Firefly123

Sometimes something will happen and I'll get a 'flashback' or sudden memory of when I was drinking or something similar. Like today I was dizzy and staggered out of bed and it just reminded me of all the times I woke up still drunk, and it ruins my mood and I start to obsess over it, about how I should've never drank in the first place with my family alcoholic history etc. Will these thoughts go away with time? I haven't had cravings really, but these thoughts really get me down and scared and disappointed

FeelingGreat

Can I suggest you turn this around in your head to celebrating the fact that you are waking up clear headed and with no self-reproach about the night before?

It's all about attitude. One of the things I loved about early sobriety was that the worry and guilt was lifted from my shoulders when I woke up. No more wishing I hadn't had so much to drink the night before. If I had a headache I knew it wasn't from a hangover.

Try to celebrate every sober morning and congratulate yourself for your achievement. After all, sobriety isn't easy at first and you're doing a great thing.

shauninspain

Hopefully the thoughts that you mention will not go away!That sounds cruel, but we need to be reminded every so often. Sometimes if I fall asleep on the sofa and wake up a few hours later... dry mouth, headache, aching/stiff body etc etc. It reminds me a little of how I always felt after a binge. I shudder inside and thank my lucky stars that I no longer drink!

D122y

Fire,

I get flashbacks too more lately.

Stuff that is so dead and buried, behind me, and over.

The flashes seem vivid. The emotions are real.

But, then I come out of it and remember how clean I am today.

The flashes must be some nural pathway that got triggered be sobriety.

Thanks.

August252015

Yes, I have gotten them. As a matter of fact,just yesterday I was discussing using dreams with a manager of mine at work who is also sober. For me, these dreams have not happened often but when I jolted awake, wow! The sense of relief and gratitude that it was in fact not real was overwhelming.

I notice that I have these thoughts/flashbacks/dreams mostly around certain milestones. I will have a year sober in three days and just had one of those semi-dream/flashbacks a few days ago.

Keep staying sober- everything gets better!

tomsteve

how ironic I read this this morning. I got out of bed and walked smack into the edge of my bedroom door. I was pretty glad the bed was right behind me to fall on.
and I hadda a flashback to when I was fallin down drunk and did that trying to walk out of my house. ended up fallin back and...welp.....I had to go tv shopping the next day. a new tv stand,too. amazing how stuff really broke when I was drunk.

I do what FeelingGreat suggested- looked at it differently.
I used to be a falling down drunk. im not today. just because im not today doesn't mean im not going to have some things happen like they did when I was drinkin-like walkin into a door.
and I wasn't drunk this time!! woohooo!!!

not only that, I can get a laugh lookin back and seeing the insanity- insanity I didn't see when I was....well....insane!

thomas11

How long have you been sober?

Anna

I had flashbacks like that, frequently, and still do sometimes. I would be walking down the street and hear a song and I would be gone, in my mind, back to a dismal incident. One thing I learned is that, when the flashback starts, you have about 60 to 90 seconds to stop the feelings from overwhelming your body. If you catch it, and bring yourself back to the moment, you should be able to dismiss it.

BrendaChenowyth

We will always struggle with unwanted and unpleasant thoughts. I have certain sounds that will trigger me to remember disturbing moments in my childhood.

I made the decision to stop fighting it. It will happen from time to time. I'm not doing anything wrong. So I'm not gonna get upset, angry or frustrated with myself. Usually after a moment of being lost in it, I will realize what I'm doing, stop and say "No. You don't need to do that. It's okay that we went there again, but we're not gonna stay there." And I'll try to switch my attention to something else.

You do need to work on forgiving yourself. I understand that my habit of self-abuse with alcohol was just a coping mechanism I used to deal with the pain that was done to me. And I don't blame the people who hurt me. Hurting people hurt people. They were hurt by someone in their life, didn't know how to forgive the other person or themselves, and not knowing what else to do with the pain, took it out on someone defenseless. I forgive them, they didn't know any better. I drank to feel better about it, all I wanted was to feel better, I'm not a bad person, I was just a hurting person, I forgive myself.

Stiltskin

I am 49 days sober, and am definitely getting strange flashbacks. Generally about times when I was waisted but not exclusively. Seemingly unimportant things and there doesn't seem to be any reason for them. It's very odd, but I'm spinning it to myself that it's positive and part of the mental healing process.

thomas11

I've always held the idea that dreams and thoughts about drinking are not necessarily bad. It only becomes bad when we act on them. Just my 2 cents.

KPForever

Wow. I'm so glad i'm not alone with the flashbacks. Sometimes when I go to bed and i'm about to fall asleep, i'll get flashbacks of my drinking days..mostly about the bad stuff happening afterwards..or i'll get a flashback randomly during the day. It mostly brings back the feelings of doom, anxiety, fear you get after that drinking binge. I hate it because I feel like i'm back there again.
Just have to tell yourself that isn't happening anymore. That's the past. And talk about it.