Addicts Drug-Related Dreams: Their Frequency and Relationship to Six-Month Outcomes

Abstract

101 drug users were interviewed at baseline when 6-weeks abstinent. Eighty-four percent reported having drug-related dreams. More subjects reported drug dreams when abstinent than when using drugs. Ninety percent of subjects were followed-up at 6 months. Higher baseline measures of dream frequency were prospectively related to greater drug use. In the first 7 weeks of follow-up there was a rapid reduction in the number of reports, but half of the sample were still experiencing drug dreams in the sixth month. Drug dream frequency at follow-up was related to “craving” and lack of sleep.

Key Words:

• Dreams
• Drug use
• Treatment outcome