Trazodone - causes intense nightmares/dreams?
Question posted by sasalford73 on 2 Sep 2017
Last updated on 22 January 2023 by imajwru
4 Answers
When my trazodone dosage increased to 75 mg, that is when I started having disturbing dreams. It doesn’t happen every night, but when they do happen, they are demonic in nature. I have seen what appears to be a gargoyle like creature right by my face hissing at me. The other thing I experience is the covers on my bed being lifted slightly off of my body by something. It feels like I am half awake and half asleep when these kinds of dreams happen. But the trazodone does help me fall asleep, and sleep longer, and I don’t want to try a medication that has the potential of addiction or dependence…… so I feel like I am kind of stuck taking it.
I have recently swapped from Wellbutrin (an NDRI) to trazodone (an SARI/ sleeping agent) as I have had trouble sleeping and had intense side effects from the Wellbutrin. (I could talk about that forever, I even suffered hallucinations and extreme insomnia) so trazodone was the way to go for me, or so I thought. The first time I took trazodone I didn’t feel it worked too well, until I had slept for 11+ hours. Wow what an awesome night of sleep. I slept so good that I tried again the next day. (Terrible mistake.) I didn’t know that trazodone could cause this level of intense nightmare. i had such a vivid and terrible nightmare that I woke up shaking and looked this up- Immediately after I texted some of my family that i love them. I wasn’t in control of my dreams like I usually feel, nor did i feel this felt like an ordinary dream. Typically my dreams are happy/sexy or I don’t have any.
This time I was dissociating in my own dream. I was watching somebody else control my body, to do atrocious and violent acts. It felt so real. I can still see the actions of my dream self stomping the heads of my loved ones. I have never felt so helpless and scared in my life as this is extremely violent and I would never imagine such a thing. Honestly after this I cannot recommend trazodone to anybody as I feel I might be scarred for life. I feel like this nightmare alone gave me enough reason need to seek therapy.
Yes. I was in rehab and the only medication they gave me to begin with was trazodone for sleep. I thought it was just rumors or nothing serious until my first week into it... then I started experiencing them. Throughout my 23+ years of life, I have never had nightmares like these. I am still on trazodone and only a blood pressure medication with it, and my nightmares are so intense that I wake up shaking and crying. The weirdest thing about these nightmares is that they repeat, over and over, to the point that I'm asking myself (in the dream) if I've finally woken up yet. Even in my dreams, I curl up into a ball shaking crying and covering my eyes/ears until it ends.
For me, it's different nightmares each night, but each one that I have repeats after itself (5-8 times) until I wake up - for example, a dream where I am in bed being taunted ruthlessly by shadow figures will end then restart - but worse each time until it scares me awake. It's very bizarre. I used to be able to handle nightmares, but these are so vicious and intense that I had to tell my doctor. The trazodone is the only sleeping medication that's ever helped me, so I didn't want to stop, but he gave me Prazosin to add onto it (yes, it's for Blood pressure, but it has secondary effects to help with PTSD and, thus, nightmares). I have yet to try it as I just got it today, but will do my best to check back in if it helps. I know someone who takes it for similar reasons, and it supposedly helps them. It's nice to know I'm not alone, although I hate for this to be the commonality.
I was on this AD and fully empathize with you as I experienced nightmares and vivid dreams too, I had to stop taking it.
I suggest you contact your Dr. (when you can) and see what can be done in your case.
Psychiatric
Common (1% to 10%): Anger/hostility, excitement, insomnia, nightmares/vivid dreams
Frequency not reported: Hallucinations/delusions, mania/hypomania, impaired speech, suicidal ideation, disorientation, aggressive reaction, withdrawal syndrome
Postmarketing reports: Abnormal dreams, agitation, anxiety, paranoid reaction, psychosis
Was on only 50mg each night for 2wks. Prescribed for sleep. The first wk, seemed to work well but into the 2nd week, didn't work as well at all . The last night i took it had the worst nightmare i years! Screaming to the point that i woke everyone i the house! Definitely not for me. Took lorazepam with no major problems for yrs.
trazadone causes me to have dreams that are so detailed and scary and i feel that i am insane sometimes. i scream in my sleep, a film producer could not imagine the crazy dreams i have on trazadone
I have taken it once. I cannot say it was nightmare. But they definitely play on the psyche.
I am going through a tough time and my dreams... 2... dealt with each issue with one major over arching theme. I'll take break my 50mg in half to 25 and see what happens.
Related topics
Further information
- Trazodone uses and safety info
- Trazodone prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Trazodone (detailed)
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