A
female
age
36-40,
anonymous
writes:My boyfriend suffers terrible night terrors; he has violent dreams in which he is being tortured and can usually still feel the pain when he first wakes up. He gets so distressed even though he tries to put on a brave face. He's had them since he was small but they haven't faded with time, he's now 20. It breaks my heart seeing him so frightened and hurting, it's most nights it happens. Does anyone have any information about what might cause adult night terrors and what can be done to prevent them? As I've heard they're not that common outside of childhood. I need to help him, can anyone help me? Thank you.
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female
reader, christinajreeves  +, writes (15 October 2009):
I don't know much about this guy but did something traumatic happen to him in his life? Does he take anti-depressants at all? Was he in the military or jail at all?I am 27 and have been having these horrible vivid nightmares just about every night. My boyfriend, my mom, my best friend...have all witnessed me do this. I had them some as a kid but it was not every night like this, I've been suffering for about 2 years with chronic nightmares and night terrors, waking up several times from a nightmare, freezing cold and cant get warm because I am drenched in sweat all over my clothes and sheets.I fall back to sleep and keep waking up 2 a continuation of the dream or another bad dream. I yell and fight invisible things or whoever is close by usually trying to wake me up. I often wake up confused and distressed and remain overwhelmingingly tired throughout the day.I am afraid to fall asleep because of my nightmares and because I can't make myself get up even with the alarm. Sleep just overtakes me and I cant wake up fully even though I try. Sometimes my eyelids just won't open and I hear and envision things going on that I would swear felt real but realize when I fully get up that I imagined it.It's terrifying, and I dont think the dr's take me seriously how bad it is. I dont think dr's really understand it or know how to deal with it because it's rare in adults. I think it has to do with trauma and post traumatic stress disorder from my own personal research in the subject. If he has any of the above symptoms I'd like to know more to see if it matches what I have maybe we could find out similar cicumstances to see what could possibly be the cause. I don't know what to do to prevent it but it seems to be triggered by stress for me though even during "peacetime" I can have episodes. It's unpredictable. It would be great to find a solution. Answer back...
A
female
reader, Spindocker +, writes (24 August 2009):
First, if your boyfriend is on Ambien (sleep meds)or Remeron (anti depresants). If he gets off those, they will disappear.My 27 year old son has the same thing. He has always been a sleep walker though. He wakes up in a horrible mood every morning and has aquired some anger issues in the past two or three years.He had a normal childhood, but had problems adjusting to his parents divorce when he was 20. He developed drug and alchohol problems which he now has in check with working a recovery program. What ever happened between age 20 and age 27 to cause night terrors? Only he knows the answer to that. Good luck, counseling helps one in 5. I suggest he give that a try, but it can take time to find the right counselor usually. Most places will work on a sliding scale to help people help themselves. There is help out there, you just have to be open to it.
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reader, anonymous, writes (4 September 2007): There is a website called Moodgym which I am addicted to and which was prescribed to me by my GP. It is used by people with post traumatic stress disorder as well as anxiety and depression. I would like to persuade my partner to use it because he has PTSD from being in the police but he thinks he should be able to pull himself together. We shall see and I will keep going on about it. Have a go yourself, it is fascinating.
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A
male
reader, duce00 +, writes (1 September 2007):
 Once again Escalaya is on point and has some good info to back it up with.
Ive seen a few things that many people dont see. Death and natural disaster type things. It really messed up my sleep and I was definately suffering from post traumatic stress. It was not exactly like your boyfriends situation because I knew exactly why it was happening. What I think is common is the fact that my mind just kept running the same images past me again and again with out my control. Oh my God I wanted to stop seeing that stuff but I couldnt shut it out. I got some counseling and they did hypnotherapy. It didnt help overnight but I started to get better real fast. I almost never think of it now but its nearly 20 years too.
Hes a very lucky guy to have your support and love. I hope that you get some useful advice and that he gets through this.
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A
male
reader, Escalaya +, writes (1 September 2007):
 Usually night terrors are caused by deep trauma in the person's life. Basically it's a person's mind haunting them with demons, or issues/problems from their past. Night Terrors are basically Nightmares of a higher level. There's no way to "prevent" them, but the only way to really stop them is to come to terms with what's causing them.
One thing it could be is something someone did to him emotionally, or he did to someone else. Or it could of been something that was done to him, or that he witnessed. As far as I know the only possibility of fixing this problem is therapy, to get help with coming to terms with the issue, or over coming the issue on your own means.
Basically ask these easy questions
-When did the night terrors first start? Be as detailed as possible with the answer. A, "When I was a kid" doesn't suffice. You'll have to push for more detail, like how old he was, exactly.
-Around that time, within 3 year's time before that can he remember anything significant happening? Maybe issues in the family? Abuse? Something he witnessed? Something that scarred him on an emotional, and mental level.
-What about that hurt him the most.
-Does the night terrors cause him to remember things?
-What is it he remembers?
Once all these questions have been answered, you press on him coming to terms with the cause, and overcoming it.
That's the best you'll get from this 16 year old.
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