Relapse isn’t something that just simply happens one day. In either case, it’s a choice and it’s your choice. It’s what you do about it that counts: you can choose to give in to the cravings or you can choose to step up your recovery game in order to walk through it without using. It just means that you’re experiencing a particularly trying time in your recovery where your body and/or mind is craving substances. This doesn’t mean that you’re doomed to relapse. If you’re experiencing drug dreams in which you use and feel good about it, it might be an indication that the addictive part of your brain is craving drugs. Therefore, it’s quite common for people like us to experience dreams about drugs and using drugs. In early and not-so-early recovery (remember, PAWS can last for several years after your last use), the brain is still adjusting to a new chemical makeup and balance without the presence of drugs. Many drugs suppress dreaming and the common understanding among the medical community is that the brain simply needs to make up for those lost dreams. Previously suppressed dreams may be unfinished business, especially traumas that had not been processed while we were using or drinking. That is, the heavy use of drugs and alcohol didn’t allow normal dreaming to take place. It’s just your brain’s ability to dream regeneratingīeing unconscious (as we often were in our active addiction) is not the same thing as actually sleeping (what we’re able to do now that we’re not using). So, it isn’t strange to be dreaming about drug-related actions, such as getting and using drugs. And for the recovering addict and alcoholic, there are many experiences and memories involving drug use because, well, most of our time involved being under the influence. Some of these dreams are memories being consolidatedĭreaming – any kind of dreaming – is a way for the brain to categorize and consolidate memories and experiences. Therefore, the using dream, in-and-of-itself, may be a positive sign.
A similar study of crack cocaine users had very similar findings. So, in other words, they were serious enough about learning to abstain and recover – so much so that they were dreaming about it at night. Indicate your state of mind and level of recoveryĭepending on the type of dream, whether you used or not and how you reacted, drug dreams can be an indication that you’re more engaged in the treatment and recovery process.Ī well-known study showed that alcoholics who dreamt about drinking during the course of their rehabilitation treatment tended to achieve longer periods of sobriety.
Here are 5 possible meanings of your drug dreams.
Probably what’s most telling – and most important – is your reaction upon waking from the dream, whether you actually used in the dream or refused. In fact, drug-using dreams can serve an important purpose by informing us of where we’re at in our recovery at any given time. And not only that, it’s important to realize that using dreams aren’t necessarily a bad thing.įindings suggest that readiness for change is reflected in dream content and that our “dream-life” can provide us with opportunities to rehearse change when it comes to using in our dreams. It’s important to know, and to remind yourself, that dreaming about drug use is common and to be expected in recovery. As a person in recovery, I know what it’s like to experience drug dreams – also called ‘using dreams’ – and to awake the next morning upset or in a panic about it.