Night terrors, 2 dif. views

A month ago I went to a Therapist I won't come back, I'll explain it on another post; but one of the things that kept going around in my head was what he said me when I told him I have had night terrors since I was 10.
Everytime something extremly stressful happened, they come back, I was so afraid to fall asleep (becuase everybody, my mom, then my husband, would wake me up like somebody was attacking me) that I've tried to wake up before they actually occur, and I ended up, waking up really agitated and with a man's (that I have no idea who he is) face really close to my own face as my last image.
The therapist asked if I was sexually abused. I suffer abused, but I know for a fact, it was never sexual; and to be honest, I thought he was looking for another excuse to have me going every week and pay his fee.
On the other hand when I said exactly the same thing to my PDoc, she (and I love how confortable she seemed) said that it was because night terrors are linked to maniac episodes.
I'd like to know what else you guys know about this.
Thanks!

Oh I forgot to say that (doing some reasearch) during the night terror , I find out that it can be a man, a big animal or anythign that we fear can attack us.

I have night terrors from being sexually abused and I have worked with survivors of sexual abuse and a majority of those that have been raped or sexually abused in one way or another that I have known and worked with have had night terrors so I can see why your therapist asked you that question. Its kind of standard for the therapist to check all avenues including the possibility of sexual abuse when trying to figure out where the night terrors are stemming from. its good therapist practice to ask that question because it shows they are leaving no stone unturned. what if a therapist didn't ask that question and later found out the clients night terrors was not from mania but from being sexually abused. that client could come back and sue that therapist for malpracitice for not bringing up the possibility of any form of abuse be it sexual, physical, or emotional as a cause for the client having night terrors. A good and ethical therapist checks all possible avenues BEFORE rendering a judgement as to where the clients problems are coming from.

I get Night terrors, have woken up screaming, heart beating like I was running a marathon, and feeling not alone in the room, have actually hurt myself a few times, by waking up cliimbing the wall behind my bed, but the dreams are vague, if I recall them at all. There not like some of the nightmares, where I can recall bits and pieces, or wake up in the middle of them and remember them pretty vividly. I usually sleep in 2-3 hr increments, then jolt wide awake, if I do go back to sleep, sometimes dont recall the event unitl later in the day, if at all..then I can be working, and suddenly the light bulb goes off something happened last night.. My sisters had these too, and sleep walking, I remeber once we went searching the neighborhood early one morning, for the youngest, I found her down the street still asleep but eyes wide awake..and moving her arms and talking ..

We have a history of childhood sexual abuse and violence, night terrors, and night mares, all can be indicitive of trauma, and make ones ability to sleep terrible, along with chemical imbalances, dont think your Therapist was being overtly intrusive on the subject, but probably was ruling in ruling out based on the symptoms you were presenting..... but again you said there were other issues involved that you have not talked about...

Take Care...

((myself)) I love to see the different point of views and thank you from bring me those because otherwise I wouldn't think of these things.
((Evangelista))It runs in my family too, my mom used to tell us of her, when young, doing and undoing her bed, totally asleep, and I had those episodes too, unfortunely, the enovironment I grow up in was pretty hostile, so nobody paid attention to what was going on in my mind and after I got married, my husband is the one I woke up screaming, poor guy!

LOL Different points of views. I am always thinking on so many different points of views at one time. Im told thats an advantage to my having DID and being a rapid switcher. one thing triggers so many different pieces of memories at one time so I am constantly seeing things from different angles. Sometimes my having this ability gets me into trouble but for the most part I get the same reaction that you have from others. Because I see things in different ways that get other people thinking.

I have night terrors from time to time, not associated with abuse, but because of my PTSD due to the disabling injury. I don't recall most of them, their themes, sometimes I only knew of one because my T told me I called him. That's generally what they are, unremembered episodes of sheer terror during sleep.

I've learned to spot the evidence of one now though, the trashed bed and such, the unbelievable fatigue and muscle spasming upon waking, or being drenched and shivering...

I admit there have been a few that I have recalled glimpses of... NOT anything I want in my life either.

I don't think the experts really have any one reason for night terrors. They are still working on the brain TC!