Eddie2010

I've had quite a few and always wake up shaking and ashamed until I realize it was just a dream. They seem so real and it takes me a while to calm down after waking.

Lionne

Hi Eddie,
I remember having them quite often when I was at the beginning of my sober journey- and exactly like you described, it felt so real that I was thinking I really messed up again. I wouldn´t really worry to much about it. For me, they got lesser and lesser with time and I can´t even remember when the last time was. I don`t know how long you have been sober but it can even happen after some time.
At sleep, our brains just try to process things that we experience. Because drinking/sobriety might be something that is on your mind a lot right now, it´s quite normal that it also sneaks into your subconscious while you sleep. I wish you all the best on your sober journey,
L.
Edit: And I have to add that the overall quality of my sleep got better with time. Everyone`s different but many of us had some trouble with sleeping patterns at the early stages of sobriety.

LadyinBC

This is quite normal. I had them a lot at first and then i would go for weeks without one and all of a sudden boom. Lionne is right drinking is always on my mind so I think it is quit normal to dream about it.

I'm just thankful that it is just a dream!

DisplacedGRITS

sometimes, i'll have several in a row. then i'll go months without one. they're very common. i'll wake up and want to cry, thinking i've relapsed. well, this was back before my relapse. but still, yeah i've had them. it got to where i was aware of my sobriety in my dreams. i would be drunk in my dreams and i would ask myself "what happened? what got me to this point?" when i didn't have an answer, i realized i was dreaming. kinda strange. ironic too, since i relapsed for no real reason! but drinking dreams are quite common. just don't let them get you down.

RocketQueen

I've never had any dreams about being drunk during sobriety, but I have the same recurring dream where im running around trying to find an open liquor store. They are usually all closed except for a random store (ie. The post office lol) and just as im about to drink, I wake up. Exactly the same dream, exactly the same scenarios apart from the store I get the liquor from. Its been a post office, a clothing store and a candle shop lol.

instant

I am 20 months sober. I drank a six pack in a dream the other night, I was disappointed with myself in the dream, as the person I was with wanted me to drive. Having said that there was all sorts crazy stuff going on in there too. It's only a dream, it's not reality.

Fandy

I watched the movie Flight yesterday....last night i dreamed i walked into my kitchen in the morning and picked up a glass of red wine, drank it for breakfast, i woke up cos i could *smell* it,
I was not able to fall back asleep.

AshleyNickel

Oh yes, me too, I've had them. I almost think they can be quite helpful, because you can remember all the bad feelings that are going to come if you do relapse and drink again...but without actually doing it! They are good reminders. I'll take one any night. And also when you wake up and find out it is just a dream....it's a great feeling!

Bye,

Ashley

flutter

Yep, still.. this comes up often, it's totally normal.

My counselor once told me (after I complained about it to him) to consider it a 'freebie', going back out and not truly experiencing the guilt, shame, horror that it would cause, but just a taste of it to keep me on track.

ScottFromWI

I just had one last night - they seem to come and go as others have mentioned. I'm around 2 months in and don't really have cravings during the day at all for reference. Probably just our brains playing tricks on us...hard to really say that a particular dream really means anything one way or the other.

I would guess for me that they will never go away completely. I used to have a nicotine addiction too, and i've been clean of that for over 3 years but still have occasional dreams about that too.

The best part though is that it's not real...just feels like it for a short while. You can wake up and reassure yourself that you were strong and didn't really do it.