[turqoiseSunshine]

I have a number of diagnoses and one issue I've dealt with for at least 3 years is chronic nightmares every night and night terrors occasionally too. My doctor recommended treatment for PTSD thinking that trauma may be causing them although the themes of the nightmares aren't closely tied to the traumatic things in my life. Anyways, I tried prolonged exposure therapy about 2.5 years ago and it didn't affect the nightmares but didn't seem to harm me (other than lost time and money). Then, I tried EMDR the previous summer and it was horribly distressing and my other issues got way worse. Later, it I found out that it was possible that the nightmares could be a medication side effect, and even two months after being completely off that medication the nightmares haven't changed a bit. I may try the medication Prazosin again (but I tried it a couple of years ago with no results).

Has anyone found anything that helps their nightmares? I really don't want to face another night of this, not to mention years more.

[Skeezyks]

I recall replying to your introductory post. I'm sorry you are still having so much difficulty with nightmares. Unfortunately I don't have any suggestions to offer you. However I noticed no one else had yet replied to your post. So I thought I would. Here are links to 3 articles, from Psych Central's archives, on the subject of nightmares:

How to Eliminate Recurring Nightmares

More Than a Dream: The Science Behind Nightmares | Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

A Brief Guide to Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) for Nightmare Disorders for Clinicians and Patients

[turqoiseSunshine]

Thanks for your post Skeezyks; I appreciate it! I did find the articles you listed helpful. I have been trying to read more about non-drug therapies like image rehearsal therapy and lucid dreaming for nightmares, so the links you shared were useful.

Ultimately, my goal is that the nightmares end, but sometimes I wonder too about if I should be trying to deal some of the recurring dreams that do seem more meaningful (although they don’t usually have to do with what I’d consider the overtly traumatic things to me, but other concerns I have although not at the forefront of my mind). At the same time, I have spent so much time in other types of therapy trying to deal with some of those things and it hasn’t helped much. I think at this point just getting the nightmares to stop is most important and hopefully achievable/helpful.

[Thunder Bow]

Investigate your growing up with your Therapist. Childhood experiences can cause nightmares over the years.