Really, really Disturbing Dreams.

[ChrisC]

I'm currently taking Beta Blockers 40mg morning, 40mg at night. I think I'm going to forgo the night dose as I'm getting really intense nightmares. I'm also looking very tired. I read that Beta Blockers lower the brains natural release of Melatonin. So I'm going to take only 40mg in the morning.

[ChrisC]

I mean, why the dreams? I don't understand it. They don't effect the brain, just the heart...do they?

[admin]

You do understand that you need to ask these questions of a psychologist?

That said, as a layman, it seems to me that since dreams only exist in the brain, they reflect the current state of the brain. I don't see any reason why the couldn't also change the state of the brain.

I gather that these nightmares are something you would like to avoid -- I have to ask, because most of my own dreams are pleasant -- the closest I've come to a nightmare is when I dreamed somebody I loved had died, and even then the strongest memory of the dream was how releaved I was when I woke up and realized it was only a dream.

You asked earlier if you needed talk therapy as well as meds. I would guess the nightmares are a sign that you need both.

[ChrisC]

Yes my wife keeps telling me this. I guess I need to apologise to you people for using you for talk therapy. I'm just waiting for the new meds to kick in, because when they do I might not need a therapist.

[admin]

Most people enjoy playing The Lone Psychitrist (are you familiar with that character created by, I think, Stan Freeberg?) But keep in mind we're just chatting. Don't use our chat to enable your tendency toward magic thinking. You need a therapist.