What's With The Dreams?
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Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 87
What's With The Dreams?
In the early months of recovery, I occasionally had a dream that I had picked up again. They were more like nightmares and I would wake up relieved that I hadn't actually slipped.
I went several months without a dream at all, but they started up again a few weeks ago. Recently, the theme of most the dreams are that I have a drink or two and then I'm deciding to not go any further or say, 'forget it, I've already relapsed, might as well make it a good one'
These have all been harmless and I know my brain was trying to tell me something, just not sure what.
But......I just woke up from a drinking dream that is really disturbing me. In this one I was casually drinking wine and something else (don't remember the something else, prob. vodka) with no care that I was relapsing. The feeling of the buzz was positive and vivid. In the hour or so that I've been awake since, that feeling, the memory of a good buzz has stayed with me.
It's like my AV was in my dreams, saying 'Do it, it will feel good'. I would say the AV is still in my head a little bit. I've never had a problem with cravings, but right now I feel, not a craving, but a 'What if?' in the back of my head. I will not relapse, but I find it weird that a small part of me right now is entertaining the notion.
This WILL be my first NYE sober and Jan 4th will be one year for me. Last year, I had a few months and relapsed on NYE, so this has been on my mind. Maybe my AV has seized this opportunity to try and get a foothold.
Anyone else have this happen? Should I be worried? Can a dream really lead to concerns of a relapse?
SC
I went several months without a dream at all, but they started up again a few weeks ago. Recently, the theme of most the dreams are that I have a drink or two and then I'm deciding to not go any further or say, 'forget it, I've already relapsed, might as well make it a good one'
These have all been harmless and I know my brain was trying to tell me something, just not sure what.
But......I just woke up from a drinking dream that is really disturbing me. In this one I was casually drinking wine and something else (don't remember the something else, prob. vodka) with no care that I was relapsing. The feeling of the buzz was positive and vivid. In the hour or so that I've been awake since, that feeling, the memory of a good buzz has stayed with me.
It's like my AV was in my dreams, saying 'Do it, it will feel good'. I would say the AV is still in my head a little bit. I've never had a problem with cravings, but right now I feel, not a craving, but a 'What if?' in the back of my head. I will not relapse, but I find it weird that a small part of me right now is entertaining the notion.
This WILL be my first NYE sober and Jan 4th will be one year for me. Last year, I had a few months and relapsed on NYE, so this has been on my mind. Maybe my AV has seized this opportunity to try and get a foothold.
Anyone else have this happen? Should I be worried? Can a dream really lead to concerns of a relapse?
SC
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
I had them all the dang time in early recovery. Nowadays, not so much but they still happen.
I don't personally think they're a harbinger of a binge-to-come or a risk of relapse indicator (at least not on their own).
I take them as a calling to consciously give gratitude for sobriety and a reminder of the importance of my sobriety.
Sometimes, they urge me to get to a meeting and talk about it.
Pay attention to it, give it some energy, but don't fear it..... would be my reflection.
I don't personally think they're a harbinger of a binge-to-come or a risk of relapse indicator (at least not on their own).
I take them as a calling to consciously give gratitude for sobriety and a reminder of the importance of my sobriety.
Sometimes, they urge me to get to a meeting and talk about it.
Pay attention to it, give it some energy, but don't fear it..... would be my reflection.
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Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 87
Originally Posted by FreeOwl 
I had them all the dang time in early recovery. Nowadays, not so much but they still happen.
I don't personally think they're a harbinger of a binge-to-come or a risk of relapse indicator (at least not on their own).
I take them as a calling to consciously give gratitude for sobriety and a reminder of the importance of my sobriety.
Sometimes, they urge me to get to a meeting and talk about it.
Pay attention to it, give it some energy, but don't fear it..... would be my reflection.
I don't personally think they're a harbinger of a binge-to-come or a risk of relapse indicator (at least not on their own).
I take them as a calling to consciously give gratitude for sobriety and a reminder of the importance of my sobriety.
Sometimes, they urge me to get to a meeting and talk about it.
