Wake up to terrifying nightmares and can't sleep for days

I'm brand new to this site. I joined to see if I could possibly find some answers to my situation. I'm under heavy stress, some depression and anxiety due to some family issues and life choices.
I grew up in a severely strict, religious family with 5 siblings in a 2 and a 1/2 bedroom house. It was cramped. I had a dictator father and a really submissive but disapproving mother, so not a lot of nurturing or love shown.
I left home at 19 to go to University and as I always had choices made or me by my dad, I was not taught how to make choices. I ended up having a baby at 21. I wanted to abort but I was convinced by my family that it wasn't right and that they would support me as I moved into single-motherhood. I moved home for 6 months, slept on a couch in the basement with my little guy and felt the pressure building again. Eventually I moved out on my own and rented a house with my infant. It was so tough for both of us. I worked full time, but I had no vehicle so I would take him on the City bus. We'd wake up at 4:30am, catch the bus at 5:45am, ride it to the babysitter's to drop him off, then I'd hop on the next bus to work for 8am. After work it was similarly stressful, catching the bus at 4:30pm, picking him up and bussing home, not getting there till 6 -6:30pm. Just enough time to eat, shower and prep for the next day. Those were dark days!
We ended up moving each year as my job was seasonal, and I couldn't commit to more than a year's lease, the winter months were scarce for income, daylight and money, but we managed. I lost a few jobs as my son came down with an illness that required I take a leave of absence twice, and from both jobs I was let go due to that.
I had a very good friend during some of the latter years. He was a great friend, bringing dinner over a few times a week, having us over to his place to cook together and letting my son play with his gadgets. He never expected anything in return, but he listened and he advised and he cared about us. I never thought I could be in a relationship with him however, as he was an Atheist. My family would never accept him and I wasn't sure I could either, so we continued as friends.
In 2008 this friend's parents had retired to another province and he invited my son and I to go with him. After turning him down several times I gave in. How could I resist, I'd never seen the ocean and the wummer had been so hard on my son that I thought he deserved even more!
So I arranged for my sister to keep and eye on our rabbit and money to pay my rent and off we went on a 3 day road trip! Once we arrived, I received an email from my dad telling me to come home immediately as he didn't approve of my company or I would be disowned. This was an email shared with all of my family members. I refused, 1) How would I get home and 2) I couldn't leave... My dad said he'd arrange to have us brought home immediately if I agreed. I didn't.
So he then went to my landlord and told him that he wasn't sure when I'd be back (the plan was clearly 2 weeks) or if I'd come back at all and he'd arrange to clean my belongings out of the space. My landlord got in touch with me then, as the rent money had not been paid.
It turned out that my dad kept my rent money. The landlord was paid that day but had panicked and I ended up giving my notice to vacate.
The house was for sale. Meanwhile I was quickly falling for my friend now that the ties had been torn and I was a little more free to make that choice without the repercussions I previously worried about.
2 months after returning from our trip, my son and I moved in with my new found love and I've been with him, in a great and healthy relationship for 3 years now! But, I've had to live without my family as well They disowned me. Not only did they disown me, but they also advised almost all of my childhood friends and aquaintances to stop all communication with me as well. They did. I lost 95% of my friends.
I've had tears and weak moments over these events in the past few years, but the thing that's bothering me the most is the fact that I often wake up through the night with terrifying nightmares. Absolutely terrifying. I'm not talking falling or running, but things I can't believe exist in my head. Scenes like in a movie where the camera would fade out and let your imagination take over because it's too graphic to video, m y dreams seem to carry those scenes on at a torturous pace and I'm not able to wake!! When I finally do wake, I have panic attacks, heart palpitations, rapid breathing, a sense of terror or dread. I can't fall asleep again without leaving the room or when I do, the nightmare continues. The next few nights I can't go to bed, for fear of seeing the images again... This situation is beginning to affect my waking life, I'm in school and I can't focus, I'm not completing assignments, I can't socialize, it's almost a forced insomnia.
I don't know if my history has anything to do with the nightmares, but I can assume with the timing they might be connected.
Is there anyone else out there who might have a similar condition with the nightmares??? I'm tired and I'd love some help...

Yuck I hate vivid dreams.

But I have only had a few really vivid dreams. And I remember only one to this day as if it happened yesterday.

Anyway a good place to start is your diet. To much caffeine can cause vivid dreams. Keep in mind that there is caffeine in drinks but also in food. Chocolate has caffeine in it.

Have you tried doing a journal? I find I do a ton better if I write down how I feel, seen, etc. Kinda vent it all out. Then close the book and forget about what you wrote. Kind alike putting your thoughts to rest and leaving them in the past.

I am sorry you are having such a hard time with sleeping. I do as well but mine's not because of dreaming.

On the other hand. Your dad is not a very nice man. But you sure have a lot of strength. You have taken care of your child. You love, support and comfort him. Worked hard to have a roof over your heads and food in your mouths. You have a lot to be proud of. Honestly you do. Its not easy being a single mom. Even if you do have a bf. Its still not easy. You should pat yourself on the back and remind yourself of the great job you are doing. Keep it up.

Send a letter to your father.. Try to get some closure. Its not important if he reads it. Its important that you say what you need to say.

Good luck. Hugs. I wish you well.

Thank-you very much all of you for such kindness, I am so glad you took the time to read my topic and put yourselves out there enough to relate and offer great information!
Kitt: I'm wondering if a Therapist is the way to go, I haven't looked into it yet, but it's always been an option I've procrastinated on for years. The more I talk about it the more I think I need to talk about the thoughts, feelings and experiences to someone qualified because re-reading what I've written above actually sounds and looks farther from normal and fare more messed up than I would ever have admitted to myself. So I will look into a therapist soon.
Allestaria:I've never kept a journal. It's always been suggested and I even love to write but I've never had time to take it up. Maybe it's something I should make a priority now that it seems like it could be beneficial. A lot of poeple have talked about how keeping as journal helps. Have you kept one? Does it help you significantly? I have no problem writing my thoughts, feelings and experinces down, but I want those nightmares to stay put. They're so extremely disturbing, they make me vomit sometimes and I have a photographic memory so it takes a very long time for those images to fade... do you think it would help or hinder, to write the actual dreams down?
Twiggygal: As common as it is for father's to have control issues, it's not often spoken about. I'm glad you responded with your similar experiences, thank-you! I am not on any medication, nor have I ever been. I'm wondering if it's the next step to take. I'm thinking the link to my past might have something to do with it, if not everything. There are some legitimately serious psychological issues to unravel, and maybe having bottled it up for so long, the effects are manifesting themselves in the form of nightmares. But I don't know. All I know is that it's torturous. I have vowed to never speak to anyone about the dreams as the nature of them are so disturbing but everytime I have one, details of every last one of them come back to me. I usually end up vomiting from the graphic nature of them, I have th shakes, sweats, pounding heart and sometimes it skips and I feel faint. I fear one day I may have heart issues due to this. I don't have these nightmares on a regular basis, just about once a month, but if I go back to sleep too soon, I have a second one or a continuation of the first. I'll definitely make an appointment with my doctor to see if there's anything that can be done, than-you!
The support here is wonderful, I've never had this before, thanks again to all of you for your empathy and advice, I feel better already! :)