Dreams
Nightmares: See them For What They Really Are! By J. Foley
Nightmares are only considered as such when they cause an immediate awakening from sleep, which usually occurs at the climax, or extreme point of terror of the nightmare. Other instances of scary dreams that may be recalled, but did not cause awakenings are just considered bad dreams.
The word nightmare is a combination of the forms "night" and "mare": etymologically the suffix "mare" is derived from the proto-Indo European form mer- (to rub away; to harm) via Germanic to the Old English forms mare, maere (goblin or incubus).
Nightmares are disturbing, visual dream sequences that occur in your mind and wake you up from your sleep. They are very common and can begin at any age. In certain cases, nightmares are usually about the traumatic event from the past. They are usually characterized by their vivid imagery and intense emotions, which generally involve themes of danger. About 7% of the general population suffers from nightmares regularly. However, nightmares are quite useful in that they might actually be early warning signs for the dreamer to take notice of the problems they are having in their daily lives.
Nightmares are reportedly first experienced between the ages of 3 and 6 years. From 10% to 50% of children have nightmares that are severe enough to cause their parents concern. They can be scary dreams that wake a child leaving him or her upset and in need of comfort. Also their nightmares may be the re-living of a traumatic event, such as getting lost, getting a shot at the doctors, being barked at by a big dog or feelings of danger and helplessness and often involve fleeing from monsters or wild animals. It is not unusual for a normal child to have nightmares as often as once or twice a week. They are very common in children, but decrease in frequency as children age.
So if your child is experiencing nightmares, talk to your child about things that might be bothering him or her since they are more common in children who are under some sort of unusual stress. To the youngster a severe nightmare is real, so expect several nights of awakening or worrying about going to sleep at night following an episode.
Coming from another perspective, nightmares can also be seen as a normal part of coping with changes in our daily lives. AS with children, their nightmares could be related to events such as starting school, moving to a new neighborhood, or living through a divorce or remarriage.
Among adults, nightmares can be caused by a variety of psychiatric disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), sleep disorders (e.g., arousal disorders) and medications (e.g., antidepressants).
Nightmares are distressful, anxiety provoking dreams often referred to as dream anxiety attacks. Also known as anxiety dreams, these nightmares attracted the interest of Sigmund Freud, who refers to them for the first time in "The Interpretation of Dreams",(which you can get a complimentary copy of at this site by clicking the link in the right sidebar). It may not be the content of the dream that is actually frightening; it is the experience of the dream as negative, that is distressing.
Nightmares are a way for your body and brain to deal with stress or tension during the day, and to process sadness or major events or trauma. Reading scary stories or seeing scary movies and before you go to sleep can also cause nightmares. Dreams and nightmares are often a manifestation of fears, doubts and anger that accumulates throughout the day, seeking an outlet through your subconscious mind.
Despite their bad reputation, they are no different from other dreams. In fact, what constitutes a "nightmare" varies from person to person, and from dream to dream. And Remember, nightmares are not real and they cannot hurt you. Dreaming about something scary does not mean it will happen in real life. You may believe that nightmares are a side effect of normal physiological processes, a message from a higher power or your subconscious mind's way of communicating with you. Whatever the case, just know that your nightmares are only as powerful as you make them.
Article Written By J. Foley
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