Pay attention to it, give it some energy, but don't fear it..... would be my reflection.
The thought did cross my mind that I should hit up a meeting just to talk things out. It's been several months since I've been to a meeting anyway, so I should.
I got a little worked up, but as with all vivid dreams, the emotional impact fades away.
SC
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posts: 517
I had a year or so of them, about 1 a month my first year sober, then they stopped for about 4 years, then recently had a spate of them about 6 months ago.
In hindsight I can see I was running a bit rough and had some resentment running in the back of my mind, combined with a lack of prayer and putting as much into recovery as I should have been.
After remedying those things, no more drinking dreams.
They can and do happen, but it's what you do about them that counts.
In hindsight I can see I was running a bit rough and had some resentment running in the back of my mind, combined with a lack of prayer and putting as much into recovery as I should have been.
After remedying those things, no more drinking dreams.
They can and do happen, but it's what you do about them that counts.
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Originally Posted by SuficintCrlsns
Good thoughts.
The thought did cross my mind that I should hit up a meeting just to talk things out. It's been several months since I've been to a meeting anyway, so I should.
I got a little worked up, but as with all vivid dreams, the emotional impact fades away.
SC
The thought did cross my mind that I should hit up a meeting just to talk things out. It's been several months since I've been to a meeting anyway, so I should.
I got a little worked up, but as with all vivid dreams, the emotional impact fades away.
SC
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,169
I don't think the dreams are anything to worry about, but they may reflect things we actually worry about. That was true in my case. In my dream, I would find myself drinking, and be frightfully angry about not being aware of what I was doing to get myself drunk.
In my actual waking hours, I did not want a drink. I cherished every moment of my sobriety, but in the back of my mind, I worried that I would stop being aware of my goal of total abstinence, and just take a drink without any forethought.
My dream clearly expressed my concern. What I could take away from that was that in my waking hours, I have control over my actions, not some inner demon, who only shows up in my dreams.
Drunk dreams are so prevalent among those who are in recovery, but I have never heard of anyone actually drinking because of a drunk dream, but most of us in recovery experience a period of time where we fear that we might lose control. We get over the fear. My last drunk dream was probably over 15 years ago.
In my actual waking hours, I did not want a drink. I cherished every moment of my sobriety, but in the back of my mind, I worried that I would stop being aware of my goal of total abstinence, and just take a drink without any forethought.
My dream clearly expressed my concern. What I could take away from that was that in my waking hours, I have control over my actions, not some inner demon, who only shows up in my dreams.
Drunk dreams are so prevalent among those who are in recovery, but I have never heard of anyone actually drinking because of a drunk dream, but most of us in recovery experience a period of time where we fear that we might lose control. We get over the fear. My last drunk dream was probably over 15 years ago.
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Originally Posted by SuficintCrlsns
Good thoughts.
The thought did cross my mind that I should hit up a meeting just to talk things out. It's been several months since I've been to a meeting anyway, so I should.
I got a little worked up, but as with all vivid dreams, the emotional impact fades away.
SC
The thought did cross my mind that I should hit up a meeting just to talk things out. It's been several months since I've been to a meeting anyway, so I should.
I got a little worked up, but as with all vivid dreams, the emotional impact fades away.
SC
And, they can be disorienting and get us worked up, for sure. I found that I have them occasionally now (3 yr 10 mo) and it's usually some strange combination of people/places/things that are churning in my mind somehow. Higher stress prob means I need to pay attention to something else (not the sober part, per se) and also to look at how I'm living my program a little more closely.
Our actions (awake!) are the most important part. Take a look at what's going on in your daily choices and emotionally sober life, and adjust accordingly. To me, that's just a part of the process.
No matter what, you know what to do - don't drink, and seek support!
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Join Date: Oct 2019
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I think when sober we are going to spend more time in that sleep cycle that we dream in, I think it's the REM stage. (been a long time since psychology class). I think when using we just sort of pass out and don't hit the proper sleep cycles. Also I think our memory improves so we remember alot more dreams.
