how can i stop nightmares?

Question

Is there any way to stop nightmares while on venlafaxine?

Answer 1

Eval first: Please seek evaluation. A comprehensive evaluation by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist may shed light on the matter. Sometimes a polysomnogram is required to assess isolated sleep problems.

Answer 2

No More Nightmares: Dreams with unusual content are not uncommon after disturbing or stressful events. The issue is not the dream content but rather the problem of being woken up by the dream. If you sleep peacefully through your dreams you won't remember or be disturbed by the content of your dreams. Try Planned Dream Intervention from my No More Nightmares class. Most people are no longer woken up after the class.

Answer 3

Assess Why: Nightmares can be associated with beginning or stopping medications and drugs. They can be related to sleep disorders (sleep apnea, restless legs, etcetera). They can occur with irregular sleep / wake cycles. They can occur with traumatic stress and other disorders. They may also happen with none of these. First figure out whether there is a cause. If not consider behavioral therapies.

Answer 4

Get to root of it: Nightmares are not uncommon in adults and usually have a cause. Psychological; unresolved issues, trauma, untreated anxiety, ptsd, mood disorder etc. Medical; restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea etc. Medications; benzodiazepines, antidepressants, melatonin and anti hypertensives etc. Do consult with your psychiatrist/ physician to rule out the above mentioned things.

Answer 5

No More Nightmares: Dreams with unusual content are not uncommon after disturbing or stressful events. The issue is not the dream content but rather the problem of being woken up by the dream. If you sleep peacefully through your dreams you won't remember or be disturbed by the content of your dreams. Try Planned Dream Intervention from my No More Nightmares class. Most people are no longer woken up after the class.

Answer 6

Nightmares: Depending on how severe or frequent this is, you may need help with your nightmares. They could be a symptom of ptsd or other personal problem that needs attention. A psychologist or other therapist could be a good resource in assessing what's happening with you, and in working through it. There are also some medications that might help -- a psychiatrist or sleep medicine doctor can advise.

Answer 7

Medication Option: I hope that you get psychologically minded options offered here as well, but i did want to offer that there is a medication, originally developed as a treatment for high blood pressure, which has been shown in multiple studies to reduce nightmares in people with post-traumatic stress disorder. A psychiatrist could evaluate your situation and determine if this option is appropriate for you.

Answer 8

Depends: The treatment for the nightmares depends on the cause of the nightmares. They may be simply caused by bad food at night, or can be a symptom of ptsd or even bipolar disorder. In the case of ptsd, psychotherapy works best, especially some called cbt/ exposure therapy. Certain blood pressure medicines work well to. In the case of bipolar disorder, antipsychotics can help.

Answer 9

Prazosin: Also, prazosin (a medication for blood pressure) is very effective in reducing nightmares, particularly in people with ptsd. It is not sedating, but it is thought to alter sleep architecture for the better. It is started at low dose (1-2mg) but doses as high as 10-12mg or more may be necessary. 5mg seems about average. Side effects are related to a decrease in blood pressure.

Answer 10

Yes: You need an evaluation, sleep study and psychiatric evaluation will help clarify this question.

Answer 11

Anxiety.: You need to see a psychiatrist. There are safe medications, such as prazosin, which can help, but the anxiety must be diagnosed and treated before the nightmares will ease.

Answer 12

No More Nightmares: I developed an original theory, Planned Dream Intervention, that is a skill, not therapy, you use to teach the sleeping brain to be able to sleep through dreams. More information available from this provider.

Answer 13

Nightmares : Cognitive behavioral treatments (cbt) such as imagery rehearsal therapy (irt) and exposure are the treatments of choice for nightmares. These is a discussion of these treatment options including references to self help methods here: http://onlinelibrary.Wiley.Com/store/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2010.00894.X/asset/j.1365-2869.2010.00894.X.Pdf?V=1&t=h9m2lf9o&s=a92247866696811bea11b8b9508889f2e9a4425c.

Answer 14

See below: If nightmares are a constant problem, please obtain a psychiatry referral from your primary care doc. There are many different causes for nightmares that should be ruled out before one can conclude that it is a coping problem.

Answer 15

Deal with the: underlying problem. New medication? Trauma? Conflicts?

Answer 16

No More Nightmares: Dreams with unusual content are not uncommon after disturbing or stressful events. The issue is not the dream content but rather the problem of being woken up by the dream. If you sleep peacefully through your dreams you won't remember or be disturbed by the content of your dreams. Try Planned Dream Intervention from my No More Nightmares class. Most people are no longer woken up after the class.

how can i stop nightmares?

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