Freeze response after nightmares

[Stussy7]

As you all know, CPTSD causes constant nightmares.
After a night of horrific nightmares last night, I have gone into freeze mode and have totally shut down.
My husband asked if I wanted to talk about the nightmares, but I said no.

So I was wondering...is it better to openly talk about the nightmares, or is it better to just distract yourself and try and forget?
Maybe if I talk about it next time, I might not go into shut down mode?

[NarcKiddo]

I don't think there is one right answer. I also think the answer varies depending on how you are feeling at the time. I will say that my experience generally is that stuffing things down and trying to forget is not generally helpful in the long term. It can, however, be necessary in the moment.

Sorry this is not very helpful. I do think it is probably worth talking about it at some point.

[Kizzie]

Hey Stussy, so sorry to hear about the nightmares. I know how frightening they can be and why you wouldn't want to talk about them. I have to agree with NarcKiddo that you may find it helps to "defuel" them by talking about them with your H. Stuffing them may feel safer and yet ironically it can give them more power.

All that said, you know you best and if you need to push away from them for now, then that may be the most helpful thing to do until you're ready to bring them out into the light of day for some "sunshine therapy"  and the power of connection (i.e. with your H). 

 

[Armee]

I'm so sorry you are going through this phase of CPTSD. It's awful.

Putting them out of mind probably isn't the best long term because the content is coming up to be processed. If they are so bad you can't speak about then you can also try to get them out here in writing.

I understand, not being able to speak of them. Some of my nightmares have been so horrific that the only way I could speak of them with T was doing flash EMDR first before even trying to share. There's no way I could even say anything about them to anyone else.

[Teddy bear]

Hi Stussy,

It seems to me that suppressing something subconscious isn't a good idea, and dreams and nightmares come from there.

As was said, it's good to process them, and through that, to process the underlying trauma. And most probably just to work on the trauma.

This could be a traumatic response (fight or flight, or freeze), which seems quite natural.

Wishing you sweet dreams 😴