Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (July 24/02) - In centuries gone by, if we admitted to the horrors we experience when we sleep, we'd be carted off to the local priest for an exorcism.

But thanks to psychiatrists and others who've helped map the human mind, most cultures no longer believe nightmares are a sign of demonic possession.

Those in the know have abandoned the belief that bad dreams indicate black magic, evil affiliations or a demon pressing on the chest of the sleeping individual.

Thankfully, we've come a long way -- to a place where psychiatrists now link bad dreams to substance use, diet and past trauma.

Jacqueline Sheffield, a psychiatric nurse for the last 25 years, has treated a high percentage of people -- including many who reside in the Kivalliq region -- who suffer from nightmares.

Common dream themes she hears people talk about range from fear of falling to being chased or assaulted and extreme confusion.

"There's some kind of threat there, being persecuted in some way," said Sheffield, of the images that terrify us in the night.

Practising in Rankin Inlet, Sheffield listed a number of things that cause nightmares. Drinking alcohol she said, disturbs the fifth stage of sleep -- known as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep -- when nightmares usually occur.

If an intoxicated person awakens during this stage, it's possible they'll awake during a nightmare.

Sheffield said psychiatric drugs used in the treatment of depression or other mood disorders also cause people to have frightening dreams.

Eating a heavy meal just prior to sleep appears to awaken our dream monsters and people who've suffered a traumatic experience or are still in the midst of one will often experience troubled sleep.

"People who have post-traumatic stress disorder or people who are victims or survivors of abuse or neglect may bury that and it comes out in nightmares," explained Sheffield. She suggested people plagued by nightmares seek counseling or at least the comfort of a trusted friend.

But, she cautioned that dreams may get worse before they get better.

As for tricks to use when one first awakens from a troubling nightmare, Sheffield said a hot bath, a talk with a companion and a pen and paper all help erase demons.

"It's a really good idea to jot it down.

"It helps to process what's going on and brings you back to reality and helps you realize you're safe," she said.

"Sit with the light on and do self-nurturing things. They work."