Long Term Reduction of Nightmares with Imagery Rehearsal Treatment

1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Krakow ◽  
Robert Kellner ◽  
Dorothy Pathak ◽  
Lori Lambert

An eighteen month follow-up of chronic nightmare sufferers treated with imagery rehearsal, a cognitive-behavioral method, demonstrated significant and clinically meaningful decreases in nightmare frequency. Sixty-eight percent of subjects decreased their nightmares below criteria for a “Chronic Nightmare Disorder”. Significant improvement was also noted for sleep quality and daytime anxiety. The findings support the theory that nightmares may be clinically conceptualized as a primary sleep disorder in some chronic sufferers.

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. e302
Author(s):  
M. Sforza ◽  
M. Poletti ◽  
L. Giarolli ◽  
A. Galbiati ◽  
S. Marelli ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S111-S112
Author(s):  
K.E. Veddegjaerde

IntroductionCognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been found to be an effective treatment of excessive health anxiety (HA), but the long-term effect over 18months has not been examined.ObjectivesSeveral studies have shown effect of CBT for HA-patients. However, these effects have been short or immediate after therapy. To our knowledge no studies have examined long-term effect of CBT for HA over 18 months.AimsTo investigate the long-term effect of CBT on HA, focusing on level of HA, quality of life, subjective health complaints and general anxiety. Follow-up time was at least 10 years. Our hypothesis was that the effect was sustained.MethodsPatients with HA received 16 sessions of CBT over a period of 12–18 months, and were followed up over at least 10 years. All patients fulfilled criteria for F45.2, hypochondriacal disorder according to ICD-10.The patients answered several questionnaires, exploring areas such as HA, Quality of life, somatization, and mental health problems. Questionnaires were answered before CBT, after CBT and at follow up. Mixed model analysis was performed in SPSS 23.0 for all questionnaires.ResultsAll scores were found to be significant in the Pre-CBT–Post-CBT and Pre-CBT–FU (0.034– < 0.001), and none were found to be significant in the Post-CBT–FU.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that for the majority of patients with HA, CBT has a significant and lasting long-term effect. This effect lasts up to ten years post therapy.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A467-A467
Author(s):  
Alicia J Roth ◽  
Michelle Drerup

Abstract Introduction Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) is an efficacious treatment for Nightmare Disorder. In IRT, patients practice pleasant guided imagery techniques, then use these skills to re-script recurring nightmares, which lowers the frequency and intensity of overall nightmare activity. However, the most efficacious methods and dosage of guided imagery and nightmare re-scripting is undetermined. Report of Case The patient was a 70-year-old male with Nightmare Disorder. Patient denied any precipitating event or trauma associated with nightmare onset. He has a longstanding history of depression and OSA (uses CPAP). He was taking Seroquel, which reduced severity of nightmares but not frequency. Trials of other medications for nightmares had failed (including prazosin, Depakote, and trazodone). Patient presented as highly distressed, exhibited distrust towards medical providers, and was skeptical about the effectiveness of IRT. Despite his skepticism, patient self-initiated very detailed and media-enhanced methods for pleasant guided imagery and nightmare re-scripting, including written narratives, voice recordings, and created a movie of his re-scripted nightmare with pictures set to music. He listened to the recordings 2-3x/day. Themes of nightmares included lack of mastery over problems; patient’s re-scripted dreams put him back in control of frightening scenarios. Nightmare logs at baseline showed sleep quality=1.9/5; average=2.0 nightmares/night; average intensity= 6.2/10. At week 15 of treatment, sleep quality=3/5; nightmares/night average=0.25; average intensity=6/10. Sleep disturbance also improved (ISI=18-moderately severe clinical insomnia to 11-subthreshold insomnia); mood was stable (PHQ=5-mild depression). Conclusion Previous studies have suggested that IRT increases patients’ sense of mastery or perceived self-efficacy over nightmares (Rousseau et al., 2018). Additionally, higher verbal memory in persons with trauma-related nightmares has been shown to improve nightmare frequency and severity in IRT (Scott et al., 2017). In this case study, self-efficacy may have been activated by the highly detailed and media-enhanced imagery the patient created. Further empirical research on the mechanisms for enhancing IRT is warranted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth von Brachel ◽  
Gerrit Hirschfeld ◽  
Arleta Berner ◽  
Ulrike Willutzki ◽  
Tobias Teismann ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Katrin Külz ◽  
Sarah Landmann ◽  
Magdalena Schmidt-Ott ◽  
Bartosz Zurowski ◽  
Andreas Wahl-Kordon ◽  
...  

