Sudden anxiety around violence in TV- please answer

[Prescottdanni123]

I am about to turn 31. I have always liked murder mystery programmes, war films, action etc. But recently, after watching anything with violence in or lots of action, even if it is during the day, I get horrendous nightmares at night. At the minute, I can only watch gentle programmes like quiz shows, wildlife documentaries etc, daytime TV to stop me getting a nightmare. I am not a victim or violence or past trauma so that is not an explanation.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? I watch a lot of TV with my mum, and she is getting so excited to watch Rings of Power season 2 together but I am feeling so anxious about it because I know it will cause a nightmare. I need to tell her that I can't watch it but I don't want to let her down or make her disappointed either.

Was there a particular episode or movie that triggered the nightmares? Or did the nightmares coincide with something else going on in your life at that time, such as being ill, stressed or rundown?

Nothing out of the ordinary happened. It just came out of the blue.

It's very rare for things like this to come out of the blue, maybe it was something that was so unimportant at the time that you didn't make the link. Nightmares are horrible but they are not dangerous or portentous in any way; think of them as being conjured up by a classroom of kids (your subconscious) who's teacher (your conscious mind) has fallen asleep. They've finished their homework - filing the things learned/experienced during that day - and are now trying to frighten each other by telling scary stories. If you can stop fearing them they will go away.