I don't know if it's the same thing or not, but I have what feel like horrible, jarring re-entries to the body from sleep or deep naps, where I hear a super loud clanking. For me, I think it's about being aware or awake before the body is in sync with my consciousness.

Separate from that are shadow people, but I think both of these are from being in semi-sleep states.

I'm with you on the medication opinion. We as a society are way over medicated. It's scary and harmful to the planet. All that medication gets excreted into waste water and recycled into our environment.