Drinking Dreams
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 509
Drinking Dreams
I can happily say that I am 37 days sober today!! In reality I'm doing very well and I hardly think and crave drinking much anymore. But I've been having very vivid dreams about drinking for the past week. I've not actually drank in these dreams, but everyone else around me is and I try justifying to everyone why I should be able to but I'm always too scared to pick up the first drink. When I wake up it’s truly a scary feeling. I'm afraid I'm on the verge of relapsing and I just don't realize it. Has anyone else experienced this?
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Drinking dreams are common. I drank for 35 years. I'd have been more surprised if I didn't have a drinking dream on occasion.
I don't think drinking in our dreams are a sign of relapsing. Relapses happen while you are awake. As long as you can manage your struggles during the day, I think you are fine.
Congrats on 37 days!
I don't think drinking in our dreams are a sign of relapsing. Relapses happen while you are awake. As long as you can manage your struggles during the day, I think you are fine.
Congrats on 37 days!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,323
Hi,
I can relate to this. I'm coming up on 23 months sober, but have had 4 or 5 (i think) pretty vivid ones during that time.
Funny i just posted a couple days ago about my last one (which was just 4 or 5 days ago).
They can be jarring/uncomfortable, and scary. But in the end you'll see them as just another part of your sobriety.
At least that's how i view them now. And if you can ALWAYS come to SR and talk about them here. We understand!
I can relate to this. I'm coming up on 23 months sober, but have had 4 or 5 (i think) pretty vivid ones during that time.
Funny i just posted a couple days ago about my last one (which was just 4 or 5 days ago).
They can be jarring/uncomfortable, and scary. But in the end you'll see them as just another part of your sobriety.
At least that's how i view them now. And if you can ALWAYS come to SR and talk about them here. We understand!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
had a problem with this early on. talked to a friend about it.
out of nowhere he says," think about your most favorite meal to eat." then sat there quietly for a minute, then we proceeded talking on another topic. about 5 minutes later he said," so whats really on your mind."
"my favorite dam meal!!"
" you cant always control what comes into your mind while youre awake, what makes ya think you can control what comes into your mind when youre sleeping? its justa dream and you have the power to not let a dream control your actions. you can go ahead and use a dream as an excuse to drink, but that's all it will be- an excuse. and its not the dream that would make you drink. its you."
out of nowhere he says," think about your most favorite meal to eat." then sat there quietly for a minute, then we proceeded talking on another topic. about 5 minutes later he said," so whats really on your mind."
"my favorite dam meal!!"
" you cant always control what comes into your mind while youre awake, what makes ya think you can control what comes into your mind when youre sleeping? its justa dream and you have the power to not let a dream control your actions. you can go ahead and use a dream as an excuse to drink, but that's all it will be- an excuse. and its not the dream that would make you drink. its you."
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by CountryChick 
Thank guys! I might as well get used to them I guess. But, I do hope they become less frequent.
Giving up is NOT an option.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 7,808
Mine have become less and less frequent. Still happens every once in a while, but nowhere near as often as in early sobriety. Don't let it bother you too much. They are not a sign of imminent relapse. But they can be really unsettling.
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 397
I have them too, and often. I have 66 days of sobriety. In my dreams, I am wasted, badly, horrifyingly. They are nightmares. They are happening almost nightly 
I am waking up feeling hungover with headaches. I hope this subsides soon.
By the way, these in no way make me want to drink. These disturb me.
I hope yours subside too. Nice job on your sober time.
I am waking up feeling hungover with headaches. I hope this subsides soon.
By the way, these in no way make me want to drink. These disturb me.
I hope yours subside too. Nice job on your sober time.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: North East
Posts: 621
Originally Posted by CountryChick
I can happily say that I am 37 days sober today!! In reality I'm doing very well and I hardly think and crave drinking much anymore. But I've been having very vivid dreams about drinking for the past week. I've not actually drank in these dreams, but everyone else around me is and I try justifying to everyone why I should be able to but I'm always too scared to pick up the first drink. When I wake up it’s truly a scary feeling. I'm afraid I'm on the verge of relapsing and I just don't realize it. Has anyone else experienced this?
OMG thanks funny.....i had a vivid dream my self the other night people kept offering me to drink i kept saying no and they would say just one won't hurt. It was so real . I wonder what our dreams mean.
Thriving sober since 12/18/08
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 3,115
At almost 8 years sober-I still have them occasionally. Nothing like I did, but every once in a while I do!
I was incredibly troubled by it early on, talked to my counselor about it, and he just reframed it for me (for the dreams where we DO drink), to think of it as a 'freebie'.. a relapse without actually doing it, a chance to feel everything as if I had, the shame, regret, etc.. . I was telling him how I'd feel so upset, but then SO relieved that I hadn't actually done it, and he turned it around as a positive kind of.
I was incredibly troubled by it early on, talked to my counselor about it, and he just reframed it for me (for the dreams where we DO drink), to think of it as a 'freebie'.. a relapse without actually doing it, a chance to feel everything as if I had, the shame, regret, etc.. . I was telling him how I'd feel so upset, but then SO relieved that I hadn't actually done it, and he turned it around as a positive kind of.
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