*GRAPHIC* Picture of Night Terror (After)

[bubblebecky]

people who have never suffered a night terror may look at that picture and not believe it could happen - but anyone whos been in the full grip of a night terror at the time jumping out of the window seems like the right thing to do.

im less of a walker now that im older and heavly seadated every night but i used to go downstairs and take big knifes and sissors back to bed with me. that was some of my milder nights

[Tara08]

I was able to find the video and am familar with the screaming. For years I warned my friends if I slept over that I would scream at night. It takes several minutes to wake up but I can see and hear but am unable to break through until I am ready/ the fear is overwhelming and the screaming usually ends up with me crying due to the overwhelming fear of inpending death of others. Often I am angry with whoever is trying to talk me out of the fear. It is hard to discribe the terror and unreal state being there but not there. I have taken Klonopin nightly for 10 years after a sleep study and find that the dreams have lessened and I no longer get up and run. It still is there and happens unexpected and still frightening. I think I know what dementia must feel like.

[bubblebecky]

i have suffered night terror since being a child, some nights are really bad nightmares but where im postive im fully awake and i will try and protect myself from whatever threat it is that night,

my most common are end of the world such as bombs or other natural disasters - i dreamt once the house was going to fall apart and the cat jumped on the bed at that very same moment!!! nuclear war is the worst and i always jump out of bed and go to the window and there are a lot of orange street lights on my street which makes it more real. after ive finally come round a bit i get up and watch the news til ive stopped violently shaking and am certain nuclear war hasnt happened.

someone breaking in my house is the next most common - i always wake my husband and make him get up and check. but now he just ignores me and then i get mad because im postive someones downstairs.

people, dark figures in my bedroom either just stood there or they talk to me but when ive woke i cant remember what they said. i talk to them though.

my husband sleeps on the sofa because he scared im going to stab him as i often dream hes plotting to kill me and once i dreamt he set my hair on fire - it just seems so real.

i once woke my son who was 6 at the time at 3am told him to get dressed because there was a rat on his wardrobe, he got out of bed got dressed terrified - which seemed to snap my out of it and then i had to tell him i was dreaming and there wasnt any rat.

[mingram]

I am the wife of an NT sufferer and I have seen the bloody end of it.  Husband and I have been together for 12 years, sleeping in the same bed; and I still get asked once a week or so who I am??!!!  Our 11 son has seen the NT side of daddy.  When we first got married hubby grabbed my arm and had a death grip on it.  And this is all because I rolled over in my sleep and put my arm aroung him.  I had to kick him in the shin to get him to wake up.  And the whole time I'm kicking I'm thinking "Am I making this worse?  Does he think someone is attacking him?"  I read NT need to comforted, that doesn't seem to work with hubby, some times it makes him worse.  Any advice on what else I can do?

[Sleepy]

Hi Mingram,
I would strongly recommend not kicking hubby, or having any physical contact until he wakes up. This could make his episode worse.
Use your nicest voice like 'wake up [his name], your having a bad dream'. If this doesn't wok, try turning the lights on while still keeping your distance and making reassuring noises.
There is an excellent post for partners of sufferers here: http://www.nightterrors.org/SMF/index.php?topic=372.0
Hope this helps,
Sleepy.

[mingram]

This is the only time I have had to use force.  And for the calming voice, that just seems to make it worse.  It usually makes him even more upset.  I usually just say his name over and over again, in a sort of somewhat calming/monotone.  I have learned to let the terror "ride".  He usually ends up standing in front of the bed room door looking at the wall blankly.  Luckly with certain sleep aids have helped with the amount and severity.  His usually only last for about a minute.  Our son has learned to never touch daddy while he's sleeping; always turn on the light.

[Sleepy]

Sounds like you have the right general approach. People vary a lot in the reactions, so the important thing is to keep trying different things and see what works in your situation.

