Sleep terror then terrified of boyfriend

[samantha19]

I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience to what I have.
Last night I had a sleep terror for the second time (an autonomic nervous system reaction from extreme terror. Affected person sits upright, eyes open, screaming but still unconscious).
The first time I attributed it to circumstance - overworked, stressed, terrible sleeping pattern and loud music woke me up startling me.
But it happened again and this time all my boyfriend did was move in bed and maybe nudge me or something by accident. I was screaming again but this time I associated him with being what I was afraid of when I became consious and it genuinelly took over an hour before I could sit next to him again.
He was really amazingly kind and spoke to me all night to try and reassure me, but for about 3 hours straight I felt pretty terrified (of him). I felt dissociative at times and like I didn't truly recognise him or remember clearly who he was / our past. I had this feeling like he was going to shapeshift into something awful or he was an imposter.
I'm not sure if this is a flashback or not. It might just have been pure terror.
Reading up on sleep terrors I get the impression that people generally go back to sleep, so me being absolutely terrified of my boyfriend for hours after seems abnormal.
I'd to tell him to stop talking sometimes and not make eye contact with me and things when he was trying to calm me down for like 3 hours. It was pure terror. I've never felt so out of control before.
I'm now terrified of sleeping incase I feel that terror again. This means I'm at work today on 2 hours sleep (as is my ridiculously kind to me boyfriend).
I was also scared of leaving my room until it became daylight, despite being very thirsty.
I watched a horror show before bed so maybe part of it, but it didn't seem so scary to me and I've saw it before.
I'll be seeing a doctor next week, just thought I'd post here too.

[AphoticAtramentous]

Sorry to hear that, Samantha. That must not have been pleasant to experience at all.
I haven't experienced such a thing myself, so I can't really offer too much advice. I guess my only suggestion is that if it happens again, perhaps do your best to completely wake yourself up. Turn on all the lights, drink some coffee, splash water on your face - maybe then you'll feel a little less dazed and more clear and aware of your surroundings? I'm not sure. Of course, that'll make you rather energized and will probably take you a little bit to get back to sleep but it may help with the feelings of fear and confusion.
But that is just a guess of what may help. I'm no expert. Hopefully it's a one off thing!

[Andyman73]

Samantha, I've had a whole range of night terrors, nightmares, sleep paralysis, and so on....goes right along with my lifelong abuse history. The way he made you feel just by being there is overwhelmingly telling. I do hope you bring that up with your doctor.

[deptofhearts]

hi Samantha - I have had that quite a bit, sleep terrors and especially after moving in with my boyfriend/husband, totally terrified for hours, beyond rational fear to go to the toilet - couldn't move, so many things. I used to watch heaps of scary movies, slowly waned myself off them as it doesn't help my imagination go figure hah).  But there is something you need to listen to for sure in your night terrors. Mine have slowly faded, haven't had one for years now, I hope yours do too.

[samantha19]

Thanks everyone <3 sorry that you've all dealt with similar things.
It's calmed down a bit I think, but I do virtually always do something weird in my sleep when we sleep in the same bed now, like I'll jump and wake up, maybe yell out if he twitches in bed or something, but not had another sleep terror, that I'm aware of.
I don't even feel very stressed recently, idk, maybe I'm in denial a little bit... But it's just even when I feel quite calm and happy it can still occur, the jumps and stuff over tiny things.
It's just weird. I've been out of abusive situation(s) for years now and I never had this before. Now bam! It happens once and then I alwaaays have issues. Makes me wonder if the sleep terror experience itself caused a bit of trauma or something.
I might seek help around it anyway as going to go for cheap healthcare via work. Confident I can get through this. Will take time but have made some progress, can sleep in the same bed again with just a few startles. Sounds crap but is quite an improvement.

[Andyman73]

Samantha,
I'm glad to hear that you're able to sleep in the same bed again.

[Blueberry]

Hey Samantha,

An improvement is an improvement!