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[smigenboger]

Relating to this, Does anyone know of a good way to get rid of nightmares relating to a real life experience from a few years ago? Cause that would be most helpful.

I'd come to terms with it. If you know it won't happen again, or if you have a plan the next time it happens, you can turn the dream meta and make it go your way.

If it's possible to not dwell on it, it will also go away. Whatever it was, it'll pass in time.

[Mechanoid]

I've been wondering if you guys have any experience some truly terrible nightmares.

Difficult because different people consider different things to be nightmare quality. Generally i've had:
. Movement (speed variable) away from non-descript objects which chase (hostile and neutral emotion) and/or teleport within my field of view as i look around.
. Physical combat involving weapons or my body itself against creatures both human shaped and not... as i suffer muscle weakness/paralysis at crucial moments in the fight.
. Flat out LSD style "What the fuck is this shi- BOOOOOOM AHAHAHAhahahahaha" pointless randomness that's actually forgotten while i am dreaming. Oddly, i remember i've forgotten this.
. Dejavu, and then GRIMDARK happens on that dejavu. Reaching the point in waking hours when said grimdark dejavu hits again... Nothing happens.
. A 'death' sequence where my eyes slowly closed and everything faded/reduced to senseless nothing. ("DID YOU WAKE UP FROM THAT ONE?" ... Duh. )

Most times with sound, color, and emotion.
Out of all of these, i've never really woken up with a sense of dread or fear; The closest i get to that is with the grimdark dejavu because it feels real and isn't as discreditable as the other things are. Even then it's more anticipation and anxiety of "Will it come true this time?" So, what i do feel is more along the lines of seriousness, general disturbance, and intensity, all depending on the dream involved. I suppose as long as you remember that the dream is just a dream after the fact, it does diminish the effect it has over you; which is why dejavu is so serious, it follows you into real life.
To reitterate, different people consider different things to be nightmare quality.

[V-Norrec]

All of my dreams feel real.  Makes the sex dreams better, but all of my nightmares fill me with a sense of dread and fear because my nightmares usually follow the Lovecraftian model, unfortunately.

[Astral]

Figure out lucid dreaming. Once you can control them, you can more easily move yourself into more pleasant dream spaces, even if threatened with some sort of nightmare situation. Mostly, it's just coming to terms with the fact that they are just dreams, they can't hurt you, and you will end up being able to switch gears like changing a channel on the TV.

[The Merchant Of Menace]

I don't think being in a more lucid state would make it any better. IMO

[Vector]

I don't think being in a more lucid state would make it any better. IMO

The idea is that you tell your dreams "no, that isn't how it goes.  This is what actually happens" and then the dreams comply.

[The Merchant Of Menace]

Hmm. That sounds like hard work. I'll take waking up screaming for a while longer I think.

[Vector]

Hmm. That sounds like hard work. I'll take waking up screaming for a while longer I think.

... It's your nightmares, hon, but I'd take the hard work over the PTSD any day.

[The Merchant Of Menace]

I dunno. How does one achieve lucid dreaming?

[Vector]

I dunno. How does one achieve lucid dreaming?

Hmm... you should probably look that up/ask other forumites (there's an entire thread on it here).  Sadly, I know next to nothing about it (though I do know someone who went from no lucid dreams to only lucid dreams due to horrific nightmares, so it is possible).

[The Merchant Of Menace]

Thanks. I shall begin the searching at once.

[smigenboger]

At some point a lucid dream just turns into using your imagination when you're awake. I'd like to find out how to continue a dream's plot without ruining it by realizing it. Does that make any sense?

[Javarock]

Oooh, I love haveing nightmare, But I get these batshit crazy Dreams where I miss the bus, Have to walk home through crazy things such as a town square where a state fair is going on, Get home to a horrible looknig house where I sleep on the porch near a glowing moss. Then go to school the nextday waiting at a bus stop near a crazy lady who shouts crap like "DAMN KIDS, BURN IN HELL!" Then get on the bus to have it break down half way to school where the bus driver gets out and a strange glowing rune appears under him and he disappers into the ground, Then a demon of some sort rises from where he was, Enter the bus talks to me, Drags me off to the school drops me off. Walks into the school goes into my homeroom sits down. Then I miss the bus again beacuse suddenly I get palarsis in my leg and have to do some other crazy things to get home...

Oh my I just realized, I don't have nightmare I get crazy dreams D:

[Raidmaster]

I used to get nightmares a lot of the time, ever since I stop thinking about the things that scare me they stopped, also, not kidding here but try masterbate before you sleep, it makes me forget and become calm. Hope I helped.

[G-Flex]

Hmm. That sounds like hard work. I'll take waking up screaming for a while longer I think.

... It's your nightmares, hon, but I'd take the hard work over the PTSD any day.

I somehow don't think lucid dreaming will prevent PTSD when there's an actual issue underlying it that needs to be dealt with.