Nightmares and Self Doubt
I feel that even this far into the program, I start to begin to feel really good, because it definetly has helped me, then all it takes is something like a bad night of nightmares to really rattle me off course. My biggest fear is of losing my mind or becoming schizophrenic, or discovering any other mental illness. I feel like I'm almost there and get so close to actually feeling good sometimes, but I bring myself back down with these obsessive thoughts that I'm just "masking" my problems and "think" I'm recovering, and that I'm becoming dellusional and I really have mental illness. Or if I start to become happy for an instant, I start to think that it's some sort of lie. I rain on my own parade constantly, but it's like my ego and negative thinking love to knock me down with these fears that I'm just losing my mind. Can anyone relate? So when I have a bad night of vivid nightmares my mind tries to almost use it as evidence against me that I'm going crazy. It's this horrible cycle of getting better and getting knocked down, I'm just so tired of it and need some advice.
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Guest
I'm on Week 6 and I hate having a "setback" but deep down I know that it's normal and part of the process. Reading your post reminded me of an email I just got the other day titled "Why Bad Dreams Are Good For You." Here's what it said:
Bad dreams bugging you? Don't stress; they're normal. Studies show that most of our dreams aren't happy. Recent research suggests that the primary function of REM sleep (when most dreams occur) is to regulate emotions and help process fearful memories to keep your mind from overloading on stress. Bottom line: It's your brain's way of confronting your fears so you don't have to deal with them during the day.
Bad dreams bugging you? Don't stress; they're normal. Studies show that most of our dreams aren't happy. Recent research suggests that the primary function of REM sleep (when most dreams occur) is to regulate emotions and help process fearful memories to keep your mind from overloading on stress. Bottom line: It's your brain's way of confronting your fears so you don't have to deal with them during the day.
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Guest
Thanks so much, that does help me feel a bit better. I've always been so analytical of my dreams and would always look something up in a dream dictionary as if it were to predict something, and that stuff scares me. So I wake up in the morning thinking "Something bad is going to happen," and the cycle starts there. I need to just let it go and not anticipate things like that. Thanks again! 
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Guest
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Guest
You are afraid of going insane, or becoming schizophrenic. So the next time you have these thoughts or feelings. Let go of yourself and "go insane". Don't fight it away. Challenge the thoughts and feelings to bring all the catastrophic events that you obsess about.
It always comes back after you start feeling better because you allow it too. You believe the thoughts (which are usually proceeded by a strong emotional reaction (panic/anxiety)). So you begin to panic and once the panic starts, you try to stop it, run away from it, it's too frightening for you to handle. If only the this evil thing could be exorcised. Now, self-pity starts. "What is happening to me?" Then comes despair, depression. "I can't go on like this anymore." "I'm so tired of it."
Panic/fear doesn't just go away one day. Until you face your fear (no running away, no trying to stop it), practice acceptance (I'm doing this to myself. there's nothing outside of me, doing this to me.), float (the first thought that comes you should float through, stop adding "OMG!" or "What if.." to it.), Let time pass!! (Panic doesn't go away in one day. It takes time to desensitize. Just like it takes time for a broken leg to heal.)
You can speed up this process by putting the steps above into practice.
As long as you're afraid of yourself, keep adding second fear, you will not get better.
It always comes back after you start feeling better because you allow it too. You believe the thoughts (which are usually proceeded by a strong emotional reaction (panic/anxiety)). So you begin to panic and once the panic starts, you try to stop it, run away from it, it's too frightening for you to handle. If only the this evil thing could be exorcised. Now, self-pity starts. "What is happening to me?" Then comes despair, depression. "I can't go on like this anymore." "I'm so tired of it."
Panic/fear doesn't just go away one day. Until you face your fear (no running away, no trying to stop it), practice acceptance (I'm doing this to myself. there's nothing outside of me, doing this to me.), float (the first thought that comes you should float through, stop adding "OMG!" or "What if.." to it.), Let time pass!! (Panic doesn't go away in one day. It takes time to desensitize. Just like it takes time for a broken leg to heal.)
You can speed up this process by putting the steps above into practice.
As long as you're afraid of yourself, keep adding second fear, you will not get better.
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Guest