Hi. I have horrid horrid nightmares but this isn’t about that. This is about something COMPLETELY different so I should probably change the title.
Anyway, I recently found out (thanks to a hotline) that I live in an emotionally abusive household. Fun, right? Ok so this isn’t really about that either, but it ties in and please offer help if you can. So, because of this, I have a tendency to have like either a TON of sympathy or NONE at all (because of how I learned what love looks like) and ofc all these other things. So the other night, I was texting a friend of mine who is in a MUCH worse situation than me and he told me to go to bed, except I argued. Because I can’t sleep because of nightmares. So my friend had insomnia and was like ” I literally can’t sleep” and so I told him that I force myself to stay awake and that made him angry. Which is totally acceptable. So I apologized like 1000 times and explained about my nightmares and told him it was an excuse but he’s not talking to me right now. The only reason I even brought up sleeping in the first place is because I have too much empathy for him and I just need help. Sorry if none of this makes sense but I really need help
HELP YOURSELF:
- Thanks for reaching out to the TeenCentral Community for support. It sounds like you have done a good job already by communicating your situation to others, and that took a lot of courage on your part.
- In regards to your household environment and nightmares, it sounds like that has been tough for you. Great insight in understanding how a person’s experiences can influence them. Knowledge of this is important – we have lots of great resources in many areas to help you gain more insight. You should check out the topics under the LEARN tab.
- You’ve done well with trying to talk to your friend and help explain your mindset and perspective. That’s the best you can do is be honest and open. Unfortunately, as you experience, your friend’s situation may also influence the way they handle interactions and they may just need some time. Are there other positive people in your life you could talk to?
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE:
- Finding ways to cope with the stressors you are experiencing is pretty important. One really good option is writing. Having this as an outlet for your thoughts and feelings might even help reduce your nightmares. Have you tried using writing or journaling to organize your emotions? You could even use it to talk to your friend in letter form.
- Self-Care of both your mental and physical health is extremely important. Not sleeping due to nightmares isn’t good for your overall well-being. Have you tried any relaxation or meditation type activities before laying down at night? We recommend reading THIS BLOG about sleeping that may help.
- It can be hard to understand what healthy relationships are like when you haven’t had many. Continue trying to surround yourself with positive people who can demonstrate these qualities. In the meantime, keep practicing being understanding and empathetic. As you well know, we all have our baggage and sometimes it gets in the way of us being our best selves. Above all, keep being kind and supportive to yourself and others.
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