I started getting nightmares hearing other people’s trauma, here’s what helped
You often hear about the side effects that people experience when they’ve been affected by trauma, but you rarely hear about the side effects for carers.
In my case, I started getting nightmares as a result of hearing about my cousin being sexually assaulted. As well as finding what I heard difficult to process, I also felt that the topic kept popping up in every TV show I watched and I was struggling to disconnect myself from the trauma. I’d start watching a series with my flatmates and mid-way through a storyline that included a similar situation would appear, it felt like I couldn’t escape it even when I was trying to wind down.
Although I can’t anticipate what direction a TV show will take, I did decide to set some boundaries that helped reduce how frequently I got these nightmares:
Rewatch programs I knew the end to
A quick and simple way to feel more at ease before bed was watching shows I was familiar with or had previously watched before so there were no shock surprises that I’d struggle to shake off before bed.
2. Tell people you’re having nightmares
Sharing that you’re struggling with the people you live with can be a really helpful coping mechanism. If the people around you know, they are more likely to steer away from certain content that might make you feel uncomfortable or can be there to support you if it does happen.
3. Avoid talking about it close to bed
It sounds like an obvious suggestion, but avoiding speaking to people about the topic ahead of your sleep can help to reduce how much you think about it when dreaming. If you do start drifting into a nightmare and wake up, visualizing something positive that has no connection works for me.
These are just some things that helped me through the process but keep trying whatever works for you and if you’re still struggling I’d suggest getting medical advice.
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