Oneirophobia

Oneirophobia is the fear of dreams, involving suffering due to experiences with frightening dreams, such as nightmares or night terrors, or negative events affecting those dreams; some sufferers try to avoid sleep or falling asleep altogether. People with post-traumatic stress disorder often re-experience their trauma in nightmares so frequently that they attempt to avoid the painful symptoms through alcohol or other drugs, but not all oneirophobia is a function of post-traumatic stress disorder, since most dream content is related to the daily functions of the unconscious; when dreams are recalled as disturbing, especially if they recur frequently, a person may begin to develop anxiety over the expression of their unconscious, and many sufferers are frightened by the unusual or surreal nature of dreams themselves.