My nightmare...for it is my greatest fear.

[Sazerac]

I certainly do not think that you are crazy, Epona. What you are describing is more common than you think.

It's caused by an abnormal stimulation of the ARAS (Ascending Reticulated Activating System), a portion of the frontal lobe area of the brain that alerts us when danger is near. It's also the portion of the brain that governs what we alert to and what we ignore, like a mother being able to sleep through a thunderstorm, yet be wide awake and functioning at the slightest sound coming from her child.

In an overstimulated ARAS, all the senses are wide awake and processing all sounds and motion and alerting the body to "danger, danger, DANGER!" There is no discriminating faculty; the buzzing of a fly can be interpreted as a maniacal chain-saw murderer on a rampage, or a draft can be interpreted as a wild storm. It only happens in near-sleep, when the "conscious" part of the brain has gone to rest and the radical sensing "primeval" brain (the portion of the brainstem that contains the Medulla Oblongata, Pons, Midbrain, and terminating in the ARAS at the top of the stalk) is activated and at full sway.

It is now hypothesized (and tests seem to be proving it as well) that overstimulation in the Midbrain and ARAS regions are where Nightmares are generated...it's just not quite as much stimulation as what occurs in Night Terrors or "panic attacks". An overactive ARAS also leads to somnambulance (sleepwalking) which is often common in young children and teens, but generally people grow out of it. Lesions in this area of the brain may lead to Narcolepsy, or "sleeping sickness".

Medication is able to calm the overactive brain stem to some extent, but it is by no means 100% effective.

It sounds as if your bf has the right idea. And, yes, you should NEVER hold anyone with night terrors, just as you should NEVER startle or abruptly awaken a sleepwalker. Calmness and gentleness are the way to go.

I wish you well, Epona. Bless you for sharing this with us.



[This message has been edited by Sazerac (edited 06-13-2001).]

[Epona]

Thanks Sazerac! Glad to know that someone had heard of this - even 1% of the population is a lot of people!

Fortunately it doesn't bother me a lot. When I have an attack, it is horrible at the time, but there is no lasting worry or anxiety, because I know that it is just overstimulation of part of the brain - I view it as interesting rather than damaging. That's one reason why I have no problem discussing it, I find the subject quite fascinating. I was scared of it when I was younger especially when it hit a peak in my teenage years, but since finding out what caused it (as far as the latest research shows) I am no longer afraid at all. It is usually stress or being over-tired that triggers an attack, like with many epilepsy sufferers.

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Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

Epona of The Laughing Hyenas

Originally posted by Moni: Ziroc, That is cool! A method I will have to try out sometime! As far as sensing people's emotions...is that in your dreams or in RL 'cause I do it in RL all the time...even across the internet sometimes...there are certain people that used to like to Instant Message me a while back...a couple of them were really weird and the vibes I would pick up were so intensly crazy that I eventually could not handle IM'ing with them anymore! Moni

In Real life.. If I feel hostile emotions, I can 'taste' them too.. adrenaline I guess.. but sometimes I can complete sentances before others can.. like I know what they are thinking before they say it. I do that to Donna all the time, freaks her out.

Now that I think of it, I did it a LOT in school, to my teachers , they always said I was interrupting.. weird..

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Ziroc
Ironworks Webmaster
www.tgeweb.com/ironworks

[This message has been edited by Ziroc (edited 06-14-2001).]

Anyone have a certain dream they get when they are sick?

For me, I have a weird dream where I am walking in place, on this weird road--the road is a convayor belt, and keeps me walking in place. the material the road is made of, there isn't a word for it, and in the distance, there is a sunset with a coal plant.. I (ALWAYS) have this dream when I am sick.

Also, while awake, and laying on bed, ever feel like the bed is 100feet off the ground? and that makes you feel even MORE ill? had that a few times while sick.

AND THIS: MY FIRST DREAM. I remember I was in my crib/bed in my room, and I think I had an ear infection.. well, I was maybe 2 or something.. crib aged.. , anyway, every time I laid on that ear when asleep, I'll hear this sound IN my hear like "Shhhraaawwwww" over and over.. then looking into my ear as if it was a cave, was this while head with a "V" shaped head.. top was jagged.. and eyes. HE was making the noise! That was the first dream!!

Looking back, that noise was either my breathing, or my ears "heartbeat"--bloodflow.. kinda like when you slam your thumb, and feel a heartbeat in it..



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Ziroc
Ironworks Webmaster
www.tgeweb.com/ironworks

[Bahamut]

my dreams are usually about things i want so bad and never get to have them.. ro even touch them...


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You know what happened. We are ONE, WE ARE, ahh.. er... I AM 'S favorite pet pea-cock...teehee and... Stay ahead of the Avalanche or risk being buried...

Originally posted by Ziroc: Anyone have a certain dream they get when they are sick? For me, I have a weird dream where I am walking in place, on this weird road--the road is a convayor belt, and keeps me walking in place. the material the road is made of, there isn't a word for it, and in the distance, there is a sunset with a coal plant.. I (ALWAYS) have this dream when I am sick. Also, while awake, and laying on bed, ever feel like the bed is 100feet off the ground? and that makes you feel even MORE ill? had that a few times while sick. AND THIS: MY FIRST DREAM. I remember I was in my crib/bed in my room, and I think I had an ear infection.. well, I was maybe 2 or something.. crib aged.. , anyway, every time I laid on that ear when asleep, I'll hear this sound IN my hear like "Shhhraaawwwww" over and over.. then looking into my ear as if it was a cave, was this while head with a "V" shaped head.. top was jagged.. and eyes. HE was making the noise! That was the first dream!! Looking back, that noise was either my breathing, or my ears "heartbeat"--bloodflow.. kinda like when you slam your thumb, and feel a heartbeat in it..

That first dream you had is really kind of cool!

I don't ever have recurring dreams of the same surroundings, etc. At least not that I remember anyway.

The only one I do remember is the recurring nightmare I had for the first seven years of my life...I had it seems like every night and the worst part about it was that it kept up with the present as years went by. I am glad that it stopped! I'd wake up crying every time and it went back so far that I could remember waking up in a crib when I dreamt it.

With chills going up my spine lol, I sign off here to get to work out in the yard today.


Moni


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[jabidas]

I have the strangest dreams, I dont feel fear but hears a little sequence from last night.
Working in a tree cutting factory in siberia with my coach we finish up walk out the door and we emerge from a bush in london 1910 I turn left and im running down a corridor and the colours on the wall keep changing and I can hear someone in the background screaming for the white rabbit whatever thats about.
It just goes on like that and im damned if i understand my dreams unless if its about the animals voices that keep changing.
Thats probably just me though. I wont post the disturbing ones here but no fear in them either.