[MooseFarnham]

In 1999, in Dayton OH... I did the exact same thing.   A new girlfriend was spending the night for the first time... and went through the upstairs window.   Then, proceeded to run all over the house with blood all over the lightly covered carpet.   At the ER getting stitches in every finger, hand and all up and down my right arm that still have wonderful scars on today... this memory was all too familiar.    When I had the window replaced, I put in plexiglass.     MOOSE

[tiglancey]

Hoy, this is truly backing up my worry with my 10 y/o.  My hubby thinks I'm over reacting but he hasn't done one ounce of research.  2 nights ago, my daughter (NT sufferer since 2) woke up screaming, "let me go..I have to get out..".  I ran to her room and found her banging her fists and trying to open the window.  It's 3 floors up (in another thread I said 2 but it's actually 3 levels up).  I got so scared I'm now looking for those "Guardian Angel" window guards.  It goes for about $80 USD.  I really think we have to get it.  I may just over turn my hubby's decision and get it out right.  I can't stand the idea of her falling to her death or even having any injury.  We have a gate in the hallway so she doesn't wonder downstairs as she often does when it's not up. 
Sheesh, this is sobering.
T

[Sleepy]

Hi Tiglancy,
While it is important not to over-react, the possibilities you talk about *should* be taken very seriously. I have woken up on the 8th storey of a hotel bedroom, standing on a table, banging on the outside window and there was no balcony or rail or anything.
I think being prepared for the worst (even if it does not happen) is probably a good idea, given your daughter has already been banging on the windows.
Sleepy.

[sleepingbeauty]

  I am freaking out right now becuse i can sooo relate! i recently found myself sitting on the outside of my window seal. I snapped out of it before I jumped when my boyfriend came in the room. When i saw him i was so ashamed. I was half dressed in bed clothes. I tore my curtains down and ripped my mini blinds to shreds because i was clawing and pounding on the window before I actuaully figured out how to get it open. I luckily live in a one story home. My fear is that I will hurt myself  or my children while I'm asleep. I go to my first therapy session tommorow because I have to get to the bottom of this!

[anemi]

It is such a relief to know that although you experience these terrifying episodes alone, that you know you aren't the only person experiencing these things! I go through these terrors regularly...most last only a few seconds but feel like a lifetime and the sweating and heart beat racing carries on for a while.  I too have tried to escape from a 1st storey window, but thankfully in my dream state the opener to the window was in a different place to where it actually is.  I was desperately trying to find the latch. Numberous times I have ran out of the door and ended up on the landing area or the bathroom, to escape something I know not what!  Most of the time I have a recollection of why immediately, but the day after I have forgotten.  Of the things I do remember......one was a toxic substance filling my bedroom floor, one was beams of light progressing towards me (of which I rolled under them on the floor to find myself waking on the other side of the room), and of the walls closing in.  When you talk about these things to people who do not understand them, they do seem quite amusing, but they certainly aren't amusing to me when I am experiencing them!!

People have suggested putting a gate up on top of the stairs...but I know if I need to escape I would do anything.....and jumping over that gate would certainly cause more injury than me running down the stairs.
All dark objects have had to be removed from my bedroom.....especially pictures on the wall.  And I have had to move my bed around the room, as for some reason, being able to see the bedroom door would trigger it off.  My friends rarely sleep over nowadays....as I would regularly shout and scream, or go into their room to "rescue" them!  And its difficult to keep a relationship, as I seem to scare the living daylights out of anyone, with my sitting up in bed staring at walls or pointing to things in my sleep!  (One of my regular terrors is something to do with pointing to objects in a certain order orelse something terrible will happen). 

I have been to my doctor about this, but she dismissed it as just being nightmares and sleepwalking.  The advice wasnt too helpful.  I think for me it is worse when I am feeling a little stressed with day to day life.  Thankfully I have never injured myself and have woken up before I have done any damage to myself or to any objects.  I am forty, and have had these for the last ten years.  Lets hope they eventual phase off in our lives!    Please keep posting, as it makes me feel almost normal to hear of others experiences!!

[Lani]

All upstairs bedrooms in our home have those window guards.. first as toddler protectors but upon discovering the nts when our oldest was about 4yo I am sooo glad they are there.  He didn't start sleepwalking too until around age 7 but they have only gotten worse.  At age 10 we jump at the first sound of his whimpering (first sound we usually hear of his nts).  The gated stairs help too for a bit of peace of mind.  Luckily the stairs are directly outside of my bedroom... sobering picture but good reminder. 

Lani
mom to 6

[deathcheater88]

I hate having Night Terrors. I always end up running to get out of my room. I thought at first I was going nuts about the whole thing. But I recall what happened to me, And I was fully awake. When my second attack I just knew I was fully awake. And saw something that creep me out. Scary stuff, And I'm glad its not happening anymore.

[blessed5150]

This is a picture that was sent in by a 41 year old male who jumped out of a single pane window during a night terror. Notice the window had a curtain, metal blinds, and a layer of styrofoam (for insulation) on the inside. The outside also had a storm window. The person this happened to ended up on the porch covered in blood, in pain, with a very rapid heart rate, pale and startled.