“Nightmare in a Mirror” by Terry Marks, Source http://www.stuckism.com/GFDL/Marks.html (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)
You have a recurring nightmare. Perhaps you are being chased by something enormous and faceless, something terrifying. Perhaps the sight of something innocuous in a dream causes you unexplained anguish or despair.
You wake in a cold sweat (or with tears on your pillow), sure there must be something wrong with you.
Symbolic Imagery and PTSD
The language of our dreams can be puzzling. Images can be confusing, and are often symbolic.
For abuse survivors, nightmares are a frequent symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) [1]. An estimated 71% – 96% of those with PTSD have nightmares.
Short-Term v. Long-Term Memory
Scientists agree that dreams involve the mind’s transfer of short-term memories to long-term storage.
ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse and More 