Using dreams don’t necessarily indicate a hole in our program; for a drug addict, there’s nothing more natural than to dream of using drugs. It has been helpful to me to think of using dreams as gifts from my Higher Power, vividly reminding me of the insanity of active addiction and encouraging us to strengthen our recovery. Seen in that light, I can be grateful for using dreams. Frightening as they are, they can prove to be great blessings – if I use them to reinforce my recovery.
Just for today: I will examine my personal program. I will talk with my sponsor about what I find, and seek ways to strengthen my recovery. pg. 207// *excerpt from–Just For Today Daily Meditation.
I have studied dreams as a sort of an interesting hobby for some years now, and find such fascination in the dream world. In our dreams they have meaning on the surface, but are basically symbolism, and can reveal many things to me. There is such a thing as dream interpretations, and legitimately analyzing ones dreams with some astonishing accuracy.
Using dreams, for those coming into recovery, are anxiety ridden. Our bodies are still detoxing from our substance of choice and during our sleep the liver is still dispersing the drugs stored, back into our systems. What I believe was happening to me during my early recovery, was when my liver was kicking out those impurities back into my blood stream, I was experiencing a euphoric sensation. So, when I woke up in a panic state thinking I’d relapsed, I think the detoxing was a big part of that. According to what drugs we did, and how much, it is not unusual to require 18 months to completely purge the harmful substances out of our bodies systems. However, damage done to our mind is another facet.
2 Comments
I have a lot of trouble with relapses in dreams. I’ll wake up from a using dream I won’t be able to shake it for the whole morning. There’s no substances in my body, but all the guilt in my head! Interesting to know from clinical standpoint how long it takes for substances to really be cleaned from the system. Thanks for your post.
Thank you for your post Jon, i totally agree with you using dreams are frightning and it really feels like i’ve used when i wake up. What a relief to find that it was only a dream, and yes for me also they reinforce my to strenthen my recovery.
Be Blessed Hugs linda