Pilot Study: Brief Posttrauma Nightmare Treatment for Persons With Bipolar Disorder
Dreaming (New York, N.Y.) June 1, 2018 K. Miller, Joanne L. Davis, J. Rhudy
A modified version of exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy (ERRT-B) reduced nightmare frequency and severity in seven trauma-exposed individuals with bipolar disorder who had experienced frequent posttrauma nightmares for an average of 16 years. After five weeks of treatment, large improvements were seen in nightmare frequency, nightmare severity, and PTSD symptoms, with six participants reporting no nightmares at the three-month follow-up. Improvements in depression, global sleep quality, and insomnia severity were mixed. The findings suggest ERRT-B may be clinically useful for treating trauma-related nightmares in people with bipolar disorder and warrant further research.