Question for Solo Boondockers

[gertpacu]

Does anyone ever wake up when boondocking scared out of their mind for no reason? After that happens of course I hear every single movement outside and think it's someone coming to get me. I end up sleeping on the floor between my bed and my wall. [mod edit]

I had this issue when I was younger. Up to about 16 years old I would wake up scared then go into my little brothers room and sleep under his desk or under his bed.

I don't believe in life after death or ghosts, but I cannot stop thinking about them when I am waking up frightened. Has anyone suffered from this when sleeping alone, or solo boondocking? [mod edit] Really weird stuff that happens. My mind gets to the point of being irrational when I wake up. I try to calm down but my mind won't let me. Not to mention I get a huge adrenaline rush so it takes a couple hours to fall back asleep.

I have never had this happen when sleeping in the same bed as girlfriend, or in the same tent with someone else. Just at home alone one a month or so, and when I am boondocking it hits me. It hits harder when boondocking though than when I am at home.

[Dsallach]

Not to be at all disrespectful. You need to discuss this with your personal physician. No, that is not usual. “Being irrational” [mod edit] is not a good idea for anyone. In the meantime I would suggest you not boondock. If you by chance you do not have a personal physician there are numerous free assistance phone services you can call for referrals. Your description shares some similarities with PTSD.

[UTTransplant]

I am no physician and I didn’t stay in a Holiday Inn, but it does sound like some type of anxiety disorder. By definition, they are over reactions to normal activities, and the sufferers can be helped. Visit your family doctor. Medication or therapy can be enormously helpful. Nothing to be ashamed of, just probably something that happened when you were very young that your child mind internalized.

[crb478]

I have no idea what has gone on in your life to cause these reactions! I do not have these anxieties when I sleep, but in my career there have been times when people were actually out to get me. Hopefully that is well past me now and was career related.

I am not the kinder gentler type, but I think that you are seriously over thinking this. I know that this is real to you at the time, but You have to determine what is rational.

Some of this is easy for me to say as I made my peace with dying over 35 years ago and consider each new day a blessing. I am actually surprised I have lived this long when so many of my friends did not. If boondocking is to uncomfortable then don't do it. It sound to me like you need human contact to keep your mind on an even plain. Everyone is different, Doctors help some, talking helps some, and facing your fears helps some. Good luck, but decide what you want from life and go for it.

[followingsea]

Stress often causes vivid dreams.

I was driving alone to a new temporary duty station where my family would not be joining me until the permanent duty. I stopped at a rest stop on the toll road and took a nap.

Next thing I know I am driving at 90 mph smuggling Kentucky bluegrass into Maryland. Sleepwalking is a common male family trait.

My father told a story about coming home from Korea. He woke up and intruder was in the house. Using learned martial arts he killed a floor lamp.

I deal with it by keeping a powder fire extinguisher to use against against intruders. Waking up unloading a fire extinguisher on our son coming home from college would be embarrassing but not a tragedy.

I often wake angry with my wife because she stayed up late watching TV. I get up and find the TV off. I have been solo since she died.

The emotions from dreams and can be disturbing. PTSD is real. We did not have a word for it growing up. My father was institutionalized after hurting a police officer. After pulling teenage boys out of burning car, he recognized he was going into shock and called the police. He and his dead friends fought off the Germans storming our house.

I did not understand trauma until doing CPR for 40 minutes until EMT arrived. I am fortunate to have people to talk to and have considered counseling. It never occured to me that my sister was affected by trauma. Nothing bad ever happened to her. Except for the day I was born. Trapped in a high chair in a burning house. My dad on fire, mom going into labor was interesting my story for 70 years but I now see why it might be my sister's nightmare.

I enjoy the solitude of boondocking. It helps me think things out.

[Bobby F]

I had a friend with much the same problem. Told him to go to sleep with the TV on every night. He says it works.

[gertpacu]

Originally Posted by Bobby F

I had a friend with much the same problem. Told him to go to sleep with the TV on every night. He says it works.

It's weird because it's been happening my whole life. I am not on any meds or anything for anxiety. It was just something I found really weird about myself. I think I over did it though, I am not scared out of my mind, but I do get scared like there is someone out there, and of course when a rabbit runs by my flood light outside my 5th wheel it goes off, and furthers my anxiety lol.. I had been boondocking my whole life. It was only alone that I had this weird issue. In my home it usually happens once a month on average. Takes about an hour to get back to sleep then I feel normal.

I had asked the Dr where I work, and he was also just saying most likely it's anxiety, and it could be something that happened in my childhood which I don't even remember. He said it can also trigger when stressed (which I am stressed now because of covid/riots)

Thanks for all the comments. I was boondocking last week, so I wont be boondocking again for another couple months most likely. Dr asked me to mark down dreams (if I can remember) and the days it happens, and if I was stressed about anything that particular day.

