Panic fear, cold sweat, sudden awakening in the middle of the night … From time to time, nightmares come to almost everyone. But why? To warn of possible misfortunes? Help to find a way out of a confusing situation? And most importantly, how to get rid of them?
DRUGS FOR FEAR
There are unpleasant, viscous, viscous dreams. And you should pay attention to them: they can signal all kinds of dangers, troubles, warn about mistakes. But it is nightmares that cause a sense of fear and almost primal horror.
Although at times they are caused by absolutely mundane reasons: overeating, physical discomfort (up to an uncomfortable position), stuffiness, pain. And then the best cure for the nightmare will be to see a doctor. And also the creation of favorable conditions for healthy sleep. So, at one time it was believed that sleeping on a hard bed was beneficial, otherwise scoliosis may develop. However, the doctors concluded that a moderately soft mattress was the best option. You do not need to drink a lot of fluids before going to bed, or eat enough at night. It is important not to forget to ventilate the room. These are the basic rules that often help to get rid of nightmares.
But it also happens in another way. Sometimes nightmares are evidence of mental discomfort, unresolved psychological problems. A person may be aware of them, but not guess how destructive they are. Or they may not even suspect that the problem exists if the cause of bad dreams lies in the distant past, or if it is so painful for a person that he prefers not to think about it, driving him into the backyard of consciousness. In such situations, the subconscious literally screams: "Honey, you are in serious trouble!" And it is primarily about psychological problems.
DISEASES OF GROWTH AND NOT ONLY
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Even in infancy, up to a year, a child can have nightmares, which are usually caused by physical discomfort: cold or gastrointestinal problems. The kid wakes up, screams, declaring to the whole world (first of all, of course, to his parents) that he is feeling bad. This is not uncommon, but it is not difficult to drive away such a nightmare: you need to try to calm the baby, make a warm cozy nest for him, sing a lullaby. If the problems persist, you should contact your pediatrician. After all, children also have serious diseases. Increased intracranial pressure that causes headaches is one of them. Be that as it may, parents should not panic. The compensatory possibilities of an early age are enormous, and with proper timely treatment, there are real chances to significantly improve the baby's condition. And this means his future life.
From about 5 years old, when a person's personality is actively formed, a child may have nightmares inspired by the fears that the world around him generates. Again, sometimes the reason lies on the surface: the child is overtired, sick, or watched a terrible cartoon. Here you need to understand that the perception of the world is always individual. Stories and images that some find funny can cause fear in others. Take the clowns. Many kids adore them, but some are terrified.
Often, children's nightmares are caused by numerous prohibitions. The child does not want, and sometimes even cannot, follow the rules that are imposed on him. And in a dream he often tries to escape from them. He dreams of how he runs away from a monster or wild beast, but in the end he catches up with the child or another trouble happens.
For children, nightmares caused by real experiences are a kind of lessons that help build normal relationships with the world around them, learn to cope with difficulties in real life. On the one hand, this is a warning: the problem exists. On the other hand, it is a signal that it is time to get rid of it. And if the nightmares persist (that is, the child does not find a way out of the traumatic situation on his own), parents can help. Ask your son or daughter what they saw in a dream that scared them so. And try to suggest alternatives for the plot. For example, the toddler takes cover and the frustrated monster leaves. Or the child develops unusual abilities, and he, like a superhero, defeats the monster. At night, you can tell this story with a happy ending like a fairy tale. Typically, this therapy works great with preschoolers.
In general, any age and life crises are fertile ground for nightmares. But as we grow up, we must take responsibility for our own life (and fears as well). This even applies to teenagers.
How do adults (and almost adults) deal with nightmares? The mechanism is roughly the same. First you need to find out how healthy you are, whether nightmares are evidence of painful sensations at night. And if everything is in order with health, you must try to defeat your fear. The fear of being unrecognized, abandoned, unsuccessful, poor, lonely … You can list it endlessly. Because all fears boil down to one thing: fear of life. By the way, this also applies to the fear of death, since death is nothing more than the end of life. Or a transition to another state. However, this problem, if it seriously complicates life enough, requires a separate discussion and often the help of a specialist.
WHO IS THE OWNER HERE?
But back to our "ordinary nightmares". How to get rid of them? The best way is to learn how to manage your dreams. Before falling asleep, you need to calm down, and then give yourself a clear instruction: “All that I see in a dream is a dream, and only a dream. If I dream of something terrible or unpleasant, I will open my eyes. " You can say this thought several times (aloud or mentally): it is important that there is confidence that you are able to interrupt the nightmare on your own initiative. When you learn how to cope with this task, move on to the next stage. Give yourself this attitude: “This is my dream, and I am its master. I can do whatever I want in it."
As a child, using this simple technique, I myself got rid of my nightmare. I dreamed that I was running away from a huge lion, approaching the edge of an abyss and falling. And when the necessary attitude was fixed in my mind (this is my dream, and I am its master), I learned to manage my nightmare. When I ran to the cliff, I noticed a branch that I could catch on to, and eventually got over to a safe place. And the lion, seeing that I was out of reach, lazily and sadly departed. After this episode, the nightmares ended. I felt like the master not only of my dreams, but also of my own life.
DETAILS DECIDE EVERYTHING
There are dreams (including nightmares) that are a continuation of everyday reality. There is a problem that greatly worries a person, he cannot find the right solution in any way, and he has nightmares in which he sees the most terrible options for the development of the situation. But more often the subconscious speaks to us in the language of symbols. Fire, flood, plane crash, hurricane destroying a house, and so on and so forth. All this is perceived as a harbinger of trouble. But what exactly can happen if, for example, an all-consuming flame is dreaming, it is impossible to say unequivocally. Yes, it is always a fear of a spontaneous force, of circumstances that, in the opinion of a person, cannot be changed. Because he personally doesn't know how to do it. As for the detailed interpretation of images, a lot depends on the sociocultural environment and on personal associations. When a patient who has nightmares comes to me, I put him in a mild trance state, and we relive the dream from start to finish, eventually getting a complete transcript.
If you need specifics, remember your dreams. It is better to keep a notebook and a pen next to the bed to write down what you saw in detail. As a rule, we remember the main plot of a nightmare, but we often ignore the details in a dream and forget in reality. Therefore, write them down with fresh tracks. Then, calm down, analyze your nightmare. First, the main topic, and then all the little things that I managed to remember: very often in unpleasant dreams there are hint symbols that indicate ways to solve the problem. Because there is always a way out. Sometimes it seems to us that the subconscious is playing cruel jokes with us, intimidating. But in fact, it wants only the best for us. Believe it and accept his help.
Enjoy your dreams and a happy life!
Mikhail Miller, psychologist, hypnologist
