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Dealing With Bad Dreams And Nightmares

Everyone has had a nightmare at one time or another, especially during childhood. Most children do experience nightmares during the developmental years of 3 to 8 years old. Bad dreams are so common among children that they are considered to be a normal part of growing up and treatment is not required unless the dreams are repeated and very distressing. Children often have nightmares about monsters or scary animals and the same type of dream manifests in adults as being chased by people or a person. Adults too have occasional nightmares and that is considered normal. In fact, up to 10% of adults report having nightmares as often as once a month.

Nightmares can be triggered by many different things. Medications or illegal drugs might be a cause as well as suddenly stopping drugs or alcohol. High fever and illness can also cause bad dreams. In children, bad dreams are often a result of learning to deal with fears which are a normal part of growing up. Additionally, trauma such as surgery, death of a loved one, accidents, assault, and war can cause nightmares. Stress is often a culprit in bad dreams also; worry over finances, health issues and relationships can manifest nightmares, and as such, more sensitive individuals might experience more instances of bad dreams and nightmares than other people.

It is usually fairly easy to determine the cause of your nightmares. If it isn't obvious, then you should talk with your doctor to find out if the cause might be a medication you are on. Children should be encouraged to talk about the nightmares, but if the bad dreams are very distressing for them or they occur very often, then you should discuss the situation with your child's doctor.

Nightmares can actually be useful in that they help both adults and children to process trauma that has occurred and can be a normal part of the process of healing. Nightmares can be made less distressing by talking about them. Children can be encouraged to draw pictures of the dream to make the monsters seem less scary.

We all dream, even if the dreams are not remembered, and we all occasionally have nightmares. These bad dreams are often just the result of the subconscious trying to deal with the various fears and stressors that arise in daily life. Bad dreams are usually not a cause for alarm, but if you have any concerns, discuss it with your doctor. A simple adjustment to your medications may be all it takes to put a stop to the nightmares. In some cases, it might help you to see a therapist to get to the cause of the nightmares so you can work through the issues which trigger them.