Nightmares
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Brisbane! Australia
Posts: 12
Nightmares
I've been a weekend binge drinker since my mid teens, I'm now 44 years old. I started drinking daily about 8 years ago and have worked myself up to having at least 8 stubbles of beer a day, about 15 on Friday Saturday and Sundays, over the last 6 years.
I gave up drinking for 8 weeks 2 years ago and I went through hell, severe sweats, especially at night, I stank and I felt like I was going mental crying all the time and becoming very angry for no reason at all. I felt confused and couldn't focus on anything for the first week. After 8 weeks I thought I could control it. I was wrong!
I now continue my drinking every day and spend my weekends alone at home, watching TV and drinking. I start between 11am and 1pm and I don't stop until midnight. I'm depressed because I drink and I drink because I'm depressed. It's a stupid cycle.
I stopped drinking 4 days ago, had severe sweats the first 2 nights. I crave to drink at night but am keeping myself busy. I'm very, very tired.
The worst part is the nightmares. All night every night I'm having extremely violent and horrible nightmares.
Has anyone else experienced nightmares when they stopped drinking? And how long did they last?
I gave up drinking for 8 weeks 2 years ago and I went through hell, severe sweats, especially at night, I stank and I felt like I was going mental crying all the time and becoming very angry for no reason at all. I felt confused and couldn't focus on anything for the first week. After 8 weeks I thought I could control it. I was wrong!
I now continue my drinking every day and spend my weekends alone at home, watching TV and drinking. I start between 11am and 1pm and I don't stop until midnight. I'm depressed because I drink and I drink because I'm depressed. It's a stupid cycle.
I stopped drinking 4 days ago, had severe sweats the first 2 nights. I crave to drink at night but am keeping myself busy. I'm very, very tired.
The worst part is the nightmares. All night every night I'm having extremely violent and horrible nightmares.
Has anyone else experienced nightmares when they stopped drinking? And how long did they last?
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,759
At four days, you should be mostly done with the physical withdrawal. But after that, there can be periods of diminished ability to concentrate, remember, and so on. Early recovery can be a bumpy ride, but it will get better the longer you're sober. Just don't give in and drink or it will start all over. 
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: KC MO
Posts: 980
I had lots of nightmares when I first quit drinking. They seemed unbelievably real. The longer you go without drinking,they get less and less. I think I had most in the first month or so. I don't think I
had any after 3 months or so.
Hang in there,it really is worth it.
had any after 3 months or so.
Hang in there,it really is worth it.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central America/Florida USA
Posts: 4,064
I had very realistic, frightening nightmares for weeks if not months. Most of them involved drinking but some were just crazy out-of-the-blue nonsense. Your brain is working overtime during your resting hours, finding new pathways for neurons to follow. Every once in a while those neurons hit a dead end or a bump in the road, and thus the nightmares.
Stay sober a while, they'll fade.
Stay sober a while, they'll fade.
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
There is a great weekender thread in newcomers it lasts till the next week's one is in but that's not my best advice although it's close
My tip is have ice cream in the freezer preferably Ben n Jerry's
If you have a favorite show get a boxset
Buy a A4 pad and at the front or inside put 'Piggins journey' and whatever you feel write on the page this was seriously therapeutic for me to get it out then reflect on as time goes by I still have my journal
Remember it's a sober weekend you will come to love them I love a peaceful well relaxed Friday night sober - there is nothing like it
Re-connect with nature whether it's walks feeding ducks at the park buying yourself a birdfeeder & watch a tree spring to life with birdsong I love it currently have 6 birdfeeders as the squirrel busted his own peanut feeder lol
By making sure you log in here every day it helps so so much & in the meantime if you ever want to talk drop a pm
in this together
My tip is have ice cream in the freezer preferably Ben n Jerry's
If you have a favorite show get a boxset
Buy a A4 pad and at the front or inside put 'Piggins journey' and whatever you feel write on the page this was seriously therapeutic for me to get it out then reflect on as time goes by I still have my journal
Remember it's a sober weekend you will come to love them I love a peaceful well relaxed Friday night sober - there is nothing like it
Re-connect with nature whether it's walks feeding ducks at the park buying yourself a birdfeeder & watch a tree spring to life with birdsong I love it currently have 6 birdfeeders as the squirrel busted his own peanut feeder lol
By making sure you log in here every day it helps so so much & in the meantime if you ever want to talk drop a pm
in this together
Trying to Enjoy Life Now
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sittin' on the dock of the bay
Posts: 275
I've had the most bizarre nightmares in early withdrawal. Weird part is they all had a common theme:
I've woken up throwing kicks, punches and screaming. If your progress mirrors mine in any way it will go away in 3-5 days then comes long periods of sleep where you go to bed at 9pm then wake up at 7am wondering where the time went.
It gets better. Hang in there.
- Being bitten by animals, most often cats, I'm a dog guy
- My older brother picking on me
- People I haven't seen or thought of in years
- Bullies from grade school
I've woken up throwing kicks, punches and screaming. If your progress mirrors mine in any way it will go away in 3-5 days then comes long periods of sleep where you go to bed at 9pm then wake up at 7am wondering where the time went.
It gets better. Hang in there.
Do your best
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,109
Speaking of nightmares I had a doozy one last night. I was trying to get away from something and I had this little girl with me, she wasn't my child but I was in charge of her. We were on a flight of stairs trying to run up them but they kept getting steeper and steeper, I could actually feel and see them shifting under my feet until we on almost a 90 degree angle. I was holding onto the banister to keep us from falling holding the little girl in front of me. I knew her mother was at the top of the stairs and would help us if she could hear us calling so I told the little girl to start calling her mother and we started calling "Mom, mom, mom" as I tried to climb up these steep shifting stairs. I must of been calling out for real because all of a sudden my sweet boyfriends arms were around me and he was telling me that it was just a dream, it's alright.
