Nightmare Rescripting: Using Imagery Techniques to Treat Sleep Disturbances in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Marzia Albanese, Marianna Liotti, Lucia Cornacchia, Francesco Mancini
Frontiers in Psychiatry April 4, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.866144 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Imagery Rehearsal Therapy |
| Topics | Anxiety Dreaming PTSD |
| Keywords | Distressing Clinical psychology Guided imagery Population Psychological intervention Psychotherapist Sleep disorder Cognition |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key findings | Imagery Rehearsal Therapy is the best empirically supported technique for treating traumatic sleep disturbances, including nightmares in PTSD. |
Abstract
Besides affecting 8% of the general population, nightmares are one of the most frequent symptoms of traumatized individuals. This can be a significant factor in the treatment of post-traumatic disorders; indeed, several studies demonstrated its strong predictive and prognostic value. Sleep disorders, nightmares in particular, could be very distressing for individuals and need targeted interventions, especially if they are associated with a PTSD diagnosis. To date, the best technique for the treatment of traumatic sleep disturbances seems to be Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), an empirically supported method. Through a review of the literature on this matter, this article aims to outline the incidence and consequences of nightmares in PTSD, illustrate how IRT could prove useful in their treatment, and investigate its clinical applications.