Nightmares

[Toomutch]

Hi everyone,

I have been sober for 22 days, the problem is:

I have been experiencing nightmares on a regular basis for the past 4 nights, they all involve scenerios around drinking, they wake me in a panic. It takes me a long time to settlle down afterwards. I try to reason with myself that they are just dreams; but they seem so real, and happen throughout the night. It's to the point that I am afraid to fall asleep!


Have any of you experienced this before? Any suggestions?

~Tomutch

~~~~~~~~~~~

Angels have walked beside me
All my life--and they still do.

[Bill I]

Hi Toomuch,

Nightmares are normal and will last for quite ahwile. I had them that were so real I actually had to go through the garbage for empty bottles to reassure myself it was a dream. I woke with the physical symptoms of a hangover. Just keep it one day at a time and one foot in front of the other.

God bless,

Bill

[Toomutch]

Bill,

About how long did it take for your nightmares to go away?

Do you or anyone else know where to find info on this? My husband thinks I'm over reacting and that it is time that my recovery symptoms to be gone.

[CarolD]

Well done on your sober time!

Here is the latest thread on drunk dreams from Alcoholism

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...unk-dream.html (Vivid Drunk Dream)

And check out...

http://www.tlctx.com/ar_pages/paw_part1.htm


My deams stopped at about 6 months sober.


I thought of ihem as de saturating my brain.

Just don't drink and you will see improvement.

Mega Hugs

[Nuno]

Me too!I dream about that and a lot about death and awful and terrible things.I believe it's a portrait of the mind's worries. But when i wake up and see it's not true i am so happy and i think it's a reminder of how we want so much to stay sober!

stay strong Toomuch, it will take a while but you will sleep well soon. I am counting on the summer to start sleeping a little bit better....and dream with good things

[Astro]

Hi Too, as with all things in recovery "this too shall pass". I had so much anxiety and nightmares in my first few months of sobriety I thought I'd never sleep normally again. It does get much better, but it takes time. Even with over two years sober I still have trouble sleeping at times, but it's usually when my brain is working overtime and I'm obsessing about something that I have no control over.

No, you're not overreacting. I've heard it can take up to a year for patterns and your body to return to "normal".

[Toomutch]

Thank you everyone for the feedback; I appreciate it so much.

Carol, I found the information about PAW very informative. I seem to be experiencing several of the symptoms.

I am anxiously awaiting their dissapearance.

~~~~~~~~

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

[Rowan]

Hang in there, Toomutch, you are doing great. Well done on your 22 days! BIG hugs!

Rowan

[Surlyredhead]

Yep, I had them too, lasted on-and-off for over a year, I had to get out of bed most of the time and stay up so they would not continue when I closed my eyes again, then one night, I woke up from a nightmare and a miracle happened....I was able to thank God that I wasn't that person anymore and go back to sleep!!!! What a great night that was, every now-and-then I have a drinking dream and wake up feeling sick to my stomach and very guilty, but as my thoughts clear, and I realize it is a dream I am able to go back to sleep. It will get better, I promise.

Cathy

[Toomutch]

Cathy, you mentioned waking up and feeling guilty....

I have been doing that; and I have to reason with myself that I'm okay, everyone else is okay, and I didn't make an a** of myself etc... It makes me feel crazy.

~~~~~~~~

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

[Surlyredhead]

I will get better, what you are feeling is normal for "us"....it does make you a little crazy though. For me, however, crazy is normal!!!!!

[chicago]

ahhh using dreams...ive posted on this alot. my first using dream came around 30 days clean and it was so vivid it took me 30 minutes to realize it didnt happen. ive gotten them every 1-2 months ever since. right before my year i dreamed we were having a party to celebrate my 1 year anniversary. i showed up drunk and everyone was in disbelief. i denied i was drunk and then they brought a breathalizer!!!! psychologically we're going through alot of changes in recovery so let your mind run its natural course. drinking dreams are very normal and shows your changing...which is a good thing.