I've just recently found this site through Google while searching for way to stop my night terrors/nightmares. I've been "studying" what's been going on in my head for a while now and have discovered that I've been lucid dreaming since I was about 8 years old, and have them just about every time I fall asleep. Reoccurring dreams happen quite often as well.

I believe I started having lucid dreams because when I was younger I was abused at home, and at school I was terrorized, because of this I started to look forward to going to bed at night, and now I know why. The problem is, is that since I've gotten older I seem to have lost my ability to control most aspects of my dreams. Things in my daily life, including what I read and watch, as well as my emotions during the day affect what i will dream about at night. I've practiced trying to think about "Rainbows and butterflies" before I go to sleep so that I will not have night terrors, but it seems to have failed miserably. I constantly have VIVID nightmares that I can only slightly change, a lot of my nightmares include my 4 year old son and the worst thing is, is that i know for a fact I'm dreaming but yet I can't change what's happening, nor can I wake myself up. IF I do manage to wake myself up and get back to sleep it starts off where I left off.... And thus the night terror continues. Everything that happens I always remember when I wake up, and sometimes discussing it can set off a panic attack it was so horrible

It's gotten to the point where I have severe anxiety, I have to sleep with a light on of some sort, preferably with some background noise as well. There is no way I could ever fall asleep in pitch black without any noise, I would probably end up in the hospital looking like a crazy woman suffering from a sever panic/anxiety attack.

I'm hoping that maybe I can get some direction or some help as o what I can do to help manage my issue, I understand that many people try to have lucid dreams but at this point It's scaring me, I'd rather not dream at all in this case, if all I can have have night terrors. I would even go so far to be tested if need be, I want to be able to sleep in peace again.

I would be glad to answer any questions if it meant getting help.
Thanks so much.