Multimodal behavioral treatment of nonrepetitive, treatment-resistant nightmares: a case report.

A 23-year-old woman who had experienced nightmares for 17 years was treated with a combination of relaxation procedures, a mnemonic to increase lucid dreaming, and dream rehearsal upon waking from a nightmare. Unlike typical nightmares reported in the literature, hers lacked a common theme and did not respond to several frequently used techniques. Previous treatment episodes had not affected the incidence of the nightmares, but the combination approach resulted in a sharp decrease in nightmare frequency within four sessions. Further improvement was reported over the next nine months as additional techniques were introduced, and the gains were maintained during a nine-month follow-up.

Study at a glance

Abstract

A 23-yr.-old young woman presenting with a 17-yr. history of nightmares was treated with a variety of behavioral and self-regulatory techniques. The nightmares were unusual in that they did not have an obviously common theme as in most published reports, and, therefore, did not readily lend themselves to several frequently used techniques. Although previous treatment episodes had not affected the incidence of the nightmares, a combination of relaxation procedures, a mnemonic to increase lucid dreaming, and dream rehearsal upon waking from a nightmare resulted in a sharp decrease in the frequency of nightmares in four sessions. Further improvement was reported over the next nine months as additional techniques were introduced and other problems treated, and was maintained during a 9-mo. follow-up.