Does depression cause nightmares?

Lendi · 03-18-2004, 11:50 PM

I don't sleep well, ever and even take a prescription med for it every night. But, for the last few weeks I've been having the awfulest nightmares. Really scarey ones that I wake up from and am afraid to go back to sleep. Very violent. I'm also tearful a lot more than normal. I know that's a depression sign, but does anyone have nightmares with depression too? It's where I'm really dreading going to bed, but I know I can't go forever without sleeping. Scarey and dreading it. I haven't changed any midications or added any new supplements so it's not that. I'm not taking my celexa, but may have to. I just hate it! Just needed to vent a little and wondered if it happens to others. Lendi

bluedragonfly2000 · 03-19-2004, 12:01 AM

I find that when I get depressed or anxious my mind tries to cope with it while I sleep and sort it out. I too have an increase in nightmares when I am depressed/anxious. Right now I am struggling with anxiety and a lot of my dreams are anxiety based these days. Perhaps talk to your doctor about switching meds around. Perhaps try meditating before bed or doing something relaxing before bed to help calm yourself before sleep. Hopefully things will turn around for you and you will get back to your normal sleeping patterns.
Take care and stay safe,
Mel

Bethann · 03-19-2004, 12:05 AM

I suffered from severe depression (now treated on an ongoing basis), and had extremely severe, frequent, vivid nightmares, and would often wakeup screaming. I don't know for sure that the nightmares were related to the depression, but now that I'm doing better, they're mostly gone.

Also, if you're off your Celexa because of side effects, you might talk to you Dr. about switching to Lexapro -- it's basically a newer form of Celexa that is supposed to cause fewer side effects, and it has helped in my case.

Lendi · 03-19-2004, 12:32 AM

Thanks, somehow it's comforting to know that I'm not alone on this. Maybe more of an anxiety huh. Hadn't thought of that. I guess I'll have to cave and go see the dr soon if it doesn't get better. Lendi

hopeless · 03-19-2004, 05:02 PM

I've noticed that my dreams are more vivid (and a bit wierder) while I'm on wellbutrin. I don't have nightmares, but I do wake up panicked more often. Sometimes I don't know why, but other times I remember bits of dreams that have made me really nervous or scared.

I don't have any answers for you....but just wanted to let you know you aren't alone.

LaurieAnne83 · 03-24-2004, 02:39 AM

Hey!!! I have the same problem! I have severe depression..I've always had a wild imagination, but I hardly ever have dreams since I've grown up...but since I've startede trying different anti-depressants I've started having awful dreams!! Are you by any chance taking REMERON??? Cuz I was doing fine, and exactly when I started taking that I started getting them! They were awful when I was on it..so I stopped just because of that... I switched, and they are better, but every since Its opened some kind of weird door to me having bad nightmares I think....maybe its just a side effect of your medication..seriously

LaurieAnne83 · 03-24-2004, 02:45 AM

Woops! Somehow I missed the line abou tnot taking any medications.. I have been taking lexapro forever..then when I added remeron is when it gave me nightmares.. But yes, I think nightmares can be part of depression.. if youre not seeing anyone anymore about your depression.. you might tell them... When I told mine, she wasn't very helpful

She was like, oh well dreams can be good 'outlets' and I was like..no sorry, nightmares aren't outlets.. Has anything been going on that you feel bad about ..situations, people etc? I know this sounds a bit crazy, but there are free dream interpretation dictionaries online.. I didn't believe they were true at all until I described some crazy nightmares to my boyfriend, who thinks we all get very philosophical and symbolic with our dreams..anyway I had this dream where the blood was dripping down from the ceiling, then it started raining, and I was drowning in all the blood that washed over me like an ocean, thats not the whole dream by any means but that was probably the symbolic part, the dream dictionary talked about a lot of blood, or swimming in blood or drowning in it meaning that you have a lot of love of passion that can't get out and should be expressed! I was like wow..really I have symbolic dreams??? NO way! Maybe you should figure out what your dreams are telling you..

eutychus · 03-29-2004, 03:44 AM

Yes. Terrible nightmares. That was often a sign for me that my depression was taking a serious turn. I know what it's like to be too afraid to go to sleep. The other thing I learned in therapy for depression was that old traumas, old anxieties, and current anxieties were often the impetus for the nightmares and they showed up when they did because depression made me too exhausted to keep pushing them down where I wouldn't remember. Scott Peck, in his book The Road Less Travelled calls things like nightmares agents of grace because they let us know that what's happening on the outside and what's happening in our subconscious do not line up. Therapy helped me tremendously and I haven't had the repetitive kind of nightmare in years. Therapy is a scary road, but one worth taking.

jlucy · 04-04-2004, 03:09 AM

my boyfriend is depressed and has nightmares but takes them quite seriously. I have them somtimes too but I forget most of my dreams after I've been awake for a while and even when I don't, I realize they are just dreams. He doesn't. He gets really upset by them. I am glad that he is seeing a psychiatrist now as I really hope it will help him.