How can I stop thinking about this nightmare?

[ICannotBeArsed]

I had a nightmare a couple of months ago that someone broken into my home where I was co-sleeping with my daughter, they hurt me somehow and I couldn’t move but I asked them if they were going to kill me to please give my DD to someone so she’s looked after.

They killed her in front of me and it was the most awful thing, she was about 7 months old both in life and dream too and I just can’t get the images or the total heartbreak out of my head.

I’ve just spoken to a therapist about it which has just made it all come flooding back and I’m back at the ‘trying hard not to think about it but that makes me see it more’ stage.

Anyone have any tips on how to stop thinking about it?

[Ohalrightthen]

Oh god, you poor thing, i know exactly what you're going through, very similar thing happened to me.

What i started doing is that every single time i started thinking about it, i took a DEEEEEP breath, stopped what i was doing, really focused on some physical sensation (ie, feeling my feet flat on the floor) and said, out loud, in my best "take no shit, give no fucks" voice - "that did not happen. It will never happen." And repeated as many times as i had to.

[RunningFromInsanity]

Perhaps if you understand why you had that dream it may help you.

Dreams are not premonitions. They don’t come true. They are reflections of our unconsciousness.

As a mother, your one natural instinct is to protect your daughter. And the worse thing in the world would be to be helpless to protect her.
Your nightmare showed exactly that. That your mother instinct is so strong it’s sleeping through into your unconcious thoughts.

I’m not sure how you can stop thinking about it though. Sorry.