Dreams and depression/anxiety

[Kamh]

I am wondering if anyone else knows how to fix this?

I have never being much of a dreamer but over the last couple months I have being having these dreams where someone/something is trying to kill me. It's getting more frequent. At first I had this reacuring dream where a monster jumped out of this vending machine in an over colourful forest and chased me, but then I slowly started to get more and more dreams like this. There more, I just can't remember it right now. I don't seem to be overly scarred in my dreams either, like I always run away from what's trying to kill me in the dream, but overall there isn't any emotion

When I wake up from the dreams I'm not particularly scared, I just can't really move for a couple minutes. Also, some time when I wake up I can tell I was dreaming, and I can't remember what it was about, but my heart is beating really fast (the other day it was 130bpm when I had just woken up)(I have a heart rate monitor), and I can hardly move.

I think I liked it better when I didn't dream. Does anyone know what this is, or how to stop the dreams?

thanks so much,

Kamh

[MsPurple]

HI Kamh

Dreams are "a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep." So basically dreams are random thoughts that pop into our mind while we are asleep. I have been told by my psych that our thoughts before sleep, our mood, our anxiety and overall mental health can affect our dreams. When I am more anxious I tend to get more disturbing dreams. They are not nightmares but they do linger with me throughout the day and they can make me feel down. It sounds similar to what you are experiencing, but not quite the same. For me when I am getting these dreams more often it is a sign my anxiety is getting the best of me. It is a sign that I am getting unwell again. When this started to happen to me I discussed it with my dr and my psych. We had to adjust my meds a little but my psych decided to do more CBT with me. She also suggested I try meditation before going to sleep. This helps me relax and stops my anxious racing thoughts before going to sleep. So far this has helped me not have as many of these dreams. I also find reading a book before bed helpful

Unfortunately there is not one thing that can stop these dreams, however I found some of the things above helped me. I hope this is helpful. I know it sucks, but just remember they are just a dream. When this happens to me I have to remind myself it is just a dream and I have no control over it. This tends to help me as well

MP