User blog comment:Thetwindler/Dropped/Discarded Ideas throughout the seasons/@comment-2605:A000:122A:408A:91E8:8778:19BB:9B0B-20191214224113/@comment-2605:A000:122A:408A:91E8:8778:19BB:9B0B-20191217012642

It's been awhile, but it seems that in the early seasons that Dean would use chemical assistance to stay awake either driving all night or trying to solve a case. Sam made several off-hand references to it when asking if he should drive or they should stop or something. But then it seemed to evolve in that one season to something more serious with illegal drugs (Dean went to see the "candyman" I think). I don't remember it being medical, but I do agree with you that it certainly was used as a coping mechanism. It just seemed  an odd turn for that one season. Were they going to design a parallel to Sam's demon blood addiction?