Nightmare disorder

• A. Repeated occurrences of extended, extremely dysphoric, and well-remembered dreams that usually involve efforts to avoid threats to survival, security, or physical integrity

and that generally occur during the second half of the major sleep episode.

AND

• B.On awakening from the dysphoric dreams, the individual rapidly becomes oriented and alert.

AND

• C.The sleep disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational,or other important areas of functioning.

AND

• D.The nightmare symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication).

AND

• E.Coexisting mental and medical disorders do not adequately explain the predominant complaint of dysphoric dreams.

Specify if:

• During sleep onset

Specify if:

• With associated non-sleep disorder, including substance use disorders
• With associated other medical condition
• With associated other sleep disorder

Specify if:

• Acute: Duration of period of nightmares is 1 month or less.

• Subacute: Duration of period of nightmares is greater than 1 month but less than 6 months.

• Persistent: Duration of period of nightmares is 6 months or greater.

Specify current severity:

Severity can be rated by the frequency with which the nightmares occur:

• Mild: Less than one episode per week on average.

• Moderate: One or more episodes per week but less than nightly.

• Severe: Episodes nightly.