Jeff,
The email from your friend seems to indicate that the dreams are nightmares, that is, terrifying.
I too, after close to forty years out of the WT, still have dreams of association with them. However they are not terrifying.
I have a grown son who lives with us, (never a JW), who is diagnosed with schizophrenia which is kept under control with the medication, olanzapine (Zyprexa) and enables him to lead a close to normal life. However he frequently has terrible nightmares. He sleeps at the other end of the house, and wakes my wife and I up with terrible screams of terror quite often. I have learned to jump up and run and turn on the lights and get him to tell me his terror. One time he said a frightening tatooed hulk was standing in his door way. Another time, I went and found the room was empty, I still heard him hollering, and calling his name, asking, where are you? Where are you? He said outside. I said how did you get there? He said he jumped out the window. Luckly, it was open at the time.
I started to do some research on line. I looked up the side effects for olanzapine, sure enough one of the side effects is nightmares. We cut down his meds, which made a great improvement. They are much less frequent now.
Your friend may not be in such a similar state. He may be on some medications, drugs or seditives or even some allergic reactions to certain foods. If he is on any substance then he should do a Google with the name of the substance along with the words "side effects"
I write this, to try and cover all bases. I hope your friend can find an enabling counselor. I hope he keeps trying and not give up. Solutions are out there.
belbab