I haven't written here in a while. Thanks to anyone that can offer any help or support.

I was in an abusive relationship a year ago. After I was beaten up the worse I ever was by my ex, I attempted suicide. I can happily say I do not have those feelings anymore, I am in a wonderful new relationship with someone I've known as a friend for three years before we dated, and for the most part I am moving on with my life.

However, the closer it gets to the protective order's expiration (I took my ex to court and won for a protective order), the more often I wake up in the middle of the night to a nightmare where he's trying to kill me. The dreams are extremely vivid and troublesome. I haven't heard from him since the protective order was issued, which is good, but he does live in the same town as me and knows where I live. I'm afraid that once the protective order is up he'll start showing up again because he's not legally banned from being 200 feet from my house or place of work. The dreams have increased in recent weeks from maybe one dream per week, to 2 or 3 dreams per week, and this past week it has been most nights. I have just over a month until the protective order expires. I've already bought additional locks for my house and I have a firearm for protection if he intrudes in my house. I still can't help being scared.

Does anyone have any similar experiences? I'm holding onto the fact that at least he's left me alone this long.