Maybe dreams are some insight into life and death. The concept of time gets lost, there really is no time, no beginning, no end, time is a man made thing. It's a factor in some dreams, but it's not required, it's like something that may get thrown in
I not only drink and drug in some dreams but dead people and animals are alive and never died. Some dreams I pass on alchohol, I guess my subconscious or whatever is closer to the present in sober dreams. In others I continue to pick up chunks of crack cocaine and can't quite get the high I want. Drinking and drugging took up almost 3 quarters of my life so far, I think to some degree it's always going to be buried in my subconscious or whatever part of the mind. I'm not in the psych or medical field I dont have a clue on the technical terms, just a regular guy trying to understand our dreams.
Sometimes it's good, I drank I got away with it but it's a dream and I know it can only happen in a dream. In dreams sometimes I see loved ones, even my Siberian husky the other day. I looked deep into those blue eyes and nothing had changed. She was right there, she never left. In my dream it wasnt today, it wasnt 10 years ago, it wasn't any time. Maybe when time isn't in the mind it doesn't exist.
Just remember, chasing after one of those enjoyable drinking dreams where everything is great is about as logical as me trying to play with my dead dog. In what we know as the real world right now these things, deceased loved ones, seemingly controlled drinking, do not exist.
In some dreams I can fly!
Maybe dreams are some insight into life and death. The concept of time gets lost, there really is no time, no beginning, no end, time is a man made thing. It's a factor in some dreams, but it's not required, it's like something that may get thrown in
I not only drink and drug in some dreams but dead people and animals are alive and never died. Some dreams I pass on alchohol, I guess my subconscious or whatever is closer to the present in sober dreams. In others I continue to pick up chunks of crack cocaine and can't quite get the high I want. Drinking and drugging took up almost 3 quarters of my life so far, I think to some degree it's always going to be buried in my subconscious or whatever part of the mind. I'm not in the psych or medical field I dont have a clue on the technical terms, just a regular guy trying to understand our dreams.
Sometimes it's good, I drank I got away with it but it's a dream and I know it can only happen in a dream. In dreams sometimes I see loved ones, even my Siberian husky the other day. I looked deep into those blue eyes and nothing had changed. She was right there, she never left. In my dream it wasnt today, it wasnt 10 years ago, it wasn't any time. Maybe when time isn't in the mind it doesn't exist.
Just remember, chasing after one of those enjoyable drinking dreams where everything is great is about as logical as me trying to play with my dead dog. In what we know as the real world right now these things, deceased loved ones, seemingly controlled drinking, do not exist.
In some dreams I can fly!
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Join Date: Aug 2011
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There is an oft repeated quote among Jungian psychotherapists. "What you resist persists". Simply, you can attempt to deal with the dreams by completely rational means (perhaps by explaining and dismissing them) but there will be a component that will persist. The component is the feeling, affect, emotion or desire that is a part of the bigger picture. It's there, accept it. You don't need to act on it but at least acknowledge that it exists.
As the first anniversary of my sobriety approached I was excited at the prospect of getting my first year. I wanted to celebrate. I wanted to celebrate with a drink.... lol WHAT? The whole experience was so irrational, but the feeling persisted and the thought of it at times made me laugh out loud. I had to acknowledge that there was a big part of me that still wanted to drink.
I had to go back to what a famous therapist, who I was blessed to work with many years before had said "better to be short term cruel and long term kind than the reverse". I had to apply this to myself. I had to acknowledge that there was a part of me that wanted to do something that was essentially evil. When I owned it, it lost its power.
As the first anniversary of my sobriety approached I was excited at the prospect of getting my first year. I wanted to celebrate. I wanted to celebrate with a drink.... lol WHAT? The whole experience was so irrational, but the feeling persisted and the thought of it at times made me laugh out loud. I had to acknowledge that there was a big part of me that still wanted to drink.
I had to go back to what a famous therapist, who I was blessed to work with many years before had said "better to be short term cruel and long term kind than the reverse". I had to apply this to myself. I had to acknowledge that there was a part of me that wanted to do something that was essentially evil. When I owned it, it lost its power.
