Research Interview

Interview: Dark Dreams

My topic is about Dream Anxiety Disorder also known as dream anxiety disorder, is a terrifying disorder described by the occurrence of repeated dreams during which the sleeper feels threatened and terrified (Psychology Today). I choose to interview Casey because my professor told me about how Casey experienced this disorder. Caseys information is contributing to my paper because it supports most of my claims.

 Question #1. What is Dream Anxiety Disorder? Frequent dreams that bring out strong feelings of fear, terror, distress or anxiety. 

Question #2. How would you describe your nightmares? They feel more vivid or intense when I have a bad dream in comparison to a good dream. The content of the dream is inconsistent and has little logic. Most of what happens is nonsense, but sometimes there are scary parts which cause stress. I feel the sensation of falling or pulling which causes further confusion. My nightmares are sometimes different from other dreams because they cause me to makeup in the middle of the night.       

Question #3. How experiencing this recurrent dreams affect you/ physically/ emotionally?     

Well, I don't suffer from recurrent dreams (at least none that I know of at the moment). I have had dreams which seem similar and visit common places or common themes, but they are usually different and distinct for one another. Each instance having similar visual or emotional cues but not starting or ending in the same exact way.

If I have a nightmare where I experience déjà vu I actually feel more scared. In the beginning there is a calmness in the initial familiarity with the situation; however, as the dream goes on and changes I become more and more alarmed about how and why the dream is different from what I am expecting next. I feel paralyzed in a sort of way. As the dream plays on I have no control over what happens next. I float through the motions of the dream as if I had experienced the sensation before. Yet, I can't remember what is about to happen or why I am doing what I'm doing. I have no control over my actions as is seems someone exterior to my consciousnesses is driving the story forward. I'm forced to experience the dream in an unknown sequence along with its consequences. A complete mystery. Frightening feelings grow as I feel an unknown danger is approaching.

I'd rather not get into too much more detail. More or less I feel a combination of overwhelming powerlessness and a powerful sensation of vulnerability. These feeling can make me feel weak and ashamed of myself. I can't control the dream which makes me feel out of control and guilty. I wake with a sinking impression that something will go wrong in my day and that the next mistake or bad things is waiting right around the corner.
Question #4. Do you notice a pattern in it/ how often it happens? When I sleep less I don't remember the dreams. Physical health along with emotional health both play a part in the nightmares. When I am physically ill or sick I feel anxious, nervous and suspicious. In my waking hours I distress from emotional stress which causes premature panic, frenzies and sometimes discomfort. In-turn I have more terrifying dreams which lead to fear of sleeping. In some cases I have gone days without sleeping out of fear of returning to a disturbing dream.      

Question#5. Does it happen after you do certain activities? I'd rather not say.     

Question #6. If you don't mind me asking, have you had a traumatic past? Yes.

Question #7. If you don't mind me asking, would you tell me more about your traumatic past? ……………(did not respond)

Question #8. Have you received any treatments for it, if yes what type of treatment and has it been working? Yes and know. I have seen counselors and therapists, but have recently realized most mental health professionals are actually not trained to treat specialty disorders. Until last month I was unaware that I have not received full health care to help treat my anxiety.

Question #9. What have you tried that had increased your symptoms or decrease your symptoms? Eating a well balanced diet at appropriate hours of the day helps. Eating before bed can sometimes have strange effects. I've found no correlation between eating food before bed and having bad dreams, but I do know I sleep less soundly.      

Question #10. Did you experience nightmares when you were a child ? Yes.

                                                            Work cited

Diaz,Casey. Personal Interview. 20 November 2017.