Mental Health Or Something Else?

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I wasn't quite sure which section to put this in, I hope this one is OK?
Background: I have poor mental health, started from when I was 4 (I am now in my 50's.) I have suffered from severe anxiety and depression nearly my whole life. My upbringing was abusive and neglectful and I ended up in a bad relationship for many years. I have also always suffered with nightmares. Some were so bad I remember them from my childhood. This is relevant.
Recently I have been working on manifesting and one particular night was trying to think positve. I went to bed and before I got up, I was actually having a positive dream! I can't remember the dream, but I remember the positiivity. When I woke up I still felt that way! I knew it wouldn't last as my own mind would sabotage it but whilst I had the feeling, I felt amazing. There was no worry about the future, no ruminatiing on the past, no mental noise (My 'normal' brain states.), I just 'was.' It lasted for around 10 minutes.
Do you think my experiance, that I've never had before or since, was a 'natural' reaction of my brain, or do you think it was something more 'spiritual?' I have been seeing lots of things lately about Awakening. I'd love to hear views, even if it is it was just your mental health. Thank you.

Try looking at books by, and the website of, an academic called Steve Taylor. He is very interested in what he calls awakenings, moments of big internal change often brought about meditating or life changing happenings.
What you describe sounds familiar to me, like a changed internal state, dare I say like the result of mindfulness/meditation. If you have been spending time manifesting, that would be learning to focus and quiet the mind which is what meditation does. Some people would say that brings 'spiritual' happenings though the word spiritual means many things to many people.
Have you ever done any counselling or therapy? It sounds from your post as though you have a strong internal critic who you need help silencing. It also sounds as though you are on a journey of self growth which is a way. of defeating poor mental health, good luck, keep going with the manifesting and look for supportive people and groups who will help you.

Sorry that you have had a struggle for a long time. That doesn't sound easy.

There is a therapeutic approach called 'Human Givens' that has a lot of research in its coffers about dreams - in a way aiming for a scientific angle rather than a historically more mystical or interpretive one. What that says is quite interesting to me. I'm only remembering, possibly inaccurately, but the basic principal was that they would say that dreams are processing unresolved, or taboo, things that are loose ends from the day. This is via the activity of the brain during sleep at the points when all the other systems of the body are offline, not able to act, sometimes not even to move, (so not happening through all the possible phases of sleep, only when the circumstances combine). Other neurological research has shown that sometimes one hemisphere of the brain is seemingly not communicating with the other, during deep sleep as well as in some brain problems, so part of you is led to believe that something (message, emotions etc) is coming from outside when it's from parts of your mind that haven't been 'acknowledged' at that time by the other half.

To me that suggests that it could support the nightmares - trying to process and resolve horrible and overwhelming things, and this happening regularly - but also the 'care' that you have given your mind being able to show through during deep sleep, now. It has had an effect on some of your mind and that is now able to be felt more consciously instead of terrors and fearful connections. I hope so - but whatever it is, it sounds as if it's a really positive direction to keep trying.