I still have nightmares, a year later.

[Whitedove]

Same here. I've been out for what now? 11-12 years and I still get nightmares.

I guess it is our subconscious helping us understanding our feelings about what happened to us.

I would not call them nightmares but more like bad dreams, the fact that I am trapped. I want to cme back home but I cant because I dont have money or not enough time. There is all kind of scenarios in my dream but they all have thi similarity. Being trapped and not being able to get away for different reasons.

If you read Steven Hassan book 'combatting cult mind control' often people developed anxiety and/or depression after they leave a cult. I have GAD which is generalized anxiety disorder and mild depression and am very sensitive to stress now. But it took me 10 years to accept it and to accept my limits now. I will never be like I was but I am ok with who I am now. And what my limits are.

Anyway, I think many of us here do get nightmares. It is a common trait between ex $scientologists. So you are not alone.

[rich]

Don't take the seratonin re-uptake inhibitors for nightmares. They are unnatural and a drug. God will work it out for you, given time.

[The Anabaptist Jacques]

My nightmare about staff is that I'm the leader of the Church.

Think of that!

Here is my remedy for the nightmare that is Scientology and still haunts us all:



The Anabaptist Jacques

[Whitedove]

Hi... you're not alone in this, there are quite a few stories and threads that deal with the after effects of such a high stress environment. Perhaps do a search on "nightmares" here and see what comes up.

Your life is not over, it is just beginning anew, and now you can actually choose what to do, what to think about, to relax, to eat well, to laugh and to live.

Don't be scared to get professional help as well, this is Post Traumatic stress stuff and even if a counsellor doesn't know all the ins and outs, a supporting ear can help a lot.
You are not alone.

You are right FTS, PTS is also very common. I had counselling and I mentioned my involvment with $cientology but somehow it was never approached as if not that important. And, it is one huge reason I am the way I am now.

I tried to find a counselor where I live for people like me but unfortunately I have not find any.

There is sooooooooooooooooooooooo much I could tell a counselor. Although, thank god for a place like this (it helps) but we need special counseling to really help us heal faster. I believe

[Whitedove]

Don't take the seratonin re-uptake inhibitors for nightmares. They are unnatural and a drug. God will work it out for you, given time.

I am not advocating anti-depressants but dont put all the apples in the same basket.
Some people dont have a choice. Most people dont need them but some of us do.
My reaction to the stress I went through was so high that it affected me mentally and physically and without an AD I would of not been able to function.

But as I said, this is really a case to case situation.

BTW, I am no zombie or weired or different. It just calm my nervous system that went out of control with all the stress I went through. I was already more fragile even before scientology. scientology just made it worst and finally all hell broke lose.
but I dont recommend it unless a person have no other choice.

[Smilla]

Don't take the seratonin re-uptake inhibitors for nightmares. They are unnatural and a drug. God will work it out for you, given time.

Some people need them, and there's absolutely no shame in that.

The key phrase here is Quality of Life. If a person is so unhappy or anxious that their quality of life is rock-bottom, medication is an option that can, and probably should be considered, alongside anything else that might help.

There are no hard and fast rules here - everybody is different, and what works for one, might not work for another.

It's a good idea to examine every option.

[The Anabaptist Jacques]

When I think back to the errors and crimes I don't get upset amymore.

The way I got over it was to put things in perspective.

In 1941-1942 the city in the video was under attack. To make things worse, the country's own leader was one of the most repressive tyrants in history.

But the grandparents of these kids in this video fought to protect their homeland.

They suffered over one million casualties just defending this city.

And they did it not for the leader, but for their children and future generations.

Here is that future generation; I think it was worth it.



Put on the Ritz and go and enjoy life.

The nightmares will fade.

The Anabaptist Jacques

[Smilla]

I am not advocating anti-depressants but dont put all the apples in the same basket.
Some people dont have a choice. Most people dont need them but some of us do.
My reaction to the stress I went through was so high that it affected me mentally and physically and without an AD I would of not been able to function.

But as I said, this is really a case to case situation.

BTW, I am no zombie or weired or different. It just calm my nervous system that went out of control with all the stress I went through. I was already more fragile even before scientology. scientology just made it worst and finally all hell broke lose.
but I dont recommend it unless a person have no other choice.

Whitedove: I greatly admire your honesty and courage in speaking about your struggle, and I wish you all the good that life can give.

[Whitedove]

Whitedove: I greatly admire your honesty and courage in speaking about your struggle, and I wish you all the good that life can give.

Thank you Smilla

The reason I am talking about it is because there might be someone out there that might need a similar kind of help but wont do it because of the hate of psychiiatry in scientology.

I want to show them it is OK to seek that kind of help if that is what they need.

As I said, unless absolutely necessary, I dont recommend ADs. I recommend therapy yes. But if your mind and body are out of control than chances are ADs are the solution.

Thank you for your kind words Smilla.

[NoName]

BTW, for the benefit of the OP and any lurkers - I went to a counsellor (psychologist who can't legally prescribe). The papers I got from the office explained a referral process for medications, if they were needed. I told her I wanted counselling, but did not want to take medications of any kind. She was extremely respectful of that, and the topic of medications never came up again. We did mostly talk therapy & cognitive behavrioral problem solving type things.

I only bring this up to point out that no one will force you into anything against your will. A decent therapist will respect your wishes if you don't want drugs.