I hate that! I had a terrifying nightmare and was trying to scream and trying to wake; turned out I was really screaming but lying on my "good" ear so couldn't hear myself (but my poor husband could, loud and clear :-) and by the time I woke my husband ultimately had to get up (7:30 on a Saturday morning :-) but I was able to keep myself awake enough to get rid of the dream and then go back to sleep. I got up a couple hours later and apologized to him profusely and he replied, "I'm just sorry you had to have a dream like that!" Sweet boy

I guess if I had that happen all the time, I'd try to think of some way to confront and deal with the nightmare instead of trying to get away/being horrified. It's kind of how one has trouble running in nightmares too (I do at least); maybe the message is to deal with the material instead of running away. I know when I get a disturbing dream, if I don't "get it" the dreams sometimes repeat and/or get worse.