What Can Cause PTSD Nightmares and How Can it Be Treated? | Forge Health (2024)

What Can Cause PTSD Nightmares and How Can it Be Treated? | Forge Health (1)

There are myriad ways to support a person in recovery. Working through addiction recovery, including mental health issues, is taxing no matter how long the person struggled with addiction.

Treatment should be designed as an individual approach, with a holistic mindset focused on the mind, body, and spiritual approach to healing. Uniquely caring for each person’s journey ensures a long journey of healing that continues to grow stronger each day. With a multidisciplinary approach, a suitable treatment plan is necessary that follows the person from assessment to aftercare programming. Find out more about how the multidisciplinary approach works and how to find hope in recovery.

The Right Approach

A multidisciplinary approach works for many different reasons. This method helps people in recovery get a different perspective on the issues they face, from substance abuse to mental health issues. Because drug or alcohol addiction can coexist with other medical and health needs, a variety of approaches are needed to treat co-occurring disorders. People who are most likely to benefit from this type of approach range from those who experience:

  • Withdrawal from drugs or alcohol
  • Addictive behaviors and attitudes that need adjustment
  • Depression, anger, grief, or trauma from the past that was never dealt with
  • Physical and mental health challenges

The right approach is the right one for each individual’s circ*mstances and story. It is not the right approach for many people as what is right for one is not right for all. A good approach will co-create an approach with that person’s personal needs in mind using treatment professionals from various perspectives that will aid in healing.

Team of Professionals

A multidisciplinary approach requires a team of people who can help a person heal from addiction. With this approach, treatment begins at intake. It starts with making sure from the start a person has the right focus on their personalized plan for healing. Working with a team of professionals is the key to healing from addiction, especially in the beginning. Upon arrival at a treatment center, there will be a thorough assessment that puts together a personal evaluation, along with vital signs, to design the best experience possible. Healing from addiction is a very personal experience for each person. They bring their own challenges to the table, including drug and alcohol addiction histories, trauma, mental health challenges, and physical issues that need support. A multidisciplinary approach brings in medical staff for medical issues, mental health staff to support those conditions, and people experienced in the treatment of co-occurring disorders. Any center focused on this approach is going to provide a thorough perspective on healing that is necessary to progress in recovery.

Why it Works

Substance use disorders and mental health challenges impact a person’s life but also derail relationships and support networks. A team that is focused on bringing healing to all parts of a person’s life will focus on various aspects and how to start integrating those into their healing journey. An understanding of the medical, cultural, and psychological causes of addiction will help a person handle the challenges of life outside the walls of recovery. A multidisciplinary approach might work for someone with addiction if:

  • Outpatient programs have not worked in the past. Treatment and therapy groups can work for some people, but a multidisciplinary approach brings in people from outside the usual perspective on recovery and helps them see addiction from a variety of angles that may not have been experienced in the past
  • The roots of addiction run deeper than previously thought. With the right tools and support, a person can dive deeper than they may have gotten before when trying to uncover the root causes of their addiction. Medical and therapeutic staff can address co-occurring disorders that support treatment of the whole problem, instead of just one piece of the puzzle.
  • The support network has not been strong in the past. If a person has tried to fight addiction recovery alone or feels they are not able to get the right help, a multidisciplinary team is more focused and intentional on how to help manage all aspects of addiction. This ensures a person is not alone throughout the process and will be able to focus on a wide variety of options for growth and healing.

Hope for Healing

A team of people who are trusted can bring a deeper perspective to someone’s journey of recovery. Long-term healing is focused on mind, body, and spiritual growth. From admission to aftercare, a concrete plan helps design the best experience but support them when they go into the real world after rehab. Everyone will need something different. With participation in a multidisciplinary approach, an individual can get the help they need for substance abuse and mental health issues that move them forward and find hope for tomorrow.

April 20, 2020

6 mins read

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  • Mental Health
  • Treatment

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What Can Cause PTSD Nightmares and How Can it Be Treated? | Forge Health (2024)

FAQs

What is the best treatment for PTSD nightmares? ›

Your review notes that imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) is considered the “preferred empiric treatment” for PTSD-related nightmares. What is IRT? In terms of drugs, the alpha-1 blocker prazosin has been widely used in VA to help ease PTSD nightmares.

