Have you ever wondered why you tend to have nightmares related to traumatic events in your life? The stronger the emotional response is to an event, the deeper the memory is embedded in your hippocampus. While you are sleeping, your brain reviews information and sorts and organizes the data. When we experience trauma, we often “stuff” the experience. We try not to think about it,…
After losing both my husband and my mother-in-law to suicide, I felt both guilt and shame. I wondered how could I have missed this? If only I’d said this or done that…the list goes on and on. I also felt shame. I thought others blamed me. “She must have been a horrible wife or he would never have done that.” Then there was the shame…
In light of the recent tragedies in my hometown, I wrote this article for the local newspaper. I am not sure if it was ever published, so I thought I’d share it on my website. Individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide are at an increased risk of suicide themselves. One study reports that people bereaved by suicide (Survivors of Suicide, aka SOS) within…
People who have endured traumatic experiences often complain of recurrent nightmares. The good news is that this is normal and it is the brain’s way of trying to make sense of what happened. The bad news is it can invoke painful emotions such as fear, anger, and depression and can lead to insomnia. Nightmares often unmask subconscious thoughts surrounding the traumatic event. It can be…