Wow, what a true testiment that this disease is an obsession! Tomorrow will be 2 weeks sober for me and I just woke up from a nap where I was dreaming that I was drinking wine. I was drinking it from a plastic cup the way I would when I would hide my drinking during the day. OMG, it really freaked me out.
However, I was so happy when I woke up and realized that I'm very much sober!!! Can't wait to celebrate my sobriety tomorrow morning by waking up feeling great and ready for a productive day
Yes alot. Had a recurring type of drunk dream. I'd wind up taking a drink, then my mind would narrate within the dream "it's just a dream", then a creepy voice in the dream would say "but you cheated and drank during your sobriety". This went on for 15 years. I did some writing and meditating about it and the dreams went away. It just proves that you're an alcoholic.
OH yes, I have had many drunk dreams in the 5+ yrs Ive been sober.
Some of mine seem so real that I wake up questioning whether I really did drink.
In some of the dreams I remember crying, cuz I had to tell my sponsor and home group that I had drank.
One dream in particular made me feel so bad that I had a hard time getting thru that day. I couldnt shake the dream from my conscious. It kept coming back to me and I kept thinking about it all day long. Was horrible. But then again .... maybe it wasnt so horrible, cuz it certainly helped me to realize what would happen if I did drink.
I do know that there is one of the most overwhelming feelings of gratitude when I wake up and realize that it was just a dream. Im most generally within minutes ( after I get the coffee started ) on my knees back at the bed thanking God for being sober and that the 'drunk dream' was in all reality a nightmare.
It's funny that many of you said how real it was. My dream was so vivid; as if I was actually drinking! Even when I woke up I had to take a second to realize that I had not in fact taken the drink.
I remember feeling so upset that I had taken the drink. I know that I will be challenged many, many times and tempted to "just have one" but I hope that I can remember how good it was to wake up and realize that I hadn't done it.
2 weeks today!!! I'm sure you're all sick of me counting almost EVERY day in my posts, but honestly I'm just so excited. I feel good to be at a point where I can say "weeks" instead of days. Looking forward to being able to say MONTHS!!
I used to dream about drinking, might have been God reminding me what it was like.
I have not had a dring dream in a long time but I find occasional dreams about attending AA meetings now. I always have a great day after one of those dreams.
Larry, ---------------- "Step One -- You messed it up Step Two -- It can be fixed Step Three -- But not by you!"
Congrats! Yeah, I still dream about drinking. It's usually a 'fear' or 'stressor' response for me. I still love my dreams; free movies in my head. The drinking usually doesn't last long and before too long I'm back to chasing zombies on all fours with Liam Neeson and my 7th grade science teacher in an upside-down cruise-ship on dry land in a city-park full of dancing sunflowers.
Then my 5-year old jumps into the bed, kicks me in the nuts and I wake up.
The several I've had were very very (un) real. I could've sworn I was there but then its my subconscious replaying the habit. Last time it happened it took my wife two responses to convince me that "No you didn't leave the house last night". My sponsor reaffirmed that with "Enjoy it; it was a freebee." LOL They will go away for times. (((hugs)))
You know, during previous failed attempts at staying sober, I did have drinking dreams. Old-timers and my sponsor would just tell me just about all people have those and that it's a reminder for you that your disease is still waiting to jump up and get you.
In this sobriety, I didn't have any for years. I've only had one the whole time I've been sober and I don't even remember how long ago it was, but after I had it, I buckled down to make sure I wasn't lapsing in my recovery program on a daily basis and leaving a weak link in my chain of "one day at a time".
Funny thing is, though, I've had several smoking dreams since I quit cigarettes in '89. LOL
It's quite normal, though, for us to have drinking dreams. Just let it remind you to take a good look at what you're doing---or not doing---on a daily basis to stay sober. Be sure you're doing all the things you need to do in your program of sobriety.
I am remembering a previous thread on this topic where someone suggested that among other things, a single random drinking dream could be handled as a freebie.
I had one last week. In the dream I had all the thoughts about the horror of having relapsed and having to change my date. I have to say, I was drinking a delicious Belgian beer, which I am totally happy never to have in real life again.
In fact a friend is traveling there in Belgium the moment, where I spent my honeymoon a ways back before sobriety. I told him to have one for me. I decided to consider the dream a way to enjoy the flavor with out the dire consequences of the alcohol. For me at this point I don't think the dream is about the obsession, which has been lifted. It could be about complacency. I don't know, did like being able to taste without it being real. If I start to guzzle regularly while sleeping, well then I might have to reconsider. I'm not sure I can control my sleeping life, but Dean's post suggests how this is possible.
