Mental health professionals have long wondered about the
relationship between nightmares and mental health. An article published in
Medical News Today June 11, 2009, “Nightmares Predict Elevated Suicidal
Symptoms,” examines this issue. The article reports on a research abstract presented
at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep
Societies. The researchers studied, “…82 men and women between the ages of 18
and 66, who were in a community mental health hospital admissions unit awaiting
an emergency psychiatric evaluation. Evaluations determined eligibility for
crisis stabilization inpatient admittance. Patients' nightmares, insomnia,
depression and suicidal tendencies were assessed through several
questionnaires, including the Disturbing Dreams and Nightmare Severity Index,
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck
Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS).” The results of the study were concerning.
“Results indicate that severe nightmares were independently associated with elevated
suicidal symptoms after accounting for the influence of depression, whereas
symptoms of insomnia were not. These findings suggest that nightmares stand
alone as a suicide risk factor.” There are several important implications of
this study. First, individuals whoa are experiencing chronic and persistent
nightmares who immediately consult with a mental health professional to
determine their risk of developing suicidal thinking. Second, mental health
professionals who treat patients who are experiencing suicidal thinking should
screen for the presence of nightmares. Third, public health professionals
should increase their efforts to educate that public about the relationship
between nightmares and suicidal thinking. The researches conclude, “Sleep disturbances,
especially nightmares, appear to be an acute warning sign and risk factor for
suicide….Given that poor sleep is amenable to treatment, and less stigmatized
than depression and suicide, our findings could impact standardized suicide
risk assessment and prevention efforts."
The Bottom Line: The results of this study strongly suggest that nightmares are a risk factor for suicidal thinking.
Reference: Original article
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Sources: See blogposts in Psychiatric Disorders: General, Depression
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