Dreams About Using/Drinking?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central America/Florida USA
Posts: 4,064
Dreams About Using/Drinking?
I have experienced some very realistic dreams over the past few months -- and the dreams are often centered around me drinking alcohol.
In the dreams I am often using, but by accident. In one dream I started to drink out of a friends cup that I thought was water, but turned out to have beer in it. It made me feel terrible. In another dream I had a bloody hand, and someone told me I'd been drunk and broke a window. In another dream I just kind of "came to" and found myself at a bar drinking a beer and I wondered how I got there. Again, these were ALL DREAMS but I woke up just feeling horrible and guilty and just beside myself.
Has anyone else had this kind of dream? I am just wondering because in my 7 months sober they have been pretty common for me. In the beginning it was more common, but I still have them once in a while.
In the dreams I am often using, but by accident. In one dream I started to drink out of a friends cup that I thought was water, but turned out to have beer in it. It made me feel terrible. In another dream I had a bloody hand, and someone told me I'd been drunk and broke a window. In another dream I just kind of "came to" and found myself at a bar drinking a beer and I wondered how I got there. Again, these were ALL DREAMS but I woke up just feeling horrible and guilty and just beside myself.
Has anyone else had this kind of dream? I am just wondering because in my 7 months sober they have been pretty common for me. In the beginning it was more common, but I still have them once in a while.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 277
Oh yeah. I believe this is a very common experience. I had many such dreams early on, during about the first three months. Strangely it was always me pouring a crystalline amber whiskey over rocks and drinking it with a feeling of mingled horror, shame and pure bliss. I figured it was a sort of deep subconscious, reptile brain wish-fulfillment. I woke up unsettled and relieved.
It also further convinced me of the reality of my problem, because I'm pretty sure my "normal" friends don't have dreams like that, with that particular emotional coloring.
It also further convinced me of the reality of my problem, because I'm pretty sure my "normal" friends don't have dreams like that, with that particular emotional coloring.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 457
I used to have dreams like that, one time I had a dream that I was in a liquor store buying beer, other times I was drinking, and like you, I always felt terrible about it. Even when I chose not to drink in my dreams it terrified me that I was that close to it.
I think it's quite common, a way for our minds to adjust to our new way of life.
I think it's quite common, a way for our minds to adjust to our new way of life.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: IN
Posts: 49
I occassionally have these dreams as well. In truth they probably won't go away. In one of my AA meetings there was an older gentleman who has been sober for nearly 50 years. I mentioned my dreams in a meeting, he said "You hang onto those dreams. Last week i had one. I woke up looking around...breathed a deep breath...and thanked God for reminding me how bad that feeling would have been had i actually drank and woke up. I welcome those dreams...but only every once in awhile 
"
"
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: pa
Posts: 297
had a dream the other day where i woke up hungover and regretting drinking the night before and I was moving out of my apartment. I remember one part I was walking across a street then when i got to the sidewalk I turned around and a whale was swimming in the street, but the surface of the street was water, like it was a river -
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: east coast
Posts: 1,711
I have only had a couple since I have been sober and I agree that they are disturbing. Most recently I was drinking at a party full of AA people including my sponser. I was trying to hide it as they were all sober, Yikes! I felt terrible about it in the dream. Upon waking I felt off but reminded myself that these dreams are likely to occur as drinking was a big part of my life for so long. Hopefully for you they will become less frequent as time goes on.
as a sober contributor
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: California
Posts: 1,312
Oh Yeah
In 1980 I had a big problem with cocaine. Thank GOD I managed to stop before anything really bad happened.
About 10 years later, I had a dream where I was back at it in a BIG way and woke up suddenly and sat up in bed and could actually taste the poison in my nose and throat. It was a scary reminder of a terrible time in my life and I was extremely relieved when I realized that I was at home in my bed and had not been snorting that garbage.
Sometimes I think our subconscious does this to us just as a way to reinforce
our decision to stop.
About 10 years later, I had a dream where I was back at it in a BIG way and woke up suddenly and sat up in bed and could actually taste the poison in my nose and throat. It was a scary reminder of a terrible time in my life and I was extremely relieved when I realized that I was at home in my bed and had not been snorting that garbage.
Sometimes I think our subconscious does this to us just as a way to reinforce
our decision to stop.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: South East England
Posts: 8,008
Hi bigsombrero, yes I've had these dreams too. For me they tend to happen at times when I'm anxious about other things in my life. They are always so realistic I wake up feeling guilty and ashamed and it takes me a while to shake off those feelings.
But they are not based in reality.
7 months is awesome, well done x
But they are not based in reality.
7 months is awesome, well done x
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
