Definition of nightmare?

[Into The Light]

i am curious to see what is considered a nightmare and what isn't. i always thought that nightmares were terrifying dreams that wake you up. if there is any kind of fear involved does that make a dream a nightmare? or can one distinguish between nightmares and dreams in which you are afraid?

 

[Retired]

Ladybug,

I am looking forward to learn more about the question you asked.

i always thought that nightmares were terrifying dreams that wake you up.

My nightmares don't usually wake me up, but they do wake up my wife

My nightmares usually set me off into a flurry of kicking in bed, waking up my startled wife...who in turn wakes me up.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I generally think of a nightmare as something that is disturbing, eliciting some kind of distress or anxiety or fear, whether or not it wakes you up. Some dreams that I've considered nightmares are more weird than objectively frightening but while I'm in the dream they are disturbing and unsettling. Sometimes, that feeling persists after the dream and sometimes it stops once I wake up.

See nightmares.

 

[braveheart]

For me a nightmare involves reminders of having been bullied or when we were burgled twice when I was 16. They're connected with my PTSD. I guess people without PTSD have nightmares.....

 

[Into The Light]

i have a lot of dreams that i categorized as just bad dreams but never considered them to be in the category of nightmares. i guess i am wondering what intensity of fear you need to be feeling before it is classified as a nightmare. it seems like practically all of the dreams i remember are just really unpleasant when i remember them, but while actually dreaming i am afraid of what is going on. lately though these dreams have been making me angry upon waking because i'm fed up with always being in life-threatening situations. anyway, just wondering if that would count as a nightmare or not. i didn't think they did because i don't wake up paralysed with fear or anything like that. i've only had a handful of those during my life.

 

[ladylore]

i have a lot of dreams that i categorized as just bad dreams but never considered them to be in the category of nightmares. i guess i am wondering what intensity of fear you need to be feeling before it is classified as a nightmare. it seems like practically all of the dreams i remember are just really unpleasant when i remember them, but while actually dreaming i am afraid of what is going on. lately though these dreams have been making me angry upon waking because i'm fed up with always being in life-threatening situations. anyway, just wondering if that would count as a nightmare or not. i didn't think they did because i don't wake up paralysed with fear or anything like that. i've only had a handful of those during my life.

I would think this is a nightmare LB, especially since they cause you some distress upon waking.

I have to admit I have been having the same dilemma lately. What I have classified as disturbing dreams my new therapist catagorizes them as nightmares. And what I thought didn't happen too much anymore happens on quite a frequent basis.

 

[Into The Light]

i remember having "normal" dreams but i can't remember the last time when i had one of those. it's to the point now that i don't even want to know what i've dreamt.

interesting you are experiencing something similar.

 

[ladylore]

i remember having "normal" dreams but i can't remember the last time when i had one of those. it's to the point now that i don't even want to know what i've dreamt.

interesting you are experiencing something similar.

I do still have "normal" dreams but since I have become clean and sober they are so much more vivid.

More times then not I wake up shaking my head "What the heck was that about?!" They tend to stay in the range of bizzare to disturbing. I wish I had more of the calming plesant ones.