Fear memories can be overcome during sleep, researchers say

The Washington Post

It can take only an instant for fear to take hold in the brain: a fear of snakes after being bitten by one, or anxiety around bodies of water after witnessing a drowning.

Overcoming that fear can take a long time, but now researchers are saying it can be done in your sleep. Scientists at Northwestern University say they have lowered levels of fear in people by using certain odors to trigger and rechannel frightening memories into harmless ones during a deep slumber.

Peer Reviewed (PAYWALL)

Interesting way to beat phobias over some other desensitization techniques however this looks like it would only work in controlled environments. How would they associate smells with certain phobias? Would the subject be conditioned first?

reply to post by ATSmediaPRO


I can attest that this above is true.

ALL of my worries are worked out through my dreams. I cannot tell you how many recurring dreams I have when I am stressed out. It's like my brain is trying to help all it can to relieve tension. I grit my teeth sometimes when it's real bad to the point I will wake up and slide my tongue between my teeth so I won't do it. I then recall dreaming of a solution to the worry. It's sometimes... really cool!

Definitely should be some science to this.

Whether it be a stress with one of my kids or my boy friend or work, my dreams help relieve tension and also provide solutions. Strange... but true. lol

reply to post by ATSmediaPRO


You know, almost 20 years ago, I was being treated for severe PTSD after a violent assault accompanied with a head injury (the latter being the guarantee for PTSD). The method that my therapist, who specialized in PTSD, suggested for me? Using and seeing nightmares not as a re-opening of wounds but a path to desensitization of what had occurred and as the mind's way of dealing with it. She also encouraged me to practice lucid dreaming to take control. Eventually, in dreams of being attacked, I became a female warrior who could change her arm into a long blade that could slice a car in half. Silly, yes, but it worked. I still have PTSD but I haven't had flashbacks from the event in over a decade and I view it as a bad thing that happened to me once but won't ever happen again. She was an awesome therapist.

I'm glad that the Washington Post is discussing the possibility of using dreams as therapy. Obviously, it's been done but am glad that they actually did a proper study. I think it's highly beneficial. Of course, my therapist could've programmed me to say that... hee hee. She was an awesome therapist.