nightmares that never stop

[lyric glade]

salam alaykum. my aunt is back home in yemen. she’s 50 years old. around 20 years ago, she divorced her first husband and after that, everything in her life is going wrong. she’s a very good muslim mashallah, she prays well, she makes dua all day and night, and thikr all day and night as well. however, since 20 years ago, she has non stop nightmares.

these nightmares have extreme vulgar content. sometimes when she wakes up, she says she sees these human like creatures or sometimes monster like creatures in front of her, and sometimes they laugh at her. they only go away after she keeps praying in that moment. she’s been told by others maybe she has evil eye or maybe her ex husband did black magic, but when she goes to the sheikh, he reads quran over her and she acts fine, but then she falls sick later. no one is able to fix the problem. she is psychologically fine, and has been tested.

has anyone heard a story similar to this and know anything we can do to help her? jazakallah.

[surreal stirrup]

Wasalam, last I heard of something similar to this, the only relief my friend's family member got was through Ruqya (Quranic healing) which it seems like your aunt is getting. Perhaps she could attempt to get Ruqya from someone more experienced?

[glass frost]

I am not a psychiatrist. Judging by the description, it sounds like anxiety triggered schizophrenia-- with very specific triggers; being alone in the dark. I understand your approach @surreal stirrup, but why not take a balanced approach on the matter?

[lyric glade]

we thought it might be something psychological but multiple psychs said there isn’t anything wrong 🥲

[glass frost]

Western psychology or Eastern? There's actually Islamic psychiatry (note: not psychology) that folks have a better chance at peeling back then layers that western approaches simply cannot manage to deal with.

For any approach, the patient needs to believe in the angle that the physician is taking. Western ideology isn't focused on spirituality at all, so it falls dead on certain folks.

Unfortunately, the field of faith based psychiatry is emergent and not many practicioners are available... But rather than taking a master's in religious studies, you find folks majoring on Psych and using their licenses to practice on people of their faith, as it offers a blended approach to discovering and relieving their patients symptoms.

Sometimes these services are offered at a heavy discount to those associated with a local masjid. Sometimes it's the sheikh or imam that holds the degree/license.

[glass frost]

https://med.stanford.edu/mmhip.html

Think of it as having the best of both worlds: someone that understands the power of ruqyah and the healing it provides, but also the ability to understand and diagnose various psychological issues using a faith based approach.

Please consult your LICENSED trusted local Islamic mental health professional.

Insha'Allah auntie is granted peace and complete shifa from all that ails her. Disclaimer: Allah (SWT) knows best.

[manic eagle]

I encountered one of those in a dream and brought it up to a scholar who does dream interpretations. "Do you listen to music?"