Getting Dreams About Drugs – Know these 5 Possible REASONS
As a person in rehab, I understand what it’s like to have dreams about drugs. It is crucial to recognize and remind yourself that dreaming about drugs is normal and expected during rehab.
Dreams about drugs can give us a crucial indication of our current recovery status. Your reaction upon waking from the dream, regardless of what your behavior was in the dream, is likely the most revealing and significant factor.
In case you are having dreams about drugs, here are 5 possible interpretations
1. Indicate your mental state and level of rehabilitation
Depending on the sort of dream, whether you used drugs or not, and how you reacted, dreams about drugs may indicate that you are becoming more involved in your treatment and recovery.
According to a well-known study, alcoholics who dreamed about drinking during their rehabilitation program achieved longer periods of abstinence. In other words, they were so committed to learning abstinence and recovery that they dreamed about it. Similar research on crack cocaine users yielded comparable results. Therefore, the dream itself may be an indication of good fortune.
2. Some of these dreams reflect the consolidation of memories
Any type of dreaming is a means by which the brain organizes and consolidates memories and experiences. And for recovering addicts and alcoholics, there are numerous memories and experiences surrounding drug usage because, well, we spent the majority of our lives under the influence. Therefore, it is not unusual to dream about drug-related activities such as obtaining and consuming drugs.
3. Your brain’s ability to dream is just regenerating
Being unconscious (as we frequently were during our active addiction) is not the same as sleeping (which we are now capable of doing). In other words, the heavy use of drugs and alcohol prevented normal dreaming from occurring. Previously suppressed dreams may represent unresolved issues, particularly experiences that were not handled during substance abuse. Numerous medicines inhibit lucid dreaming, and it is generally accepted in the medical world that the brain must simply compensate for these missing dreams.
4. Due to physiological considerations
In early and not-so-early recovery (remember, PAWS can persist for years after your last use), the brain is still adjusting to new chemical composition and equilibrium in the absence of drugs. Therefore, it is fairly usual for individuals like us to dream about drugs and drug use.
5. An indication that you are wanting
If you dream about using drugs and feeling good about it, it may be a sign that the part of your brain that is addicted to drugs is seeking them. This does not imply that you will relapse.
It simply indicates that you are going through a particularly difficult period in your recovery where your body and/or mind are wanting substances. It all depends on your response: you can choose to give in to your desires or you can amp up your recovery game to get through it without using it.
