Is this related to me being raped?

I have recurring nightmares where I am literally paralyzed and unable to speak. I am half awake/half asleep when it happens. Is this a subconscious thing about being raped?

What your describing is what some people call a nigh terror. Your body is still dreaming and when you dream your mind doesn't allow your body to move. But you may also be partly awake but the brain's function of paralyzing the body is in affect cause your mostly asleep.

This happens to a lot of us and I listened to a report on it. I don't think you being raped has anything to do with this accept that those dreams your having may be related.

I had a lot of nightmares after I was raped and it takes time to not have them anymore.

the paralyzed and not being able to speak thing is part of what happens when we dream...because if we were not paralyzed and were running in our dream...you would be running in real life...and that could cause you to get hurt. It is a part of our subconscious that paralyzes us and we can't speak that allows us to dream and sleep. So that necessarily isn't related to being raped. The fact that you are having reoccuring nightmares very well could be a result of being raped.

I reckon an association is very likely, a visual replay of an actual helplessness.

John
NZ

True, and sometimes this does not work properly and we sleepwalk. Other times, it works too well and we wake up and can't move, hence sleep paralysis. Perhaps stress from being raped is causing the original poster's sleep process to be messed up? I have had both kinds of problems (sleep walking/sleep paralysis) and they occurred more often during times of extreme stress.

Prayer always helps in situations like that. I'm praying for you, IsmailaGodHasHeard!

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-- NightWatchman

Originally Posted by IsmailaGodHasHeard

I have recurring nightmares where I am literally paralyzed and unable to speak. I am half awake/half asleep when it happens. Is this a subconscious thing about being raped?

That this has caused YOU to think it might be, then it probably is. You appear to be lucid dreaming. The good part of this is that you can learn to control your dream when this occurs...and change it for good by thinking and visualizing what you want to occur instead.

Nightmares are common with PTSD... and being raped could cause PTSD (Post traumatic Stress Disorder). If this has been ongoing then see a counselor who specializes in trauma recovery. If it's PTSD there is no cure, it won't improve with time, but you can develop skills of cognitive behavior that will help you have a more normal life.

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I was molested by my father for years and often had those dreams. Eventually, they did go away. I prayed for God to take them away, I'd wake up feeling just horrible.
Ever watch dogs sleeping? Now, you know what their dreaming about 'cause their little legs are going and they are barking--not a full bark, sort of a half bark!! It is funny. They got to be chasing something!!