Starting to have dreams again - is this a sign of recovery?

[[Br...]]

As I am only 2 1/2 months in, I didn't have any dreams or nightmares for that matter, for a long time after c/t Lorazepam. I just had my first real dream last night - is that a sign of recovery? My husband thought it was a good sign. For those who are farther down the road to recovery than I, please share your wealth of knowledge.

 

Thank you.

[[os...]]

I would think so, i two thirds through my taper and i am dreaming every single night now, i wake up and go back to sleep and dream again... i´d be interested to hear what others think but i suspect it is a good sign... 

 

Oscar

[[...]]

It is a very good sign. When you dream you are getting some deep, restorative sleep.  I am happy for you, Brooke. 

 

pleasant dreams

 

pj

[[Br...]]

Anyone else find that return to dreaming was a sign of recovery?

[[Fl...]]

Yes, dreaming is a good sign. I only started dreaming again later in my first year off and it has continued as my recovery moves forward. Some of my dreams have been pretty disturbing but they seem to be calming down as time goes on.

[[sp...]]

I'm dreaming again, and in fact, remembering old times that had a lot of feelings associated with it that I've never had the chance to process.  Ashton says a return to dreams is a return of our REMS sleep.

 

But I will say I don't feel any more refreshed upon awakening. Feel as same as ever, but the dreams HAVE been there every night.  Anyone have any ideas?

 

"On withdrawal, even after years of benzodiazepine use, there is a marked rebound increase in REMS which also becomes more intense. As a result, dreams become more vivid, nightmares may occur and cause frequent awakenings during the night. This is a normal reaction to benzodiazepine withdrawal and, though unpleasant, it is a sign that recovery is beginning to take place. When the deficit of REMS is made up, usually after about 4-6 weeks, the nightmares become less frequent and gradually fade away."

 

-Ashton manual

[[pr...]]

Sounds like a very good sign to me!

:)

[[bl...]]

I'm with Spring, I am still tapering and have been dreaming for months, no nightmares just normal dreams which on balance are better than my waking hours. I also wake up feeling drained and not restored.

 

Who knows whats going on in there

 

Take care

 

B

[[os...]]

I find two thirds into my taper that my dreams are so vivid now and i wake up feeling rough because sleep does not feel peaceful, it feels busy... i would love a night with calm or no dreams, just for one night but if Ashton says it is the beginning of healing then i guess we are all getting somewhere good.

 

Oscar

[[WT...]]

My dreams returned sometime in the first month off, but for the most part, were not good dreams (even the ones that weren't bad, were really weird.)  I find that lately I have more normal type dreams, and on the nights that happens, I feel a little better the next day.

[[13...]]

Im 4 months off Temazepam on Friday and i can sleep great and dream nearly everynight.  I cant get enough sleep and it seems very restful when i was on the tablets it was an anxious type.

 

Katie

[[Po...]]

YES!! when I was on xanax and coming off the valium I rarely remembered dreaming and the one thing that became very noticable for me after my taper was that my dreams were coming back. Its great isn't it

 

Pokey

[[ha...]]

I found I was dreaming about 1/2 through the dosage. I had a lot of nightmares, but am having more dreams than nightmares. Oscar, hope your dreams get better soon!

Nice to be a dreamer again.

[[mo...]]

My dreams returned immediately after c/t from Ativan. That and my short term memory came back immediately. I think it  is a very good sign, Brooke! 

[[Ho...]]

I just hit 5 months today and I have had dreams every night for the last 9 nights. I never had any prior to this since my c/t. I really didn't know what to make of it so that is why I searched it and found this thread. I can't say that it's a sign of healing, although I have had a few windows during this time but also a few really bad waves. I guess only time will tell.

[[Fl...]]

As I mentioned I started dreaming again about 6 months ago, and although they started out scary and intense. Just to let everyone know the closer I get to healing the more "normal" my dreams are getting. These days I wake up with the faint recollection of having had lots of decent dreams. Haven't had any of the scary stuff in awhile.

[[am...]]

I had dreams when I was on ambien I just didn't remember them.  During w/d from ambien I had nightmares I mean I had to get up and turn on lights they were so awful.  Why do these drugs cause such bad dreams why not pleasant ones?  I see it all over the internet, same symptoms with these nightmares, I don't get it.

 

I have dreams while on the xanax, some really whacked out dreams. 

[[ha...]]

I went through the nightmare stage, too. Awful. It was worse than not sleeping and that was bad. They were bad ever night. Mine have eased into dreams, too. It is good to have a collective memory of the healing process. I would have shut those nightmares right out of my thoughts, which is fine, but nice to remember that they have come and gone.

[[Fl...]]

I had some of the scariest, most disturbing dreams anyone could ever imagine when I first started dreaming again. They were horrible. Then they switched to mildly disturbing and extremely vivid. I can't recall specifics but lately I have been having good dreams. I like that progression 

[[su...]]

Hi, Brooke, glad you asked that question!  I've started dreaming again, too!  Sounds like other people think this is a good sign.  Yea!!!!!