Dreams of using - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

DayWalker · 09-30-2009, 11:03 PM

I'm about 40 days sober now, and been doing real good. Haven't had many urges at all, maybe a thought here and there but just passing thoughts at the most. But the past week I've had at least 2 maybe even 3 (can't remember how man for sure) but a couple dreams about drinking. Dreams so vivid that I wake up and actually think I have drank till about 30 seconds-1min after I wake up and realize it was just a dream.

I've searched the site and found topics on this, as well as "googled" it and found topics about this under Dr.Drew penski where he talks about these dreams and how it's just your mind of a recovering addict wanting to drink and playing tricks on you. So I know I'm not any different than anyone else. But...can anyone else just reassure me that this is normal just for my own piece of mind? this is normal right, even after this long??

Steve

**Dee74** · 09-30-2009, 11:10 PM

It's completely and utterly normal DW

I don't ascribe any meaning to them at all.

The search function is playing up for me right now, but here's one of the many many threads we've had on this

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...iscussion.html (Not another using dream discussion!)

D

chrisinaustin · 09-30-2009, 11:16 PM

After nearly eight months, had a wild one last night. The first one, actually, where I didn't wake up before actually drinking. I thought maybe it was like waking up before reaching the ground in a falling dream. Not last night. No big deal. I figure I built drinking-related patterns and engrams in my brain for twenty years that now lay dormant. Unless my brain has a way to eventually reallocate all those neurons, they're probably going to fire once in a while.

DayWalker · 09-30-2009, 11:23 PM

Thanks guys. Like I said I know it is normal from what I hear, but you know how it is....maybe I'm just being a bit goofy, but I needed to hear for sure that is IS normal no matter what ya know, because it kind'a scared me a bit I guess lol.

Dee...thanks for the link, love this line in that link -

Quote:

"Tiger Woods dreams about golf. An addict dreams about using."

Cool anology!

Thanks guys, guess I'm not special...good to hear!

Steve

penny74 · 10-01-2009, 01:21 AM

l dream that l am looking in a mirror and my eyes are puffed up and bloodshot, like they used to be, and in my dream l know l will have to go through detox again.
Makes me feel uneasy all day.

"You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough."

RocketsintheSky · 10-01-2009, 01:49 AM

I have dreams about using all the time lately, or dreams where I magically find some pills on my carpet, really desparate pathetic stuff haha.

mumbai78 · 10-01-2009, 02:32 AM

Totally normal , I have had a fair share of dreams where I'm drinking , using or smoking. Incidentally when I was drinking, using and smoking I never got such dreams.

juliwuli · 10-01-2009, 04:16 AM

i have them too, yet when i was drinking i never did, just last night i had a dream so vivid it took me a while to realise it wasnt happening, i could see the bottle of sherry on the floor, it was my choice of drink before, i picked it up and took a swig, i could actually taste it in my mouth, and i dreamt i was in the pub too, there was music and it was so real and clear, kind of freaks me out a bit but i know its just my mind playing tricks, glad i'm not the only one,

TheSunAlsoRises · 10-01-2009, 07:54 AM

Whats up DayWalker... yeah totally normal. I haven't had one in about a month I think. But during the first 3 months of sobriety it was fairly common. Often my dreams would center around not being able to fill my desire. Like freaking out because I didn't have enough money on me after taking a few drinks... I remember one morning in particular I woke up shaking it was so vivid. Then ahhhh...... just a dream. Or a nightmare rather. Thank god I don't have to live my nightmare anymore. Stay strong!

Mark75 · 10-01-2009, 08:07 AM

Yea, I still get them, always very vivid and I wake up and it takes a minute or two to realize it wasn't real...

I went back to sleep this morning after I got up early. I dreamed I was in a video game and I was a fish fillet sandwich going into deep space and I had to avoid the gravitational pull of other fish fillet sandwiches....

I don't know what that means.... hmmm....

Mark

bananagrrrl · 10-01-2009, 08:45 AM

I haven't had a drinking dream, but last night I dreamed that I smoked pot, which I rarely smoked.

It was weird though, because I could feel the buzz in my sleep.

chrisinaustin · 10-01-2009, 09:09 AM

I just woke up and there are Filet-O-Fish wrappers everywhere. What the...

ScaryStory · 10-01-2009, 09:16 AM

I dream about using a lot. It takes me time when I wake up to realize it's just a dream. My last drug dream was so weird, I was doing drugs in "progression". I started out smoking pot, then I picked up benzos, then I went to Oxy, then I was smoking crack. I woke up with a start. I was so flipped out. I hate those dreams but it sure does make me grateful when I wake up!

**CarolD** · 10-01-2009, 09:40 AM

ScaryStory.....Welcome to SR and our Alcoholism Forum

NEOMARXIST · 10-01-2009, 12:30 PM

I have had them too, woke up this morning and I had just bought 5 ecstacy pills off an old school mate then my alarm went off for work. Madness, first drug dream i've had for a long time. They don't bother me anymore, in fact I think they help remind me why I'm so glad I am sober.
I still get drinking dreams from time to time too.

bjork · 10-01-2009, 12:38 PM

I've had drinking dreams too. I wake up and it takes me a minute before I feel relief because I realize it was just a dream. It's almost like I panic for a minute. What a way to start the day!

I have also woken up with "phantom hangovers". I feel like I have a hang over, but I didn't drink the night before. Those don't last long, but when you first wake up, they do mess with your head as well.

