hey Jen, welcome to DreamViews. :D

I'm sorry to hear that you had alot of nightmares...you may know this now, but if you ever have a nightmare remember that it's your dream in your mind, and you have the ability to change it into a more pleasant dream. I believe the main cause of nightmares is stress because I believe that dreams are a reflection of your thoughts during your everyday life. so if you were under a lot of stress during the time when you frequently had nightmares that is a logical explaination. (though I'm sure there are other causes, too.)
I also believe that every dream has a message and can be interpreted, because your subconscious mind picks up on things you may not notice. (and I say this from experience, I've witnessed it myself with my own dreams.) it's great that you kept a journal, do you still keep one? it's practically a necessity for dream interpretation! it can also help a considerable amount if you'd like to get into Lucid Dreaming- it helps you find your personal Dreamsigns, which are used with Reality Checks and is an excellent start for beginners.

please, don't feel bad about having strange dreams. it's true that most people ignore their dreams, but those who don't most likely have very strange dreams as well. it is very common.

if you have any questions, feel free to post them or if you'd like you can send a Private Message to a member of the staff- such as my self- and we'll do our best to help.