E31: I keep having awful grief dreams
Since her father's death from cancer, a grieving woman is tortured by recurring nightmares of his final days.
Listen to This Episode:
Dear Grief Guide,
I recently lost my dad to cancer. For the last month or so, I keep having different iterations of the same traumatizing dream.
The overarching concept of my dream is that I know my dad has passed, but I am informed that he has come back to life, whether that be in the funeral home or back in his house where I was a caregiver for him. He doesn’t come back to life healthy. In every dream, he is in the final phases of his life, reliving his last days.
I am aware that he has died in real life, but my dream self is forced to relive him struggling in his final hours. A few times, I’ve heard him calling my name. While some might think it’s comforting to see their dead person come back to life in a dream, I promise you it’s not. I feel sick when I wake up. It also brings all the emotions to the surface again.
I keep having this awful grief dream. It leaves me feeling disoriented and heartbroken and emotionally hungover, as if I’m trapped in a never-ending nighttime replay of his final days on earth.
What do these dreams mean, and how do I stop them? It’s heartbreaking to have to relive his final days on repeat when I’m trying so hard to just get some rest. Do you have any advice on how to cope with these dreams and find some relief? My bed has become a place I dread.
Signed,
No More Nightmares
Ready to find your way after devastating loss? Check out my FREE workshop: Grow Through Grief: 3 Ways to Stop Feeling Stuck and Start Moving Forward.
Submit your anonymous letter for Dear Grief Guide here.