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be effectively treated by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP). Yet, little is known about the long-term effects of inpatient CBT up to one decade after treatment. Thirty patients who had been treated with 12 weeks of intensive inpatient CBT with ERP were examined 8–10 years after their stay in hospital with regard to obsessive-compulsive symptoms, secondary outcomes, and use of healthcare services. Significant (p < .001) improvements in OC symptoms with medium and large effects compared to baseline on the Yale-Brown-Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and on the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI-R) could still be observed, with 20% of the patients reaching remission status. Continuation of exposure exercises after the inpatient stay was the sole significant factor for improved scores at follow-up. The results suggest that OCD does not necessarily take a chronic course. However, maintenance of exposure training seems to be crucial for sustained improvement.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Qing Liu ◽  
Zhi-Ji Chen ◽  
Gang Li ◽  
Dan Lai ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the early and sustained effects of tinnitus educational counseling on chronic primary tinnitus and related problems. A descriptive longitudinal cohort study was conducted with 159 adult patients suffering from chronic primary tinnitus and sleep problems. All patients received tinnitus educational counseling, sleep adjustment, and vegan dietary advice. At short-term assessment within 3 months and long-term follow-up at 6–26 months, perceived changes in tinnitus were assessed with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Tinnitus Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ), respectively. In TEQ, the volume of subjective tinnitus was scored according to realistic environments in which tinnitus could be heard. Sleep quality was assessed with questionnaires developed in our laboratory. Most of the subjects showed significant early improvement in their THI scores (96/159, 60.38%; from 46.11 ± 22.74 to 31.94 ± 20.41,t= 11.16,p< 0.001, Cohen’sd= 0.66). Tinnitus volume (39/159, 24.53%, from 2,2 to 2,1,z= -3.56,p< 0.001) and sleep quality (68/159, 42.77%; from 7.13 ± 3.11 to 6.31 ± 2.75,t= 3.73,p< 0.001, Cohen’sd= 0.28) were also improved. Long-term follow-up TEQ results indicated that tinnitus loudness, the impact of tinnitus on sleep, concentration, and emotional state were all improved since the prior consultation (p= 0.001, 0.026, 0.012, and <0.001). Short-term improvement of tinnitus severity correlated directly with improvement of sleep quality (odds ratio (OR) = 0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14–0.64,p= 0.002), initial THI score (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.04,p= 0.006), compliance with sleep advice (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.02–5.05,p= 0.044), and nervous disposition (OR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.25–6.30,p= 0.013). A future randomized controlled trial would be carried out to examine the effect of sole tinnitus educational counseling.


2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 1061-1071 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. V. W. McIntosh ◽  
F. A. Carter ◽  
C. M. Bulik ◽  
C. M. A. Frampton ◽  
P. R. Joyce

BackgroundFew data exist examining the longer-term outcome of bulimia nervosa (BN) following treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure with response prevention (ERP).MethodOne hundred and thirty-five women with purging BN received eight sessions of individual CBT and were then randomly assigned to either relaxation training (RELAX) or one of two ERP treatments, pre-binge (B-ERP) or pre-purge cues (P-ERP). Participants were assessed yearly following treatment and follow-up data were recorded.ResultsEighty-one per cent of the total sample attended long-term follow-up. At 5 years, abstinence rates from binging were significantly higher for the two exposure treatments (43% and 54%) than for relaxation (27%), with no difference between the two forms of exposure. Over 5 years, the frequency of purging was lower for the exposure treatments than for relaxation training. Rates of recovery varied according to definition of recovery. Recovery continued to increase to 5 years. At 5 years, 83% no longer met DSM-III-R criteria for BN, 65% received no eating disorder diagnosis, but only 36% had been abstinent from bulimic behaviors for the past year.ConclusionsThis study provides possible evidence of a conditioned inoculation from exposure treatment compared with relaxation training in long-term abstinence from binge eating at 5 years, and the frequency of purging over 5 years, but not for other features of BN. Differences among the groups were not found prior to 5 years. CBT is effective for BN, yet a substantial group remains unwell in the long term. Definition of recovery impacts markedly on recovery rates.


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