Multi-component treatment for posttraumatic nightmares in Vietnam veterans: two case studies. 2010

Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Posttraumatic nightmares (PTNMs) are trauma-related distressing dreams that cause a person to wake up. PTNMs can be a devastating addition to the clinical picture of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), because they can result in increased levels of PTSD symptoms and overall distress and decreased sleep; they are also often resistant to typical PTSD treatments. While specialized treatments have been developed and empirically examined in the civilian population, these treatments have not been thoroughly explored with the Veteran population, despite the fact that 50%-88% of Vietnam Veterans experience chronic PTNMs. This article presents two case reports involving Vietnam Veterans. These reports describe the initial investigation of a variant of a treatment that has been successful in treating chronic PTNMs in the civilian population and has been modified to meet the needs of the Veteran population. Analyses revealed that both Veterans reported moderate reductions in sleep disturbances over the course of treatment, as well as clinically significant reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms across assessments. These preliminary findings provide encouraging data that warrant further study. Limitations and future research are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007171 Implosive Therapy A method for extinguishing anxiety by a saturation exposure to the feared stimulus situation or its substitute. Flooding Therapy,Flooding, Imaginal,Exposure Therapy,Imaginal Flooding,Therapy, Implosive,Exposure Therapies,Flooding Therapies,Floodings, Imaginal,Imaginal Floodings,Implosive Therapies,Therapies, Exposure,Therapies, Flooding,Therapies, Implosive,Therapy, Exposure,Therapy, Flooding
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D012064 Relaxation Therapy Treatment to improve one's health condition by using techniques that can reduce PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS; PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS; or both. Relaxation Techniques,Therapeutic Relaxation,Ecotherapy,Nature Therapy,Relaxation Technics,Therapy, Relaxation,Ecotherapies,Nature Therapies,Relaxation Technic,Relaxation Technique,Relaxation, Therapeutic,Technic, Relaxation,Technique, Relaxation,Techniques, Relaxation,Therapy, Nature
D004325 Dreams A series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep which are dissociated from the usual stream of consciousness of the waking state. Nightmares,Dream,Nightmare
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001521 Behavior Therapy The application of modern theories of learning and conditioning in the treatment of behavior disorders. Behavior Change Techniques,Behavior Modification,Behavior Treatment,Conditioning Therapy,Therapy, Behavior,Therapy, Conditioning,Behavior Change Technique,Behavior Modifications,Behavior Therapies,Conditioning Therapies,Modification, Behavior,Technique, Behavior Change,Treatment, Behavior
D012893 Sleep Wake Disorders Abnormal sleep-wake schedule or pattern associated with the CIRCADIAN RHYTHM which affect the length, timing, and/or rigidity of the sleep-wake cycle relative to the day-night cycle. Sleep Disorders,Long Sleeper Syndrome,Short Sleep Phenotype,Short Sleeper Syndrome,Sleep-Related Neurogenic Tachypnea,Subwakefullness Syndrome,Disorder, Sleep,Disorder, Sleep Wake,Disorders, Sleep,Disorders, Sleep Wake,Long Sleeper Syndromes,Neurogenic Tachypnea, Sleep-Related,Neurogenic Tachypneas, Sleep-Related,Phenotype, Short Sleep,Phenotypes, Short Sleep,Short Sleep Phenotypes,Short Sleeper Syndromes,Sleep Disorder,Sleep Phenotypes, Short,Sleep Related Neurogenic Tachypnea,Sleep Wake Disorder,Sleep-Related Neurogenic Tachypneas,Sleeper Syndrome, Long,Sleeper Syndrome, Short,Sleeper Syndromes, Long,Sleeper Syndromes, Short,Subwakefullness Syndromes,Syndrome, Long Sleeper,Syndrome, Short Sleeper,Syndrome, Subwakefullness,Syndromes, Long Sleeper,Syndromes, Short Sleeper,Syndromes, Subwakefullness,Tachypnea, Sleep-Related Neurogenic,Tachypneas, Sleep-Related Neurogenic,Wake Disorder, Sleep,Wake Disorders, Sleep
D013313 Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic A class of traumatic stress disorders with symptoms that last more than one month. Moral Injury,Neuroses, Post-Traumatic,PTSD,Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders,Acute Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Delayed Onset Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Neuroses, Posttraumatic,Posttraumatic Stress Disorders,Stress Disorder, Post Traumatic,Stress Disorders, Posttraumatic,Acute Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Delayed Onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,Injury, Moral,Moral Injuries,Neuroses, Post Traumatic,Post Traumatic Stress Disorders,Post-Traumatic Neuroses,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,Posttraumatic Neuroses,Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,Stress Disorder, Post-Traumatic,Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic
D014728 Veterans Former members of the armed services. Veteran

Related Publications

Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
January 1987, The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
June 2009, Journal of traumatic stress,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
December 2010, Journal of clinical psychopharmacology,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
April 1991, Psychological reports,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
July 1997, Journal of traumatic stress,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
April 1992, International journal of group psychotherapy,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
May 2011, Journal of anxiety disorders,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
January 1983, American journal of psychotherapy,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
November 1982, Hospital & community psychiatry,
Jill Wanner, and Mary E Long, and Ellen J Teng
January 1987, Journal of emergency nursing,
Copied contents to your clipboard!