I think it takes a really really long time for the chemistry of the body to completely calm down and not bug one when one has had an addiction such as smoking, drinking, drugs, etc. I think the dreams merely echo that; your brain is trying to work with what it's got.

It sounds like you've had a heck of a lot of changes in your life in a short period of time? That's stressful, even though the changes were positive/welcome:

http://www.reducestressnow.org/facts...tors-of-stress

My therapist taught me that feelings and situations are constantly changing and if we wait long enough, like weather, whatever is going on that is difficult will change so it's less difficult (or so it's more difficult :-) and that often just hunkering down and waiting helps. I keep reminding myself of my grandmother's old saying, "This too shall pass". Like a headache or emotional pain that doesn't respond to an aspirin, I know saying positive things doesn't "help" :-) but it does remind one that the current trenches aren't the whole battle/war.

Were I you (but in my life/skin :-) I would find types of books I like and have some in reserve to read or other, small things I really liked to do (go get an ice cream :-) and indulge in that self-care/soothing to help me feel better through this period.

Get a few subs and sodas and take everyone to the park/beach/location you enjoy on a weekend and lounge around reading and soaking up the sun while the children play nearby and spouse tries to throw the Cheerios/grapes across the three foot space into your mouth :-)

Figure out a few more things to do for yourself (I use to take special books to work and, if work got totally hard, would stop for 3 minutes and read a few paragraphs, "escape" into another thought/world.

Write about your experience if you're a writer. I joined NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month (November) where everyone tries to write a 50,000/175 page novel between 1 November and 30 November (no time off for Thanksgiving either :-) and, last year, "won"/wrote a novel about how I was feeling, my troubles growing up, what I would have liked for my 20's, etc. and it was very consuming, insane :-) and a heck of a lot of fun!

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano

But, mostly I would try to take it all "lighter". It's just experience. Right now you feel rotten/afraid but they're just feelings like your dreams are just dreams and thoughts are just thoughts. Experiment with different things to see if you can hit on something to make you feel better, sooner, but remember that it all takes time and time is passing and some where, out there, it will get better.