional turmoil.

Anxiety dreams can be upsetting and distressing, and can cause sleep disturbances.

They can be caused by stress, anxiety, irregular sleep, medications, mental health disorders, or stressful situations at work or school.

Why am I So Anxious in My Dreams?

When dreams turn dark: how to face dream anxiety disorder straight through the anxiety.

If you’re anxious during the day, you’re going to have anxious dreams. That’s how the world works.

Things that happen during the day somehow manifests it’s way into your dreams. It might not be exactly the same, but it exists.

A good example is a traumatic event, whether experienced or witnessed, that has happened in your life. This can trigger intense dreams.

So, if you can curb your anxiety during the day, you won’t have anxious dreams at night. I know, It’s hard to get rid of anxiety that really affects your life. I did it for the most part, so can you.

What Is Dream Anxiety Disorder Trying to Tell You?

Stress dreams can be a way for your brain to process emotions and concerns from your day-to-day life. They can reflect feelings of fear, anxiety, insecurity, or loss of control.

Also, it can be triggered by a variety of factors, including: Work pressure, Relationship problems, Health conditions, Major life changes, and Trauma.

Maybe, it’s a forewarning towards your future. With my recurring dream, I don’t even want to think about that.

After all the obstacles I’ve been through, I hope I go to Heaven. Not that that is going to guarantee me to get into Heaven.

Stop Anxiety Dreams!

Here are some things you can try to stop anxiety dreams include:

Taking care of your sleep
Rewriting your dreams
Talking it out
Pinpointing the issue
Creating a zen bedtime routine
Thinking positive thoughts

Here are some tips to help prevent anxiety dreams:

Address stressors: Try to identify and address the underlying stressors that are causing you anxiety
Practice relaxation: Try to wind down before bed with relaxing activities like reading or listening to music
Create a buffer zone: Set aside a period of time before bed to allow your brain to wind down
Keep a dream journal: Keeping a dream journal can help you identify patterns

What Medication is Used for Sleep Anxiety?

When dreams turn dark: how to face dream anxiety disorder through certain medicines. Benzodiazepines are a class of medications that can be used to treat sleep anxiety:

Examples

Some common benzodiazepines include Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Ativan, and Klonopin.

Shorter-acting benzodiazepines used to treat insomnia include estazolam (ProSom), flurazepam (Dalmane), temazepam (Restoril), and triazolam (Halcion).

How They Are Used

Benzodiazepines are usually only recommended for short-term or occasional use because they can be addictive and have potential for abuse.

Health care providers should consider prescribing the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time, usually no more than four weeks.

Other medications that can be used to treat sleep anxiety include:

Buspirone: Used to treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Trazodone and doxepin: Commonly used to treat sleep, and your body is less likely to become dependent on them
Daridorexant (Quiviviq): A relatively new treatment for insomnia

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a good resource to discuss your anxiety dreams and to figure out why you’re having them. A therapist can give their perspective on it.

Psychotherapy for anxious dreams can include cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT)-based therapies, such as imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) and exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy (ERRT).

These therapies can help reduce the frequency and severity of nightmares by:

Tracking sleep and nightmares: Keeping a sleep log to track sleep and wake patterns, as well as the frequency and severity of nightmares
Learning about nightmares: Understanding the nature of nightmares and how they can help process past events
Practicing skills: Learning skills to target thoughts, emotions, and imagery related to nightmares
Rehearsing new dream scripts: Recalling a nightmare, journaling it, and then changing the content to something more positive

Other therapies that may help with anxious dreams include:

Systematic desensitization: A CBT method for treating nightmares
Lucid dreaming therapy: A CBT method that allows the dreamer to modify the dream content while dreaming
Hypnosis: Can provide quick and effective help by addressing the underlying issue of nightmares

symmetrical photography of clouds covered blue sky

Will Sleep Anxiety Go Away?

When dreams turn dark: how to face dream anxiety disorder when it won’t go away.

We always worry about something or someone, so anxiety will exist. It naturally exists. So, I don’t believe sleep anxiety will completely go away.

It might not be as bad during less anxious times, but it will always be there. For some people, it’s just more prevalent because of their anxious state.

I know, for me, the nightmares died down once my anxiety was lowered. Once I accepted the anxiety, I haven’t had any nightmares (going on week 4 weeks and counting).

I’m also sleeping a lot better. Occassionally, I wake up during the night, but I go right back to sleep. Before, I would be up for several hours.

How to Cope With Dream Anxiety Disorder?

Know that it is only a nightmare, no matter how real it seems. It can’t physically harm you. It may cause some physical symptoms (sweating, rapid breathing).

Another good thing to do is ground yourself. If you wake up from a nightmare, turn on the light, look around your bedroom, and listen for familiar sounds.

Another thing to try is distract yourself. If you can’t go back to sleep, get up and distract yourself with something else, like a book or crossword puzzle

Also, practice relaxation activities. Participate in activities that promote relaxation, such as reading, taking a bath, listening to calming music, or practicing yoga.

Sum It All Up

When dreams turn dark: how to face dream anxiety disorder through to the end.

So, you know that if you can dial down your anxiety during the day, the anxiety nightmares will stop or be reduced.

Making good, conscientious decisions will help with the anxiety. My “Hell” dream hasn’t occured in a while because my anxiety has gone down.

Speaking of anxiety and how I experience less of it, I finally ackowledged it and accepted it. Once I did that, I became a lot calmer.

I know that sounds easier said than done. But if you make that decisionin your life, it is a lot simpler and easier. My days aren’t filled with worry and panic. Peace and alway’s love. Until next time…

Articles About Dream Anxiety Disorder

-Nightmare Disorder

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24464-nightmare-disorder

-How to Relax After a Nightmare

https://symmetrycounseling.com/counseling-services/how-to-relax-after-a-nightmare/

-What is an Anxiety Dream?

https://www.talkspace.com/mental-health/conditions/articles/anxiety-dreams/

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy
“One Voice Used To Experience Dream Anxiety Disorder”

“The American Dream has run out of gas. The car has stopped. It no longer supplies the world with its images, its dreams, its fantasies. No more. It’s over. It supplies the world with its nightmares now: the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam.”–J. G. Ballard

“I used to have nightmares that they would put ‘He played Ted’ on my tombstone.”-Keanu Reeves

“It’s not clear whether the brain actually is designed to have nightmares or whether this is actually the process going awry.”-Matthew Walker

“I find skydiving really hard. I broke my back while skydiving when I was in the military, and for 18 months all my nightmares were about falling.” –Bear Grylls

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