Posted by Jonny on March 03, 2005 at 19:02:01:
Hello everybody. This is my first visit, and first post on this message board. I am now 18 years old, and from the age of around 8/9 years of age I have suffered Night Terrors. The aim of this post is to hopefully give both parents and victims an insight into my experiences from both me and my mother (who helped me deal with them), how I dealt with them eventually, and how my mother and father attempted to help (along with some do's and don'ts for parents).
When I was at the age of 4/5 I had an accident at home which involved an electric drill going through my foot and screwing me to the bedroom floor. I believe this had a severe effect on me mentally, as when I first started having my Night Terrors I used to often arch my back in bed as if a drill was going through my mattress and into my spine. When they first started to happen I simply started to cry hunched up at the head of my bed, or run around on the landing. I can't describe what I used to hear or see because to do so would either confuse even myself, or waste time on something which isn't too important because each victim has different attacks. If i had to describe my attacks I guess i would say this:
I often used to dream of a series of ornate drills...apart from they weren't drills I guess. The only thing I could affiliate them with is co ordination. Each one was different but they were not in a context or setting/scene. I think I used to get panicky and upset when they didn't 'connect' or interlock...almost like cogs. It really used to panic me. I even dream about them sometimes to this day. I used to have many other 'themes' for night terrors but apart from that one, I can hardly remember any of them.
Becoming more severe as time passed, I used to have them all the way through the night and my mum and dad used to spend an hour each sleeping whilst the other looked after me. Eventually I used to get back into bed, and then 10 minutes later they used to start again. I frequently needed to use the toilet and often said crazy things that had no relevance to the situation at the time. As a child I could never ever recall anything the previous night that had happened, and yet as I have grown older I can remember things - almost as if my brain had shut off as a child because I couldn't deal with it.
One of the main things that seemed to bother me was when people spoke to or touched me because I often used to weave this into my dreams as being attacked. My hearing used to be incredibly sensitive, even if my parents whispered I used to cover my ears and cry as if it was really loud and hurting me. This aspect is a recognised problem often affiliated with night terrors where hearing becomes ultra sensitive.
I once had one in the day time while I was AWAKE - simply switched into attack mode I guess. Got given a glass of water and I kept asking for my brother. My eyes were always wide open, but what I was seeing was obviously not there in reality. The scariest thing for me is waking up and going downstairs happy as a bunny, n seeing my REALLY tired parents n seeing the shock on their face when I asked them why they looked so tired.
I was given medicine but it never used to stop the night terrors. It only just made me drugged up for school the next day and I never learned anything. I also went to hospital for tests to make sure I didn't have epilepsy. I had electrodes glued to my scalp once every now and again to monitor my brain activity during the night time. My school work suffered immensley, but unfortunately I dropped from being way up top of the class to being below average.
Eventually the time frame of my night terrors used to shorten until they got to a minimum of only 30 minutes and one session a night. Then some nights I never used to have them, eventually getting through it.
To this day, I sometimes dream of the drills. That is all i can describe them as. They have some element of drill that is scary, but at the same time they are almost mechanical-like. I imagine them so vividly down to the tiniest detail in my dreams I am sure of it. When I awaken it is very very vague however.
Alot of doctors and specialists suggested to my parents that they should never tell me that I had had an attack the night before. However I was so upset, jittery and tired that I couldn't understand why - they made the decision to tell me about the attacks being the reason of my fatigue and not to worry about it because they would go away eventually.
I have now learnt to 'master' or control these night terrors. I feel one coming on when my head gets light and my thoughts are somewhat disjointed, I can almost hear my pulse, and my heart beat begins to quicken. During the day time it usually begins because of several reasons. If there is no noise and I mean not even the sound of the boiler, passing car, or anything - deadly silence - almost as if you can hear the high pitched bell that Tinnitus sufferers deal with. It also used to come on when I had been looking at a screen (tv or computer monitor) for too long, and also if I am really tired. When they come on, I recognise and slowly count and breathe. I also tell myself I'm in my home and often tell myself I#m being stupid (in my head not out loud ). Walking through the house or into a different room and talking to somebody about anything often helps. Basically just try to achieve a change of environment to stimulate your brain into 'thinking' about something else than the Night Terror.
SOME DO's and DONT's
DO's
Sit at a close (not to smother the victim) distance and try to say comforting things, even if it is to help you feel as if you are doing something. Sit and speak veeeeryyy slowly and in a low voice. Loud noises and harsh changes in pitch may frighten the child.
Try to achieve eye contact in order to try to draw the victim out of the 'other world'.
Buy a child gate for stairs for safety, and also possibly a baby listening device so you can hear when the victim is in the early stages of an attack.
Possibly take any 'dangerous' items out of the bedroom for safety purposes.
Take 'turns' or 'shifts' with a partner or family member in order to maintain sleep. Your health is as vital to 'curing' your childs night terrors as is their health.
DONT's
Don't hug or touch the child if they are shocked. Chances are, the child will weave these actions into their attack and presume whatever they are scared of in their 'dream' is touching them for real.
Don't make loud noises or sudden movements. Again, for the same reasons this may only heighten the intensity of the childs night terror.
Don't take everything everybody tells you as gospel because apparently everyone experiences night terrors differently. Find out what affects your child/ the victim the most and try to avoid it as best you can. If you find something that unnerves the child slightly try to build on that as a method of calming.
Finally, DON'T PANIC. At the end of the day as long as your child is safe with you, nothing will happen to them and it is all in their head. Eventually, whether it is short or long term, they will grow out of it.
I hope this post will help some people in coping and dealing with Night Terrors. If anybody has any queries, dont hesitate to email me them at 'Jonathan.birch@talentfocus.co.uk' or leave a reply here - I will check it every so often.
Thanks,
Jonathan