How To Overcome Your Nightmares – Rescript Them
Anyone can have nightmares for any reason. But some things that can cause nightmares are anxiety, depression, medications, pain and even eating too soon before you go to bed.
Nightmares are common in people who have had a traumatic experience. In these cases, the nightmares tend to be recurring with either the same series of events happening each and every time or the same theme. When people have recurring nightmares multiple times a week, it can become so distressing that it can make you not want to go to sleep.
If you’ve experienced trauma and have distressing memories and nightmares, it’s best you see a therapist for trauma therapy. Trauma is best managed with specific therapy to help your brain reprocess the experience.
Here are the steps
Nevertheless, here is an exercise that you can do on your own. It’s called exposure, relaxation and rescripting therapy. It’s a type of cognitive behavior therapy and a technique that’s used in dialectical behavior therapy. Rescripting your nightmare is a way to retrain your brain on how to handle the traumatic experience that keeps re-visiting you in your dreams.
Step 1 Engage in relaxing activity
Step 2 Choose recurring nightmare
Step 3 Write out the script
Step 4 Identify the worst point
Step 5 Write desired emotion
Step 6 Change the worst moment
Step 7 Read Script aloud repeatedly
Step 8 Read or listen to script before bed, then repeat relaxing activity
Here’s a guide to help you rescript your dreams.
Click the image to download
Get a guided progressive muscle relaxation meditation. Enter your name and email below and I’ll send it to you.
References
Davis JL. Treating Post-Trauma Nightmares: A Cognitive Behavioral Approach. New York: Springer; 2009.
Hello, the link to download the guide and relaxation isn’t working:(
Hi Bara I’m having trouble with Amazon storage. I’m working on it. Please check back another day
Bara the link is working now
I’ve never understood my mental health better thanks to you.
Been struggling with nightmares for two weeks and over eating.I’m on 100mg Prozac and 50mg Quetiapine.
Any advice???
Thanks once again
Hi! The download for the script doesn’t seem to be working.
Hi Jennifer. Sorry about that, it’s fixed now.
This has been one of the most complete and easily understood You Tube channel for mental health. Thank you so much!. I suffer from Complex Trauma, Complex PTSD, Insomnia, frequent nightmares which I can actually feel as if they are happening to me and are not dreams. I was also diagnosed last September with OCD (germs), agoraphobia, and Bipolar with hypomania. I have battled depression for years, and when I feel better. I can spend excessive amounts of money in one day. I have multiple health problems. Up until the last couple of years. I was highly functional. Unfortunately, the last few years, my mental health declined significantly. To the point of hospitalization for 3 suicide attempts in 1 month. I attempted suicide again last year. I hated my job, my life and was losing friends left and right. I had very little contact with my family. I no longer work. I do have a Psychiatrist and a therapist. And I am working hard to regain control over my life and reconnect with family and friends. Thanks again for your videos. I really appreciate your help. Yes this is probably more than you were expecting. Another one of my disorders. Not exactly sure where it fits in.
Thanks for sharing Elana. Boy you have had quite a journey. I’m sorry things declined for you the way they did. I’m glad though you’re in active treatment. You can build yourself back up. Thanks for watching my videos. I hope they continue to help you. I wish you the best.
YOu are amazing! Thank you for all your work and dedication.
Thanks so much and thanks for watching.