Dreaming about wanting to drink

I woke up this morning feeling guilty because last night the desire to drink really hit me. I knew I hadn’t had a drink but I was upset that I might not make it with this kind of desire. But then I realised that it was just a dream. I guess that is good because it means that I did not really experience it, but it does make me wonder if those feelings are there just under the surface trying to get out for real. Today is am 2 weeks sober. I am feeling both confident and scared.

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Its very normal to have those dreams. I had them tell around 40 days sober. Then one night I had a dream I was at a bar and the person i was with ordered a drink, I looked at the bottles and tap handles and I said to the bartender, ill have a coke… Even though it was a dream I felt great when I awoke. So today, 58 days sober, the using dreams are rare for me. I did have one the other night but it had been a while and I realized it was because I was a little stressed and had thought about booze that day. Be proud that you are staying sober in this world😉 stay strong and the drinking dreams will fade.

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Yes those dreams are common I’m 8months sober,i have had them,and heard of plenty of others take it as a gentle reminder that you don’t want to go back to the madness,keep up the good work

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I had them every year right before my sobriety birthdays. It’s there as a reminder of what scares you, what you don’t want to go back to, and how far you’ve come. They won’t necessarily go away because they serve a purpose.

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I agree, the dreams are realistic and are startling when you wake up from it. The relief that it was a nightmare and not reality is a blessing

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I get those dreams as well. Don’t lose track of what you have to do. Continue pushing forward and don’t let the Dreams slow you down.

Here is an interesting article on dreams and recovery…

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-wisdom-your-dreams/201207/dreams-and-recovery-addiction

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Interesting. I wonder if the suicide dream is really about getting rid of the addicted part of our person. I didn’t dream about suicide my first night but I did dream about death.

I have had a few vivid dreams the last few weeks but this was the first one about ME.

I have these dreams at leastttt once a week at 442 days sober. It’s horrible. I have dreams where I’m drunk, where I’m breaking sobriety. At least it isn’t real

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I have had these dreams as well. The feeling of guilt is a heavy weight but when you’re able to wake up and feel relieved that you still have the streak alive, what a feeling that is!

I used to get that, the worst one I had I was drinking vodka out of one of those industrial sized pitchers they refill water with at restaurants.

This is natural and normal. They are referred to as “using dreams” in the clinical field. I have 44 days today off heroin and am grateful I have not had a using dream this time around. Thanks for sharing it helps other people struggling with these dreams know they are not alone. We always talked about them in treatment as the monkey on your back trying to get at you when you’re at your weakest (asleep) and that we just have to keep our resolve when we wake up and know it has nothing to do with us or recovery it’s just equivalent with a craving. Hot showers right when you wake up help with these :slight_smile:

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Using dreams are normal. The fact that you feel remorse or guilt from having them is a huge step forward. I only know this because the program that I’m involved with taught me. Just don’t let the guilt consume you. Recovery is a time for forgiveness and understanding even from you, your hardest critic. Take it one day at a time even people who’ve been in recovery for years still have using dreams once in a while and cravings. It gets easier. the important thing is that is that you’re trying.

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