tonisherrell

Today is day 16.. i havent been dry this long in a very long time. Physically I feel okay but not yet 100 percent. Also last night I had two nightmares. One where my home was invaded and family was shot. I woke up in a panic and made my daughter sleep in my room. I went back to sleep and dreamed I was at a furneral of a unknown person and was stealing food. But on the car ride home my son was hanging on the windshield lol are these nighmares normal after quitting drinking?

ScottFromWI

Congrats on 16 days toni, that's great! Yes, nightmares are very common during early sobriety. If you think about it, when we were drunk/drinking many nights we didn't even get REM sleep much because we were basically passed out. Now that your brain is clear of alchohol, it's "waking up" in a sense and stretching it's legs. They might seem scary, but they are just dreams...and they don't necessarily mean anything bad.

ShelterShelly

Hi, Tonisherrell. I registered just to tell you congratulations on your 16 days!!! That is a big deal. I remember how angry I was because I wouldn't drink. But that passed as I got more comfortable with my sobriety. I am a slow learner. It took me awhile to figure out the answer to the question, if I don't drink what do I do. I had a lot of selfishness to overcome before I really started helping others. Anyway, hang in there. It gets easier. I had a few nightmares around the time I quit drinking. Before and after. They gave me something to think about rather than my not drinking

D122y

Toni,

I had crazy dreams as I slowly healed.

I still have them now, but not always. The dreams sometimes leave me traumatized and it takes me a while to calm down and go back to sleep.

But, It is awesome waking up a strong as possible, drug free.

I periodically think this: The only way I could ever rationalize waking up with a hang over was ok was because I was physically addicted. A relapse today would be sad for me, my family, my coworkers, and for many here.

It will never happen.

I hold myself accountable. Accountability is huge in a normal life. Whether it is to ourselves, our family, our boss...accountability is what keeps this addict clean.

I have good and bad things going on these days. Each day I am able to face these things with a good conscious knowing I am all that I can be.

It is what feeling normal is all about. I am not there yet. I still crave and think about relapsing when things go good and when things go bad.

If it wasn't for SR, I would have relapsed hard many times by now.

Thanks.

tonisherrell

Thanks everyone.. i cant wait for the bad dreams and aniety to leave.

Dee74

They will toni - congrats on day 16

D

least

Congrats on over two weeks sober! Keep going, it gets better.

lessgravity

16 is great, congrats.

I had and continue to have some serious dreams since stopping 26 days ago. Couple were disturbing - especially the drinking dream that I think many people can relate to.

But then the sleep comes eventually and it just feels so good to look forward to sleep. I hadn't for years and years - I just passed out.

Now I know what non-alcohol abusers mean when they say they like to sleep! To think I hadn't really experienced what we spend half our life doing for so long.

Stay strong and congrats.

elnotcho

You are definitely sober physically. Mentally takes a long time. Like a lifetime for me. It should not define us for the rest of our lives.