Repeated nightmares
Definition
Repeated nightmares are bad dreams that recur frequently and involve the same theme.
Nightmares usually begin before the age of 10 and are considered a normal part of childhood, unless they significantly interfere with sleep, physical development, or psychosocial development. They tend to be more common in girls than in boys. Nightmares may continue into adulthood.
Repeated nightmares may also occur with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Nigthmares are different from night terrors.
Alternative Names
Nightmares - repeated; Dream anxiety disorder
Review Date:
4/11/2011
Reviewed By:
David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., Fred K. Berger, MD, Addiction and Forensic Psychiatrist, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, California.
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