Realization of a reocurring nightmare

 It is just now as i just woke up that i realize that I've been having nightmares, always around the same premise:Monster is in the house, and i try to scream, but nothing comes out. i run away to nowhere, and die then wake up.

 I never thought of them that much due to me never realizing the pattern between them. Of course, there is some variation between these nightmares, for example, my mom being the monster. 

whenever i find her, she starts to lose recognizable features, grabs me by the neck and just stares at me. i usually always wake up the moment i look her in the eyes as she grabs me. but today was different. i looked downstairs to see my mom walking to the kitchen, and then looked into her room, seeing her again. i quickly went to her, thinking she was the real one and she suddenly started becoming monstrous.

 but as i looked at her, i realized this was a dream, and tried to wake up. but as i tried to, she started grabbing me again and pulling me close like she was gonna attack. i started to panic as it happened, and woke up. that was the only time i've ever really woken up scared in a dream. I felt cold in my chest for some reason, but that was probably from sudden panic.

This has been going on since 2020, and i think covid is to blame