Unfortunately the drinking dreams don't ever seem to go away, for me anyways Charlee. I've just learned to accept them and say "whewff, glad that didn't just happen!" when I wake up.
But yes, this illness is all about learning how to manage stress. Nobody has the perfect answer. Exercise works great for me, I just have to be careful not to overdo it at times. I've found that I've pushed myself too hard in the past, only to burn out. I'm sure VR has some great advice here.