Why do we have dreams about our DOC?
 

Several posts lately have referred to dreaming about our drug, and it triggering us. I've had several of them before. . usually right when I'm starting to feel healthy after a horrible detox. But, not actively consciously craving it. Why does our subconscious want to threaten us so?

Alone, I was just thinking about this topic (dreaming about the drug of choice)...I don't think I have had one of those - or at least not that I know of. I do remember having dreams about smoking a cigarette at least once, but not alcohol.

When I was in my first year or two of drinking and smoking, the smoking was the heavier habit. A friend about twice my age who loved coffee, cigarettes and wine asked me which things I could give up and in which order. For her, it was wine, cigarettes and then coffee as the last thing. For me, it was coffee, alcohol and finally cigarettes. Somehow I was right at that tender age, ha ha, because that is pretty much how it has played out, although I have not let go of caffeine itself.

Anyway, I don't know if that fits into your topic very well, but it's what came to mind for me.

Try not to read into dreams too much,...using dreams are normal. I knew I was on the right track when in my dreams I felt guilty for picking up. Eventually the dreams pass.

:c015:

'cause your DOC wants you too. :)

Good question and I've been wondering myself. Never can recall having dreams about wine until I decided to quit and have had a couple of dreams about drinking in the last two weeks. Our brains are torturing us, for sure.

I had them every night for the first three months, once a week or so for the next three months and probably monthly, at least, until I hit a year. I still get them now and then. I learned to say a prayer of gratitude when I wake up from one.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

I don't know about others, but I've had a lot of dreams about drinking and feeling out of control (unable to speak, walk straight, being socially akward etc) since I have quit. I also dreamt about booze while I was still drinking as well, though. But for me the dreams have increased ten-fold since I quit. They are so realistic to me that I wake up and actually think that I drank for a split second before I realize it was all a dream. Does anyone know any info on this? I dislike it very much.

Its possible!? I know rational recovery speaks of your addiction as a "beast in waiting" like a seperate entity apart from us is living within our brains that wants chemical abuse. I've always had trouble wrapping my brain around this concept. Its too "split personality" for me to agree with.

It's just simply because we dream about things that cause us stress or are on our minds a lot during waking hours - that's all there is to it.

I remember a few months after quitting smoking having a VERY realistic dream that I had started smoking again, and woke up all upset and disappointed in myself. Then, as I got more conscious I realized it was all a dream, and I was SOO happy I think I cheered out loud lol.

I also remember having dreams about my mother after she died, and about one of my best friends after she died. It's just the mind working through stressful thoughts; nothing more.

I have the dreams that I went back out and was drinking again. When I wake up, I actually awake angry because I think I drank. I obviously shake it off after a few minutes but is really freaks me out. In AA meetings some people with many years of sobriety say they still have them and some don't.

Thanks everyone. Yes, they are usually very unnerving. But,when I wake up, it's a mixture of relief and disappointment. It's kind of like dreaming about cheating on your husband lol.

Funny, I read this last evening and gave it some thought. When I first quit drinking (70 days!), I had dreams for the first few weeks and then they just kinda subsided. I started thinking I hadn't had any dreams in a while. Har dee har har, lo and behold last night I have not one but TWO scandalous dreams. :) Each time I came to, I gave myself a little hug and drifted back to sleep.

Scary thought at first, then a pleasant one. Interesting. I think the subconscious is just working the thoughts through the system. It's a bit of a bummer to realize mid-dream that you are drinking, but it's just a dream, thankfully.

I rarely have them now but when I got out of treatment and my one year was coming up it seemed that I had those dreams on a regular basis and I'd wake up FREAKING out!!!! "OH MY GOD!!!!! I've blown my sober time!!!!" Like really going with it......... calm down in a few seconds and realize it was just a dream.

I think for me it was mostly all the stress of knowing how many people had relapsed when getting out of treatment and as well knowing that, at that time, I was so close to having a year and I didn't want to screw it up.

They are very common, I know that. :scared:

The dreams...I think at some point everyone recovering from drugs or alcohol has had them...I think it is part of the subconscious dealing with the situation. I wonder if family members or friends also have the dreams about "their addict" relapsing...

I have no idea why they happen but suspect that it has something to do with the fact that consumption of our doc was an everyday behavior over many years that altered our brain chemistry. Perhaps our brains are just working the stuff out....

I know one thing, i have these dreams every so often and they're quite real. It's a bizarre experience to awaken feeling panicked and unsettled because you relapsed, only to realize after a few seconds that it was only a dream. That moment of realization and relief almost makes it worth it. Almost. When i have using dreams i'm usually off kilter for the first 20 minutes or so of my day.