1222 Does Creativity & “Dose” Enhance Outcomes in Imagery Rehearsal Therapy? A Case of Successful IRT
May 27, 2020 Alicia J Roth, M. Drerup
A 70-year-old man with Nightmare Disorder, longstanding depression, and OSA (using CPAP) who was skeptical about Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) self-initiated highly detailed, media-enhanced methods for pleasant guided imagery and nightmare re-scripting, including written narratives, voice recordings, and a movie of his re-scripted nightmare with pictures set to music, listening to recordings 2-3 times daily. At week 15, nightmare frequency dropped from 2.0 to 0.25 per night, sleep quality improved from 1.9/5 to 3/5, and insomnia severity decreased from moderately severe to subthreshold. Mood remained stable with mild depression. The case suggests that enhanced self-efficacy through detailed imagery may boost IRT's effectiveness.