Meraviglioso

I am going through a period where everytime I fall asleep I am having terrible dreams of drinking and being drunk. It is terrifying and traumatising. During my waking hours I feel good and solidly sober and want to stay this way. I got to thinking that maybe these dreams are a sign that I am unconsciously headed for a relapse I wanted to post here for support before that happens because I definitely don't want that to happen.
The dreams are so realistic and it takes me a few moments upon waking to realise it was all just a terrible dream, it is really upsetting. I know this is quite common, I wonder why it happens to us? Why is it happening with such regularity now?

Done4today

I have been having them too. I am feeling a little discontent also. I need to sit down with my sponsor and have a conversation. I was talking to a friend at a meeting about it and he calls them as "freebies". He says you get to experience drinking without relapsing. So enjoy the freebies!

Dee74

I never thought there was any hidden message in my dreams.

I dreamt a lot of high school for many years, but I didn't want to go back to that.

Do you have any other reasons to feel wobbly besides the dreams, Mera?

D

ShaneW

I can relate. I went through a period between 2-3 years sober when I had drunk dreams every night for almost 2 weeks. I spoke with my sponsor about it and we dug into what about my daily routine/habits was possibly sparking them. I soon discovered, or rather finally admitted, that I was binge eating late night like I used to do when I drank - so of course my brain was still trying to pair the two together in my dreams. Also the late night eating was leaving my body more awake to process the food and sparking my aggressive dreaming activity.

It def does not mean you are headed to a relapse. NOTHING can make you head to a relapse, besides you yourself choosing to drink. Stay strong, talk to some trusted friends or a sponsor, and maybe examine your daily routine and if anything is different these days you have the dreams vs when you don't.

-S, R

dirk41

I had very frequent, vivid dreams of drinking and memories associated with it (especially hiding alcohol) when I first quit, even when I wasn't thinking about it whilst awake. A psychology told me it can be the brains way of processing emotion during times of change. I still get them maybe once a fortnight, despite being sober for the better part of years.

Greenwood618

If you had a dream about robbing banks, would you rob them?

doggonecarl

I don't know what your drinking means to your unconscious, but if you relapse, it won't be an unconscious decision.

August252015

Agree!

It is disconcerting to say the least when we have these dreams. I have had a couple extremely vivid ones - month ago- that I still recall in good detail.

Other than the good advice here, and while we cannot give med advice- I have continued to talk to my dr about my sleep and we have adjusted the sleep med I take (it also has an anti-anxiety component) as I have had trouble sleeping, encountered sleep-disturbing dreams of any kind, rest better, etc. Sleep and fatigue are very important to me and at 15+ mo I still need a lot of rest.

Hang in there and don't drink. My concluding thought about all kinds of dreams is that for me, I think I am processing something when I dream about it - it's my mind's way of digesting something important (or laughing or dismissing what's not!).

Chaplain30

Damn i see same dreams. Drinking and betraying to my word lol. But relaxing after wake up.

Gottalife

I had those dreams. I was always so re pieced to wake up and realize it was only a dream. I reckon it was a sign of how seriously I took sobriety. The dreams were never fun. They were about lies and deception to cover my drinking. They felt bad, I knew I was on the wrong track. It felt like my subconscious was reinforcing the fact that drinking is not good for me.

livinginhope

I've had them too, so much so that it took me a few minutes to realize that I didn't do it.

Last week I had one where I was at a party and everyone was drinking but me. I take that as a good sign.

makeover

The dreams are more likely anxiety. You are anxious about that feeling of being drunk, because you don't want that. I think its a great sign, proving that sobriety is very important to you and on your mind alot. I bet its lovely waking up saying "its just a dream", like many a do after having bad dreams - usually on things that cause anxiety.