Nightmare Disorder

Enda en søvnløs natt... Forståelig, siden jeg er redd for å sovne og ha enda et mareritt. Nå klarer jeg ikke å huske sist jeg sov uten å våkne fra et grusomt mareritt. Kroppen er sliten. Jeg har lest om Nightmare Disorder på nettet... Ja, det er faktisk en lidelse, og jeg passer smooth inn i karakteristikken av en person som lider av Nightmare Disorder. Mitt tilfelle er faktisk av de mer ekstreme, da 1% av befolkningen har mareritt 1-2 ganger i uka... Og jeg har det hver natt. Jeg trenger hjelp... Håper at jeg får time snart, slik at jeg kan få noen svar på hva årsakene til marerittene kan være. Marerittene er så groteske at jeg ikke vil fortelle om dem i bloggen, men kort sagt: Mange døde mennesker som spiser hverandre, spiser meg, jakter på meg, svart blod, speil som blir malt hvite, gasslekkasje hvor jeg pines i hjel, øksemord hvor jeg kjenner smerten i hvert hugg til jeg dør...igjen og igjen. Jeg våkner av at jeg ligger i sengen og prater til meg selv med en ukjent stemme... Sovner jeg igjen, fortsetter jeg der jeg slapp, bare i en ny setting med nye drap. Jeg klarer ikke mer. Og NEI, jeg har ikke sett en eneste film på fire uker, så forklaringen er mer utdypende og årsaken mer komplisert, enn en skummel film...

Nightmare Disorder:

Nightmare disorder, or dream anxiety disorder, is a sleep disorder characterized by frequent nightmares. The nightmares, which often portray the individual in a situation that jeopardizes their life or personal safety, usually occur during the second half of the sleeping process, called the REM stage. Though such nightmares occur within many people, those with nightmare disorder experience them with a greater frequency.

SYMPTOMS: During the nightmare, the sleeper may moan and move slightly. The victim is often awakened by these threatening and frightening dreams and can often vividly remember their experience. Upon awakening, the sleeper is unusually alert and oriented within their surroundings, but may have an increased heart rate and symptoms of anxiety, like sweating. They may have trouble falling back asleep for fear they will experience another nightmare.
A person experiencing nightmare disorder would have trouble going through everyday tasks; the lack of sleep and anxiety caused by the fearful dreams would hinder the individual from completing everyday jobs efficiently and correctly.

CAUSES: Nightmares can be caused by extreme stress or anxiety if no other mental disorder is discovered. The death of a loved one or a stressful life event can be enough to cause a nightmare but mental conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychiatric disorders have been known to cause nightmares as well.

!! 1% of adults recount having nightmares once or twice a week. If a student or adult is suffering from excessive nightmares, or has a recurring nightmare they may want to seek help as this may be a symptom of a more serious condition.

TREATMENT: There are many ways to treat dream anxiety without seeking the help of a therapist. Alleviating stress within the home and personal life is a good way to eliminate any anxiety the individual may have upon going to bed. A regular fitness routine and perhaps relaxation therapy would help to make the individual fall asleep faster and more peacefully. Yoga and meditation can also help to eliminate stress and create a more peaceful sleeping atmosphere. Psychotherapy can also help an individual learn how to cope and deal with the various stressors in their life.

Diagnosis and medication can only be given to patients that report the recurring nightmares to a physician or psychiatrist. Therapy usually helps to deal with the frightening themes of the nightmares and alleviate the recurrence of the dreams. The persistent nightmares will usually improve as the patient gets older. Treatments are generally very successful.