
What Causes Horrible Nightmares?

It may be due to some anxiety about your son.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to HCM.
I can understand your situation. Having nightmares about one's own son is distressing and can be terrifying.
Biologically, we usually get nightmares due to hyperactivity of brain.
In your case, you have nightmares about your son. This can be due to apprehension that something unexpected might happen or has happened (in past) to your son.
Nightmares are mostly linked to what we see, observe or think in our day to day life. It may also be related to major life events we have witnessed in past or expect to witness in future. Our brains remain restless and this hyperactivity is manifested as nightmare.
Sleep deprivation can precipitate nightmares. (Content could be anything).
I would like to know since when you have this problem? How it started?
Are you taking any medications?
Practice relaxation exercises like deep breathing and yoga. Take adequate sleep. You will be fine in some time.
Hope this helps you.
Any further queries are welcome.
Thanks.


Need some more details.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing a follow-up query.
I would like to ask a few more queries (requesting you to not feel offended):
1. Is there a history of some mishap with your kid or any dear ones before onset of your problem?
2. Do you have similar content of nightmare always?
3. You have mentioned that you have nightmares in day time. Does the content or theme of your dreams repeated in your conscious awareness or in your thoughts? If yes, are you able to control these thoughts?
4. Is the level of distress due to these nightmares affecting your activities of daily living, your mood?
Here, I would like to advise you to not worry regarding the content of your dreams. (In the sense you might be apprehensive that these dreams might not come true).
There are some psychological therapies (like image rehearsal therapy) which can help in dealing with nightmares. Psychotherapists can assist in this.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks.


This is more of a psychological health issue.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing in again.
I have thoroughly read the details which you have provided here.
With all these details in mind, i feel that you have developed obsessive thought ruminations over time. Initially you had nightmares which have now become intrusive thoughts.
You see your son dying and you cannot save him. This is making you unhappy over the time.
May I advice you to please visit a therapist as this can become a psychological disorder in future, if not managed properly at this point of time.
I think that you would need some psychological therapies like cognitive behavior therapy from a psychotherapist. This would help you to deal with nightmares and unhappiness.
Hope this helps you.
Any further queries are welcome.
Thanks.

Answered by

Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