Lot of symbolism there! Me protecting me trying to get another me to save me? lol dreams are crazy.
Lot of symbolism there! Me protecting me trying to get another me to save me? lol dreams are crazy.
now's the time
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,181
For your first weekend, is there anyone you know who you could tell what's happening?
If not, I would go to an AA meeting Friday night. When they ask if anyone's new, raise your hand and say you've just quit. That should get a lot of people to talk to you afterwards and give you advice, maybe other meetings you can go to or events you can come along to.
I should say because I know AA is not appealing to many people at first... the first time I quit I didn't go to any kind of support groups. I just posted here and that worked, plus I really focused on exercise. But this time I did do AA particularly my first 3 months, and it really helped to be around people who understood, for the first time in my life. (like being able to just say things about my drinking habits without anyone batting an eye?!?! wow. that was magical. I had some big consequences from my drinking. It was amazing to say out loud, I lost my job because I was drinking, and not have anyone look shocked).
The other thing it does is it gives you accountability. You know that there's someone who will know if you start drinking again.
So yeah, either here or in person, try to find some other people in recovery this weekend. It makes the difference.
If not, I would go to an AA meeting Friday night. When they ask if anyone's new, raise your hand and say you've just quit. That should get a lot of people to talk to you afterwards and give you advice, maybe other meetings you can go to or events you can come along to.
I should say because I know AA is not appealing to many people at first... the first time I quit I didn't go to any kind of support groups. I just posted here and that worked, plus I really focused on exercise. But this time I did do AA particularly my first 3 months, and it really helped to be around people who understood, for the first time in my life. (like being able to just say things about my drinking habits without anyone batting an eye?!?! wow. that was magical. I had some big consequences from my drinking. It was amazing to say out loud, I lost my job because I was drinking, and not have anyone look shocked).
The other thing it does is it gives you accountability. You know that there's someone who will know if you start drinking again.
So yeah, either here or in person, try to find some other people in recovery this weekend. It makes the difference.
now's the time
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,181
Hey also, for the nightmares... I had very, very vivid dreams at the beginning and yes they continued for a long time. But they didn't stay nightmares that whole time. As I got through withdrawal and started feeling hopeful, my dreams lightened up too. I don't know if it works for everyone, but for me, the stuff I did while awake impacted the dreams.
12-Step Recovered Alkie
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
I had horrible nightmares for a long time....close to 3 years. Not necessarily every night but they'd come in spurts. Every night or every other night for a couple weeks, then they'd subside for a while.
It's said drinking being is outward manifestation of an internal illness - a soul sickness, a feeling of being out of control, and/or how we feel when separate from a power Greater than ourselves. It's also said, that which we bury in our subconscious tends to come out in our dreams. Well, those two were very true for me. Decades of not really dealing with life but instead trying to bury pain, hurt, emotional turmoil and so on eventually caught up with me.
LOTS of step work, lots of inventory and some professional help forced me to start acknowledging what was inside me, taught me how to talk about it, and steps 6 and 7 helped me with a new way to deal with things I lacked the ability to deal with on my own.
It's said drinking being is outward manifestation of an internal illness - a soul sickness, a feeling of being out of control, and/or how we feel when separate from a power Greater than ourselves. It's also said, that which we bury in our subconscious tends to come out in our dreams. Well, those two were very true for me. Decades of not really dealing with life but instead trying to bury pain, hurt, emotional turmoil and so on eventually caught up with me.
LOTS of step work, lots of inventory and some professional help forced me to start acknowledging what was inside me, taught me how to talk about it, and steps 6 and 7 helped me with a new way to deal with things I lacked the ability to deal with on my own.
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 444
Originally Posted by Piggin 
Thanks everyone. I was hoping you wouldn't say a few weeks! I was hoping that they'd be almost over. I hate them.
The weekend is coming up, the hardest time for me. Any tips?
The weekend is coming up, the hardest time for me. Any tips?
I had awful nightmares coupled with bouts of insomnia but the issues went away pretty quickly... Within a week or so i think. Since that period Ive experienced far better sleep than any during my drinking years.
As for the weekend.... Long strenuous walks and hikes kill a lot of time and really help physically and spiritually.
Good luck this weekend.
Jonathan
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 444
Originally Posted by DayTrader
I had horrible nightmares for a long time....close to 3 years. Not necessarily every night but they'd come in spurts. Every night or every other night for a couple weeks, then they'd subside for a while.
It's said drinking being is outward manifestation of an internal illness - a soul sickness, a feeling of being out of control, and/or how we feel when separate from a power Greater than ourselves. It's also said, that which we bury in our subconscious tends to come out in our dreams. Well, those two were very true for me. Decades of not really dealing with life but instead trying to bury pain, hurt, emotional turmoil and so on eventually caught up with me.
LOTS of step work, lots of inventory and some professional help forced me to start acknowledging what was inside me, taught me how to talk about it, and steps 6 and 7 helped me with a new way to deal with things I lacked the ability to deal with on my own.
It's said drinking being is outward manifestation of an internal illness - a soul sickness, a feeling of being out of control, and/or how we feel when separate from a power Greater than ourselves. It's also said, that which we bury in our subconscious tends to come out in our dreams. Well, those two were very true for me. Decades of not really dealing with life but instead trying to bury pain, hurt, emotional turmoil and so on eventually caught up with me.
LOTS of step work, lots of inventory and some professional help forced me to start acknowledging what was inside me, taught me how to talk about it, and steps 6 and 7 helped me with a new way to deal with things I lacked the ability to deal with on my own.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
