Mefloquine is a medication used to treat and prevent malaria. It is one of several and was selected for us in the army probably on account of being the cheapest. One drawback to using mefloquine, rather than the other antimalarials is that rare but serious psychological side effects have been documented with its use. These include anxiety, hallucinations, depression, unusual behavior, and suicidal ideations, among others. In my experience, they involved the most intense and emotionally charged nightmares that I have ever had. Nothing else before or since has even come close.
Mefloquine Dream #1
The LT, Cori Wilkerson. She is actually quite nice. The hole was made by a mortar that only just missed our cots.
I’m tied to the outside of our thin wooden ambulance depot. All of my skin has been flayed from my body. I am a captive mass of exposed muscle and blood. My platoon stands around me, holding knives. The lieutenant stands behind me to my right, holding an enormous knife. She has carved out several chunks of meat from my right leg and is contemplating her next move. I am tied tightly to the side of the building, straining against my bonds, screaming at them to give me my skin back. I am abruptly woken up for lunch.