constant nightmares?

I'm not diagnosed with anything, but was curious to know... Is there anything that can help prevent nightmares to any extent?

I have them almost nightly, and they can be rather scary/greusome.... however at this point in my life I've learned to "deal" almost.....

I know not to watch or read certain things before bed but is there anything I can do to condition myself not to have them so much?

[ILADVOCATE]

It depends whether the cause is psychological, psychiatric or neurological or caused by a specific medication as a side effect. Before anyone would know how to treat them they would have to understand where they are coming from. Sleep paralysis can cause nightmares as well. The only conclusive way to understand it is to have a sleep study as I did. Then they can see what is going on literally and do an EEG at the same time. Its an easy and not unpleasent procedure but that would only be done if they couldn't diagnose the cause by other means first. Speak to your doctor about it.

[martikadragoon]

Thanks, I'll have to talk to my PCP about it. I also deal with serious insomnia. Ive delt with it since I was a young teen and have stayed up for 72hrs easily before. (of course after about 48hrs my ability to function is practically gone), So when i'm not pregnant they have me on the higher dose of Ambiencr (can't remember the amt) and when pregnant ambien plain on occasion so I can at least get a couple nights quality sleep per week.

the time change is wreaking havoc on me because I feel about ready to drop by 8pm. (ok part of that may be hormones from being 33w pregnant and having a 14mo old, lol.)

[whisperwolf]

Have you had any significant trauma in your past?  
Very bad continual nightmares are one symptom of post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.  

Symptoms are:

Repeated "reliving" of the event, which disturbs day-to-day activity

Flashback episodes, where the event seems to be happening again and again
Recurrent distressing memories of the event
Repeated dreams of the event
Physical reactions to situations that remind you of the traumatic event
2. Avoidance

Emotional "numbing", or feeling as though you don’t care about anything
Feelings of detachment
Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma
Lack of interest in normal activities
Less expression of moods
Staying away from places, people, or objects that remind you of the event
Sense of having no future
3. Arousal

Difficulty concentrating
Exaggerated response to things that startle you
Excess awareness (hypervigilance)
Irritability or outbursts of anger
Sleeping difficulties
You also might feel a sense of guilt about the event (including "survivor guilt"), and the following symptoms, which are typical of anxiety, stress, and tension:

Agitation, or excitability
Dizziness
Fainting
Feeling your heart beat in your chest (palpitations)
Fever
Headache
Paleness

[drifter0213]

i can't sleep either

[doctora]

Me either. I am getting use to having nightmares. When I went away this weekend, I had a nightmare on Sat night. One of the people in my nightmare was my sister in-law, and when I woke up and went downstairs I was still mad at her. When I was telling her the story she said that I was looking at her as if I was going to kill her.
I hate waking up with anger, or sleeping with anger for that matter.