Once you got sober, you may have started remembering your dreams more vividly. Waking up after falling asleep naturally, rather than passing out, could make it easier for you to recall something in your dreams that could be really amazing such as flying, or something really awful like drinking and using again. Thankfully when you get up, you are still sober, realize that you were only having a nightmare, and then give a huge sigh of relief.
If you listen long enough in recovery meetings, you will often hear others share about how they too have had these horrifying dreams. The typical common denominator in these dreams is that they have relapsed and are trying to figure out how to hide it from others in the program. Other dreams include lifelike depictions of using and drinking that basically will shake someone to their core, especially in early sobriety.
You may be questioning why you are dreaming about being high or drunk in the first place. Plain and simple, you will never completely get rid of your addiction because there is no cure. Your addiction is still part of your subconscious doing everything it can to get you to stimulate the reward center in the brain in the way it wants you to. Figurately, your addiction is doing pushups in hopes of becoming stronger than your efforts in recovery. The drinking or using dream is one of the ways that your subconscious is trying to beat you at your own game.
Dreams shake you up.
The guess is that these dreams are meant to trick your brain into thinking that you are a terrible person so you might as well go ahead and drink and use. Hopefully, you can see right through this tactic and call your sponsor, get to a meeting, or have a meditation session that gets your recovery perspective back into place.
Dreams invoke cravings.
Even though most people see these dreams as a nightmare, others who are caught off guard might start having cravings or set off their obsession to drink and use again. Just remember that your feelings are not facts. If you think that you are about to drink or use after a dream, take some contrary action and reinforce your recovery immediately.
Although these dreams may be terrifying, you could really use them to your advantage. Get the discernment you need by talking to someone who is knowledgeable in dream interpretation, such as a therapist, who can assist you in realizing that you can walk through this by simply seeing the truth.
Offering a full range of recovery and mental health services, Detox Center of Colorado offers “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit. Through evidence-based therapy options and the endless adventure of Colorado, Detox Center of Colorado fosters connection, encouraging clients to get connected to themselves, their peers, their families, and their higher power. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463
