Unveiling the Darkness Within Nightmares and Night Terrors in Trauma Survivors

Turning the lights off at night is a seemingly simple daily act for many. It signals the eventual soothing descent into darkness and slumber. However, for survivors of trauma and abuse, the night can become a battleground—one where the mind, a powerful repository of anguish, resurrects horrors in the form of nightmares and night terrors.

Such nocturnal episodes, shrouded in mystery, are often dismissed as mere byproducts of a tired mind or an overactive imagination. Yet, these phenomena harbor secrets that demand our attention, especially within the context of trauma. Nightmares and night terrors are not only harbingers of hidden trauma, they are messengers beckoning us to confront the shadows of the past. Let’s unravel the enigma of these disturbing nocturnal experiences and propose a deeper, more compassionate understanding of their role in the healing process of trauma survivors.

The Doorway

“You come back here young lady!” rang the angry voice behind her as she ran out of the dusty old house. “Jessica Lynn!” screamed the shrill voice as she ran down the broken sidewalk to the sanctuary of the small jungle behind the ‘Dead End’ sign at the end of the street. Once inside she would be safe, alone. Her little feet made a pitter-patter sound as they ran, avoiding any cracks in the broken sidewalk. She might not like her mother, but to break her back would be the ultimate sin.