[Dsallach]

I’m glad to hear You seem like you are in a better place today. It sounds like the doctor at your work place is trying to help you figure things out. Anxiety can be terrible thing. Specially if kept bottled up inside alone. I’m glad you are able to talk to the doc at work. Best of luck to you. I’m sure with his/her help you can minimize its effects on your life.

[gertpacu]

Originally Posted by Dsallach

I’m glad to hear You seem like you are in a better place today. It sounds like the doctor at your work place is trying to help you figure things out. Anxiety can be terrible thing. Specially if kept bottled up inside alone. I’m glad you are able to talk to the doc at work. Best of luck to you. I’m sure with his/her help you can minimize its effects on your life.

Thanks! yah I am a GP nurse practitioner. Don't really know much about the brain or mental health disorders. Luckily we have a few Drs in the office.

Always thought it was weird though that would happen to me. When I was a kid I would literally hide under my brothers desk or bed and would fall asleep and then when it was light outside I would go back to my room before he woke up. Last week it happened and I felt much better sleeping on the floor. That's the reason I brought it up, because it was on my mind after happening when boondocking last week.

[Ndrorder]

I experience something very similar when there isn't enough circulation of fresh air in the room. I probably have sleep appnea but haven't been tested. Anyway, I attribute it to a survival response from the brain when not breathing well. Pleasant dream leads to stressful dream and I wake up shocked and out of breath.


My dog will wake me up at random times as well. Based on body position when it happens, I know I wasn't breathing well. She obviously doesn't like the snoring because she will leave the room as soon as I wake up.



Try opening a window in the RV or leave a ceiling fan on in the S&B.

[gertpacu]

Originally Posted by Ndrorder

I experience something very similar when there isn't enough circulation of fresh air in the room. I probably have sleep appnea but haven't been tested. Anyway, I attribute it to a survival response from the brain when not breathing well. Pleasant dream leads to stressful dream and I wake up shocked and out of breath.


My dog will wake me up at random times as well. Based on body position when it happens, I know I wasn't breathing well. She obviously doesn't like the snoring because she will leave the room as soon as I wake up.



Try opening a window in the RV or leave a ceiling fan on in the S&B.

Nice! Definitely will give this a try. I also moan in my sleep (glad I don't have significant other that would have to hear it). Reason is I hold my breath when sleeping, because I have to go to the bathroom. Weird eh?

catathrenia -- An affected person may even hold his or her breath briefly prior to the initiation of the groaning.

Which is basically me holding my breath because I have to go to the bathroom! Once I go then I don't groan anymore for the rest of the night. Weird eh?

[jim58]

Go to the pound and adopt a dog. At least then you have someone to talk to. Dogs have been known to provide a reassuring feeling to humans, not mention being good companions. I'm solo and planning to do just that very soon.



Just something for you to give thought to.



Jim58

[Itinerant1]

Originally Posted by jim58

Go to the pound and adopt a dog. At least then you have someone to talk to. Dogs have been known to provide a reassuring feeling to humans, not mention being good companions. I'm solo and planning to do just that very soon.



Just something for you to give thought to.



Jim58

And can give early warning against 2 and 4 legged creature lurking in the shadows.

[gertpacu]

Originally Posted by jim58

Go to the pound and adopt a dog. At least then you have someone to talk to. Dogs have been known to provide a reassuring feeling to humans, not mention being good companions. I'm solo and planning to do just that very soon.



Just something for you to give thought to.



Jim58

I have two kitties. I recently lost my last dog I had. I had three lhasa Apsos, but all three were about the same age so they all died within a year of one another of old age. Last one died a few months ago. I have two cats that keep me company. I was looking at another dog but I wanted to be closer to leaving so I can train the new dog and get it used to traveling. But I am mostly a quiet person that loves my alone time.

My kitties will be skittish either way when traveling. They were both feral before getting them although both had me taking care of them since about a day old. I have a 19 year old cat and the other is 2. I had planned on full timing in 4 years so I am not sure if my old kitty will live that long. She's perfectly healthy now except for small hearing issue when getting her attention from behind her. No cataracts or anything though so her vision is great. She can make me out easily at about 50ft away.

She's a smaller cat (was the runt) and about 5lbs. She has had a fascination with drinking water a LOT since she was a kitten. She LOVES water. Sometimes getting 2-3 drinks in a 5 minute time if she walks by a water dish. I checked her for diabetes because of her drinking habits but she's all good! So I figure the high water consumption is keeping her young looking