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I've never believed in my drinking dreams meaning anything.
I did a lot of drinking. I think it's natural my subconscious self might take some of those memories and re-order them into a narrative sometimes.
I used to dream a lot about high school but I've never wanted to go back there.
The important thing is I stay sober while I'm conscious
D
I did a lot of drinking. I think it's natural my subconscious self might take some of those memories and re-order them into a narrative sometimes.
I used to dream a lot about high school but I've never wanted to go back there.
The important thing is I stay sober while I'm conscious
D
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Join Date: Aug 2019
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Originally Posted by Dee74
I've never believed in my drinking dreams meaning anything.
I did a lot of drinking. I think it's natural my subconscious self might take some of those memories and re-order them into a narrative sometimes.
I used to dream a lot about high school but I've never wanted to go back there.
The important thing is I stay sober while I'm conscious
D
I did a lot of drinking. I think it's natural my subconscious self might take some of those memories and re-order them into a narrative sometimes.
I used to dream a lot about high school but I've never wanted to go back there.
The important thing is I stay sober while I'm conscious
D
I just had to post about that latest one because oddly, the feeling of wanting alcohol carried over to real life. I think I was just overly tired and let it get in my head. It quickly faded and no negative impacts.
SC
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 67
I still have these dreams occasionally at a year. They seem so real and I wake up mortified that I’ve “drunk” again. A moment later when I’ve come around I am so unbelievably grateful that it was just a dream - it has a beneficial reenforcement effect on my sobriety
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I have them, not very often. Last night I dreamed I drank a vodka and then was at a party where I was ordering a caesar for someone else. Vodka was never my go to and never caesar's because I hate clam juice. Weird thing, at the party the bartender was my husband's best friend and asked if I wanted it with water or vodka. watered down tomato and clam juice, yummy! Anyways just a dream, a weird one. I chalk it up to my subconscious working through it being New Years, I was always go all out, hair, make up, evening gown, I miss some of it.
The dreams can be unnerving, my brain does weird stuff while I sleep. Now the other dream last night about the hunky, Russian, body builder, that one could become recurring.
The dreams can be unnerving, my brain does weird stuff while I sleep. Now the other dream last night about the hunky, Russian, body builder, that one could become recurring.
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Originally Posted by MyLittleHorsie
The dreams can be unnerving, my brain does weird stuff while I sleep. Now the other dream last night about the hunky, Russian, body builder, that one could become recurring.
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I worked at a particular office for 8 years. I haven't worked there in over 10 - but I still get dreams about the place. Dreams that I am back, dreams about co-workers, everything. And super vivid. As I wake up I have this feeling like "oh no, why did I go back to that place." Then as my brain pulls itself together the sigh, "oh, good, it was just a dream!" 😂
I bet many of us put more than a few years into our using days. So it makes sense that our brain would occasionally bring up aspects of that life during dreams. I try not to read too much into it. Now if they are happening often and during my waking hours I am also feeling off - that would definitely get my attention. But the occasional (even vivid) drug dream - even the ones where you swear you could feel yourself getting high/drunk - are just part of the journey. Hang in there.
I bet many of us put more than a few years into our using days. So it makes sense that our brain would occasionally bring up aspects of that life during dreams. I try not to read too much into it. Now if they are happening often and during my waking hours I am also feeling off - that would definitely get my attention. But the occasional (even vivid) drug dream - even the ones where you swear you could feel yourself getting high/drunk - are just part of the journey. Hang in there.
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Originally Posted by FlyAgain
I still have these dreams occasionally at a year. They seem so real and I wake up mortified that I’ve “drunk” again. A moment later when I’ve come around I am so unbelievably grateful that it was just a dream - it has a beneficial reenforcement effect on my sobriety
I'm not sure why, but somehow I felt it was a beneficial reinforcement to me also. Maybe it was letting me know how disgusted I would be with myself if it was actually for real. If I was that angry/disappointed/fearful when it didn't happen, how bad off would I be if it actually did? I really don't care to find out.
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