Posts Tagged ‘dream revision therapy’

How to Change Your PTSD Habits

Change Your PTSD Habits

The caudate nucleus, buried beneath the cerebral cortex, is involved in habit formation.  Evidence from brain imaging studies suggests that new habits may be established during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when our most vivid and…

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How to Change Your PTSD Nightmare

Radio

Michele Rosenthal is the lively and engaging hostess on a radio call-in show, “Changing Direction”, which airs on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2PM EST.  I have now appeared on her show three times in the past few months (February 6, May…

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Dreaming and Habit Formation

Dreaming and Habit Formation

The caudate nucleus of the brain, part of the basal ganglia buried beneath the cerebral cortex, is known to be involved in habit formation.  An example of habit formation comes from the field of navigation.  When we travel to a place…

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Why We Dream: Future, Present, or Past

One of the continuing mysteries about human existence is the topic of “why we dream”.  Dreaming is not unique to humans.  Mammals and birds probably dream as well, though we can’t be certain what they dream about.  The same is…

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Truth and Fiction

At first glance, truth and fiction appear to be opposites, but if we think of Fiction, including novels, plays, poems, then truth and (great) fiction may actually be synonyms.  Certainly there is truth in Tolstoy’s War and Peace,…

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Spirituality and Dream Revision

Self-awareness — our sense of who we are — is one of our most prized possessions.  Our well-developed sense of self may historically have led human beings to create and embrace the major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam,…

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Take Control of your Triggers

In the world of PTSD sufferers, a “trigger” is a sensory experience (a sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or pain) that brings back (or “triggers”) memories of their original trauma.  The memories, in turn, trigger flashbacks, and…

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Moral Injury and PTSD

A recent article by Pauline Jelinek, Associated Press,  draws attention to “moral injury” from warfare.  My own experience working with Vietnam War veterans in San Diego supports many of Ms. Jelinek’s observations and conclusions….

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Dissociation and Dream Revision

Dissociation, in the realm of psychology, refers to detachment from one’s immediate surroundings.  Dissociation can range from mild to severe.  Mild dissociation takes the form of distractibility.  Severe dissociation may involve…

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Nightmares and Waking Life

Nightmares (during sleep) and flashbacks (during waking) are the hallmarks of PTSD.  Some people with PTSD are more troubled by nightmares, others by flashbacks.  Many people with PTSD are troubled by both.  Daytime “triggers” can…

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