NIGHTMARE DISORDER

A nightmare is a distressing dream associated with negative feeling , such as anxiety or fera that awakens you. Nightmares are common in children, but can happen at any age, and occasional nightmares usually are nothing to worry about.

Nightmares may begin in children between 3-6 years old and tend to decrease after the age of 10. During the teen and young adult years , girls appear to have nightmares more often than boys do. Some people have them as adults throughout their lives.

Although nightmares are common , nightmare disorder is relatively rare. Nightmare disorder is when nightmares happen often, cause distress, disrupt sleep , cause problems with daytime functioning or create fear of going to sleep.

CAUSES

Causes of nightmare disorder include:

·         Anxiety and stress

·         Trauma or upsetting events such as death of a loved one can bring on nightmares

·         Fluctuating sleep schedule, sleep deprivation, jet lag, illness and fever

·         Medication or drug withdrawal, such as sleeping pills.

·         Alcohol consumption or withdrawal

·         Difficulty breathing during sleep , such as sleep apnea

·         Sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, or sleep terror disorder

·         Eating before bed time

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of nightmares include:

·         Repeated occurrences of extended , extremely dysphoric and well remembered dreams that usually involve efforts to avoid threats to survival, security, or physical integrity and that generally occur during the second half of the major sleep episode.

·         On awakening from the dysphoric dreams, the individual rapidly becomes oriented and alert.

·          The sleep disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

·         The night mare symptoms are not attribute to the physiological effects of a substance, such as a drug abuse, a medication.

·         Coexisting mental and medical disorders do not adequately explain the predominant complaint of dysphoric dreams.

RISK FACTORS

Nightmares are more common when family members have a history of nightmares or other sleep parasomnias, such as talking during sleep.

COMPLICATIONS

Nightmare disorder may cause

·         Excessive daytime sleepiness, which can lead to difficulties at school, or work or problems with everyday tasks, such as driving and concentrating.

·         Problems with mood, such as depression or anxiety from dreams that continue to bother you

·         Resistance to going to bed or to sleep for fear you will have another bad dream.

·         Suicidal thoughts or suicidal attempts.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Homoeopathy today is a rapidly growing system and is being practiced all over the world. It strength lies in its evident effectiveness as it takes a holistic approach towards the sick individual through promotion of inner balance  at mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels. When nightmare disorder   is concerned there are many effective medicines available in Homoeopathy , but the selection depends upon the individuality of the patient , considering mental and physical symptoms.

ALOE SOCOTRINA:  Dreams of soiling himself. Cannot get to sleep for a long time.

ARSENIC ALBUM:  Dreams of death. Fear of diseases.

CALCAREA CARBONICUM:  Nightmares in children. Children scream after midnight and cannot be pacified. Dreams of monsters.

CALCAREA FLOURICA:  Vivid dreams with sense of impending danger and weeping. Jumps out of bed in a dream.

CANNABIS INDICA:  Nightmares every night as soon as he falls asleep. Dreams are prophetic dead bodies of danger and of perils to be encountered. Jerking of the limbs while sleeping. Gritting teeth during sleep.

CARCINOSIN:  Waking at midnight after 4 am from dreams. Wakes as from a fright from shocks through the body or twitching.

KALI PHOSPHORICUM:  Nightmares of children. Drowsy and yawning. Restlessness and heat during sleep.

LEDUM PALUSTRE:  Fears to go to sleep lest she would die. Throat feel swollen, sensation of suffocation.

PAEONIA:  Dreams of ghost as if sitting on his chest; frequently waking up groaning.

PHOSPHORUS:  Vivid dreams of fire ,of  hemorrhage . Sleep walking.

SEPIA:  Dreams of rape, being pursued, chased with a knife. Frightened dreams and screaming with fright.