09-30-2009, 11:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
DayWalker Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 728 Blog Entries: 1	Dreams of using I'm about 40 days sober now, and been doing real good. Haven't had many urges at all, maybe a thought here and there but just passing thoughts at the most. But the past week I've had at least 2 maybe even 3 (can't remember how man for sure) but a couple dreams about drinking. Dreams so vivid that I wake up and actually think I have drank till about 30 seconds-1min after I wake up and realize it was just a dream. I've searched the site and found topics on this, as well as "googled" it and found topics about this under Dr.Drew penski where he talks about these dreams and how it's just your mind of a recovering addict wanting to drink and playing tricks on you. So I know I'm not any different than anyone else. But...can anyone else just reassure me that this is normal just for my own piece of mind? this is normal right, even after this long?? Steve __________________ It aint about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take, and keep moving forward!

09-30-2009, 11:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dee74 SR Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Seas Posts: 42,471	It's completely and utterly normal DW I don't ascribe any meaning to them at all. The search function is playing up for me right now, but here's one of the many many threads we've had on this http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...iscussion.html (Not another using dream discussion!) D __________________ “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be”Lao Tzu

10-01-2009, 02:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
mumbai78 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 118	Totally normal , I have had a fair share of dreams where I'm drinking , using or smoking. Incidentally when I was drinking, using and smoking I never got such dreams. __________________ Joey

10-01-2009, 08:07 AM	#10 (permalink)
Mark75 Friend of Bill W. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Looking for snow Posts: 5,608	Yea, I still get them, always very vivid and I wake up and it takes a minute or two to realize it wasn't real... I went back to sleep this morning after I got up early. I dreamed I was in a video game and I was a fish fillet sandwich going into deep space and I had to avoid the gravitational pull of other fish fillet sandwiches.... I don't know what that means.... hmmm.... Mark __________________ "Be Kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."....Philo of Alexandria "Your fear of the future is your greatest mistake." .... Stephen Kellogg

10-01-2009, 09:40 AM	#14 (permalink)
CarolD Forum Leader Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Serene In Dixie Posts: 34,835	ScaryStory.....Welcome to SR and our Alcoholism Forum __________________ Each Day Sober Is A Victory!! Joy In AA Recovery!

09-30-2009, 11:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
chrisinaustin Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 161	After nearly eight months, had a wild one last night. The first one, actually, where I didn't wake up before actually drinking. I thought maybe it was like waking up before reaching the ground in a falling dream. Not last night. No big deal. I figure I built drinking-related patterns and engrams in my brain for twenty years that now lay dormant. Unless my brain has a way to eventually reallocate all those neurons, they're probably going to fire once in a while.

10-01-2009, 01:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
penny74 Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 494	l dream that l am looking in a mirror and my eyes are puffed up and bloodshot, like they used to be, and in my dream l know l will have to go through detox again. Makes me feel uneasy all day. "You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough."

10-01-2009, 01:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
RocketsintheSky Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 70	I have dreams about using all the time lately, or dreams where I magically find some pills on my carpet, really desparate pathetic stuff haha.

10-01-2009, 04:16 AM	#8 (permalink)
juliwuli Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: peterborough Cambs U.K Posts: 163 Blog Entries: 2	i have them too, yet when i was drinking i never did, just last night i had a dream so vivid it took me a while to realise it wasnt happening, i could see the bottle of sherry on the floor, it was my choice of drink before, i picked it up and took a swig, i could actually taste it in my mouth, and i dreamt i was in the pub too, there was music and it was so real and clear, kind of freaks me out a bit but i know its just my mind playing tricks, glad i'm not the only one,

10-01-2009, 07:54 AM	#9 (permalink)
TheSunAlsoRises Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Traveling in Europe Posts: 414	Whats up DayWalker... yeah totally normal. I haven't had one in about a month I think. But during the first 3 months of sobriety it was fairly common. Often my dreams would center around not being able to fill my desire. Like freaking out because I didn't have enough money on me after taking a few drinks... I remember one morning in particular I woke up shaking it was so vivid. Then ahhhh...... just a dream. Or a nightmare rather. Thank god I don't have to live my nightmare anymore. Stay strong!

10-01-2009, 08:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
bananagrrrl Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 699	I haven't had a drinking dream, but last night I dreamed that I smoked pot, which I rarely smoked. It was weird though, because I could feel the buzz in my sleep.

10-01-2009, 09:09 AM	#12 (permalink)
chrisinaustin Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 161	I just woke up and there are Filet-O-Fish wrappers everywhere. What the...

10-01-2009, 09:16 AM	#13 (permalink)
ScaryStory Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 29	I dream about using a lot. It takes me time when I wake up to realize it's just a dream. My last drug dream was so weird, I was doing drugs in "progression". I started out smoking pot, then I picked up benzos, then I went to Oxy, then I was smoking crack. I woke up with a start. I was so flipped out. I hate those dreams but it sure does make me grateful when I wake up!

10-01-2009, 12:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
NEOMARXIST Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1,996	I have had them too, woke up this morning and I had just bought 5 ecstacy pills off an old school mate then my alarm went off for work. Madness, first drug dream i've had for a long time. They don't bother me anymore, in fact I think they help remind me why I'm so glad I am sober. I still get drinking dreams from time to time too.

10-01-2009, 12:38 PM	#16 (permalink)
bjork Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 257	I've had drinking dreams too. I wake up and it takes me a minute before I feel relief because I realize it was just a dream. It's almost like I panic for a minute. What a way to start the day! I have also woken up with "phantom hangovers". I feel like I have a hang over, but I didn't drink the night before. Those don't last long, but when you first wake up, they do mess with your head as well.

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