Difference between dreams and nightmares
Why is a nightmare frightening? Its a shocking bad dream to call focus to an issue that needs your attention. Your brain has invented the nightmare to be scary to shock you, and make you remember it after you’ve woken up. Usually, dreams are not memorable because they’re not shocking. That is the fundamental difference between dreams and nightmares.
Imagery in dreams and nightmares can be symbolic to represent something else
In some dreams and nightmares, you are aware of responding to the dream. You know what your dream is about and you responded to it.
A nightmare can be triggered by a real life event. This type of nightmare is called a trauma nightmare. Can you do something to prevent trauma nightmares in your sleep? Yes, you can help yourself by treating trauma to prevent it from triggering trauma nightmares. After a shock or prolonged shock, reflect on your thoughts and emotions. What do you understand from it? After processing the shocking event, you’re less likely to dream about it.
Some types of food and medications trigger nightmares. Ingestion of certain drugs can cause nightmares. With-holding some medications can also cause nightmares.
How to stop a bad dream
You can try to self heal to stop a bad dream. Sit in a quiet spot. Tell yourself you don’t want to see the bad dream, for example, of the bad woman. Allow this message to slowly sink in and permeate your brain. You can do this method anytime of the day. It is better if you do this just before bedtime. When you sleep, your brain will recall this message. It is unlikely to replay dream imagery of “the bad woman”.
Why there are recurrent nightmares
If you have an unresolved issue, your nightmares will continue. If your problem occurred many years ago, and your nightmares are related to that problem, then you have to solve that issue. the type of issues are prolonged stress called trauma, abuse, taking psychoactive drugs, some medications, withdrawal symptoms from some medicines, stimulants like places/ situations and etc.
Common methods of nightmare’s conflict resolution:
- Use the gatekeeper method. That is, tell yourself you don’t wish to see that nightmare any more.
- Desensitize yourself to the scary thing/ situation in your recurrent nightmare. Tell yourself there is nothing to be afraid of in that thing/ situation. You will believe this and you’ll no longer be afraid of that particular fear.
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Related posts:
Everything You Need To Know About Nightmares
Young children’s common nightmares
Why you need to know how nightmares originate
You can inherit dreams and nightmares