What do my night terrors mean?: A couple of... - Anxiety Support

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What do my night terrors mean?

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A couple of years ago I began to have night terrors, only occasionally, in the year 2010, I only had approximately two night terrors, similarly in 2011. As of July this year, I've been having these night terrors on a regular basis. To begin with, only a few a week. But now I have them every night. Sometimes I just wake up in shock in my bed, and other times I find myself awake across the other side of my room, trying to leave the room. My parents and friends who've woken me up from these terrors have told me I've been screaming or shouting nonesense at them, which I am not aware of doing at all. Usually. I live in a shared house at university and I really worry about having terrors here, which I think makes them happen more often.

My GP prescribed me Amitriptyline in July and I began only taking 10mg of it every night before I went to sleep. Due to my increase in terrors, I now take 75mg each night, but now even that isn't helping me sleep through the night.

I'm not sure what the cause of these terrors could be, but they make me feel very anxious and nervous at night time before I go to sleep, to the point where I stay up into the early hours of the morning, just because I'm so worried I'll have a night terror. Thinking about it as I'm writing this is making me nervous,and I get a pain in my chest. I would really appreciate any advice anyone has on this matter or if anyone suffers from this too and has any suggestions of what might be causing it or what they do to tame the terrors.

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4 Replies
donaf profile image
donaf

Hi my son suffers with them, he had them every nite a lot more then usual wen I was having panic attacks all the time. I red up on the net that they happen in the first few hours of going to sleep. I noticed my sons was happening within the 2nd hour of falling to sleep. So wat I did was make sure he relaxed for an hour or so before bed, which included reading him a story to make him all carm and relax gud mind. Try reading the last hour before bed. Also to brake the cycle I Wud wake him up after an hour, I noticed with doing that he wudnt have one after waking him up. After two to three wks he wasn't having them every nite anymore. He as them now and again. I also suffered from them wen I was younger xxx

in reply to donaf

I'll definitely try those things, thank you very much xxxx

aberkaz profile image
aberkaz

I suffered with this from 15 until my late 20's at my worse I would have them hourly, waking up outside my room shaking after running out screaming. I never took any medication for it, but just worked through it by finding out what made me better.

I need to be comfortable in the room I’m in, if I’m sleeping along I need a night light. They have got better over time, I am now in my early 30's. I had a very chaotic upbringing with two alcoholic parents and was sexually abused. I never felt safe at night time and I think that was my trigger. Now I am older and more comfortable in my own skin they have traumatically reduced. I still have them if I am stressed or away from home in unfamiliar surroundings. But have much improved. Sorry for the rushed answer but on my way to work but thought I’d share my experiences. K x

aberkaz profile image
aberkaz

I've been thinking about your question further today & also wanted to say. Do lots of research on the subject. There is lots on the Internet, understand sleep cycles & when night terrors occur. Even though it is still horrible, understanding it might make it less daunting when it does happen. x

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