I don’t have any desire to drink, even though I’ve been tested…holidays, amirite?? But now I’m having dreams about alcohol, and a specific cocktail, not even one I normally ordered. In the dreams I’m both totally disappointed in myself and yet somehow also relieved. Last night in my dream, I was drunk driving a VERY FAST sleeping bag (yup, I sat in it upright and it had a steering wheel and rode along the ground with no resistance) and it was so scary. I was so glad that I was sober when I woke up, and that I hadn’t ruined my streak. Do these dreams ever go away, or are they like waitress dreams that come back and haunt forever?
This info above helped me to adress my dreams about drinking. In the beginning of my recovery I had them several tims. Now I have more sober days it’s seldom.
I hope this helps you a bit.
Welcome here! 
They do go away and they are quite normal. And yes, they are freaky! Lots of threads on this topic to read thru if you are interested. Do a search on relapse Dreams or simply Dreams. Lots of experiences and info to read on them.
This too shall pass. 
Thank you so much, that’s actually really helpful and makes a lot of sense. 
You’re welcome 
Drinking dreams are a pretty common question if you search around. You’re not alone.
They’re really common, especially in the first weeks, but if we stick to the thing they get far fewer and farther between. At least they did for me!
Honestly, I still might have one every year or so. Usually when something is bothering me (as noted in @SoberWalker’s picture actually!). But they do fade.
Bringing this back to get some feedback from the long-timers- do using dreams ever stop? They’ve been kicking my ass this week and I’m almost 7 months sober. I guess i feel like as long as I’m focused on my sobriety, I’ll have an ongoing preoccupation with the concept of drinking, so maybe that’s why they’ll last? My therapist said that only sober people have using dreams but that hasn’t really been my experience, and so it didn’t bring the relief that i think she intended.
Editing to say: i know the first year of sobriety will be difficult and i wouldn’t have expected them to be gone by now.
Hey lady! So i do still get the occasional using dream at 3+ years clean and sober BUT… they dont happen often and they are not as intense or “real” as they used to be. I did notice a pattern tho. I found that i usually get them when im under a lot of stress or emotional turmoil. So i will tend to get them when that day had been a really hard day for me. I think its the brains way of trying to cope. Since us addicts have used drugs and alcohol to cope for so long, i think it still attempts to do this in our dreams when we are stressed from the day. If that makes sense lol. They can be super unpleasant as u know but i do believe that they lessen overtime ![]()
That makes a lot of sense! I get anxiety dreams even about high school days >10 years later, of course the drinking dreams could be triggered by the same thing! Thanks for responding, that gives me some hope ![]()
Of course they’re gonna pass. Freud holds that dreams are rooted in the unconscious. Maybe you kinda fear that deep within. Try not to think too much about them or whatever, just stick with staying sober and congratulations on your sobriety. ![]()
It’ll be okay by time, just let the time pass and you’ll find better trust in yourself (idk your stpry but you’ll finally be free of it), I don’t think that later the dreams are going to happen often. Best wishes for you
