The Use of Prazosin in Treatment of Drug Dreams in Adolescents with Substance Use Disorder: Two Case Reports
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: ~ Nightmares are psychologically distressing events that may cause significant effects on mental health, physical well-being and overall quality of life, in addition to their negative impact on quality and duration of sleep. Drug dreams are a variant of nightmares and a known phenomenon in addiction medicine, and have been studied as a potential causative factor in relapse of substance use. Recent studies have noted that addictive behaviors and drug dreams share a similar neurobiological pathway, and that certain neurotransmitters, most notably those of the noradrenergic system, may underlie these complex processes. This has led to the theory that alleviation of drug dreams and suppression of involved neurocircuits may potentially reduce subsequent craving and relapse in the treatment of substance use disorders, with an important potential agent being the alpha-1 antagonist, prazosin.
Source: Psychopharmacology Bulletin
DOI: 10.64719/pb.4371
Authors: Arpit Aggarwal, Victoria Lindegaard
Institution: University of Missouri
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3090944531