How do you treat PTSD nightmares naturally? ›

Yoga, deep-breathing exercises and vitamin supplementation are some natural treatments for PTSD that show promise. Medical cannabis has been shown to help with several PTSD symptoms, including hyperarousal, troubled sleep and nightmares. It may also help with comorbid conditions such as anxiety and depression.

What can trigger PTSD nightmares? ›

PTSD nightmares are often triggered by traumatic experiences and flashbacks. These can be caused by a range of traumatic events, including injury, death, and exposure to violence or natural disasters. Flashbacks can be triggered by sights, sounds, smells, or thoughts that remind you of the traumatic event.

How do you stop trauma induced nightmares? ›

An individual evaluation would be important to address if medication is necessary and to rule out any health risks. If trauma-related nightmares persist, here are specific evidence-based treatments to address them: Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) and. Exposure, rescripting, and relaxation therapy (ERRT).

What medication decreases nightmares in PTSD? ›

One possible medical treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) nightmares is the drug prazosin. It can relax the muscles and reduce blood pressure and may decrease the number of nightmares a person has. PTSD can occur following a traumatic event.

Will my PTSD nightmares ever go away? ›

Nightmares may also represent a breakdown in the body's ability to process trauma. Fortunately, for most people trauma-related nightmares subside after a few weeks or months.

How do you stop stress induced nightmares? ›

Do quiet, calming activities — such as reading books, doing puzzles or soaking in a warm bath — before bed. Meditation, deep breathing or relaxation exercises may help, too. Also, make the bedroom comfortable and quiet for sleep.

How do you stop night terrors with PTSD? ›

The most important treatment for night terrors is addressing the underlying condition. For someone with PTSD, this means regular therapy, trauma-focused therapy, and in some cases medications.

Is PTSD a mental illness? ›

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Is PTSD a disability? ›

You may be eligible for disability compensation if you have symptoms related to a traumatic event (the “stressor”) or your experience with the stressor is related to the PTSD symptoms, and you meet both of these requirements.

Are nightmares a warning? ›

While in many cases, a dream is just a dream, for some, nightmares can be warnings of an underlying mental health disorder, medical condition or need for reflection and change. Find a supportive therapist who can help with anxiety.

How do I self help PTSD nightmares? ›

What Helps With PTSD Nightmares? You can make sure your bedroom is not too cold or too hot; start a nightly relaxation routine to prepare for sleep; ensure there isn't light in your room keeping you from sleeping deeply; exercise daily; talk about your dreams; and engage in Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT).

Should you wake someone up from a PTSD nightmare? ›

Don't Wake Them Up

However, it's important not to wake them up and allow them to work through the episode. They're more likely to forget the dream if they can sleep through it. Waking them up in the middle of a nightmare can be jarring, making it difficult for them to forget the imagery or get back to sleep.

What are the 17 PTSD symptoms? ›

Let's look at the 17 most common symptoms of PTSD.
  • Intrusive Thoughts. ...
  • Nightmares. ...
  • Avoiding Reminders of the Event. ...
  • Memory Loss. ...
  • Negative Thoughts About Self and the World. ...
  • Self-Isolation; Feeling Distant. ...
  • Anger and Irritability. ...
  • Reduced Interest in Favorite Activities.
Mar 14, 2024

What is an alternative to prazosin for PTSD nightmares? ›

Antihypertensive drug doxazosin may serve as a viable alternative treatment for PTSD-related nightmares while improving on the risk of incident hypotension associated with prazosin, according to new data.

What sleep aid helps with PTSD nightmares? ›

Prazosin is recommended as a first-line agent in sleep disturbances in PTSD with an average dose for men at 16 mg and for women, 7 mg titrated over 5 weeks. Trazodone can be used in patients with initial-sleep insomnia with PTSD at a starting dose of 50 mg. Avoid benzodiazepines due to its abuse potential.

Does Xanax help with PTSD nightmares? ›

A doctor may give you benzodiazepines—or "benzos"—for sleep or anxiety symptoms. Benzos are not recommended for PTSD.

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