Dream features in psychiatric patients on multiple psychoactive drugs

An investigation into dreams was conducted in 100 subjects involving 50 psychiatric in-patients and fifty normal volunteers with the help of a questionnaire. The dream patterns of the two groups were compared. Results revealed that dreams of the patients were different from normal individuals even before the onset of psychiatric illness. The dreams in normal subjects were mostly related to present life situations whereas, the dreams of the patients were less frequent in this respect. On the other hand, frightening dreams, repetitive dreams and vision of snakes in the dreams were more frequent in patients. These differences became more conspicuous with the onset of illness. The dreams were suppressed in 78% patients after the institution of drug therapy. Most of the patients were getting three to four psychoactive drugs which alter the sleep pattern and may therefore affect the dreaming process. Thus, the qualitative changes in dreams of a person may serve as an early warning for an impending future illness. The suppressant effect of psychoactive drugs on dreams demands further investigations.