Excessive dreaming

[Boss.man]

Excessive dreaming

I have lots of dreams, many are very vivid. Kinda like the nasty bits from a Harry Potter movie.

One supplement I've found that helps is L-Theanine. General dose is 200mg before bed, and sometimes I take another if I wake up at 2am. You can find it in stores that stock amino acids, and also in a lot of herbal sleep remedies. It's not very expensive.

No counterindications for drinking or not drinking. It's considered pretty harmless since it is an extract from green tea which billions of (Asian) people drink daily. There is no known maxium dose and no credible cases of overdose.

L-Theanine (Theanine) - User ratings & reviews - Revolution Health

My dreams tend to be quite a bit more peaceful as long as I remember to take one before bed.

[LilBit]

Excessive dreaming

That's so strange, Bossman! When I take L-theanine at night, it helps my mood but my dreams get REALLY wacked (like headless people walking around, animals talking, and George Bush in a Speedo -- scary, scary, SCARY!) My sincere wish is that no one else has this bizarre side effect. I should mention that I can't take any over the counter meds except a mild allergy pill at half dose for the same reason. Funny to think that someone with such a sensitive system could knock back a couple of bottles of wine in an evening, huh?

[veritas]

Excessive dreaming

Lilbit, I am the same. I cannot take many flu medications for instance, as I get such bizzare dreas that I cannot distinguish reality from the dream world.

I went onto Larium once when going into a maleria area and became quite paranoid, almost psychotic. My dreams were so vivid that I thought of selling the plots to Steven Spielberg. .......... but then give me a glass of wine and all caution flies away.

[savon19]

Excessive dreaming

The thing is, it's Normal and healthy to dream! When drinking, the brain goes into a stupor so that dreaming isn't part of sleep.

It can be shocking to dream when you haven't for a long while... Think of it as a free movie!!

[Guest]

Excessive dreaming

Vivid dreams and hallucinations are a normal part of withdrawl. This morning I was absolutely convinced my brother was here with me. I was asking him how he got in the house. I was half asleep/half awake at the time.

I do have a history of violent dreams, sleep-walking etc but this is something else. Later on drinking dreams are completely normal in recovery and sometimes co-incide with periods of stress.

Gonna say something here, I've really noticed how the Americans really want a pill for everything. This had been mentioned in the past by someone I know in the pharmaceutical industry - but coming back onto the forum has really been a bit of a shock.

[National]

Excessive dreaming

UKblonde - I was of the understanding that this site is based on what is good for each individaul as they fight the tempations to drink. I was also of the understanding that regardless of an individuals sex, race, etc...and NATIONALITY, that this was a support board, not a board to make generalizations.
BTW: I am an American who is going at this without any "pills"...

[Guest]

Excessive dreaming

National;663892 wrote: UKblonde - I was of the understanding that this site is based on what is good for each individaul as they fight the tempations to drink. I was also of the understanding that regardless of an individuals sex, race, etc...and NATIONALITY, that this was a support board, not a board to make generalizations.
BTW: I am an American who is going at this without any "pills"...

Sorry, didn't mean to cause offense. It was simply an observation. I've tried the pills and even used to try all sorts of supplements when I was an athlete. Came to the conclusion a few can help during periods of excessive stress, but a lot are slightly tenuous to say the least. I do remember declining librium in a treatement centre once since I didn't like the way it made me feel doped up - was just like being drunk again.

It is however about tailoring whatever works for you, I've found Campral, librium, anatabuse and some of the others on here aren't going to stop my drinking. For me it's an internal change that has to take place.

Regards the dreaming I've been told L-tryptophan works, so a yogurt before bed. Also think the dreaming is just something the body has to get through, may be distressing but it's making me feel so drained it's another thing for me to remind myself of if I am tempted to drink in the future.

[paula]

Excessive dreaming

I am British, alcohol has no respect for race or gender, if we have a weak spot al will attack us. I am taking campral, seeing a counsellor, and have even booked an appointment with a hypnotist. I am so desperate to beat this disease before it kills me. I hope that one day someone can come up with a pill to cure this disease, after all noone is expected to control epilepsy or diabetes without help.

[rubywillow]

Excessive dreaming

I've had long, vivid, novella-type dreams as long as I can remember, so AL hasn't affected them. It like my own movie theatre every night, but I don't get to choose the movie.
I have to say that if someone just BELIEVES a pill will work, even a placebo, and it helps against AL, its worth popping. I,too, am an American, and I believe generalizations are ALWAYS dangerous.

[Guest]

Excessive dreaming

I wasn't making a comment about race, gender, nationality. Just that it has been noted that americans do tend towards a pill.

I personally don't see how my alcoholism can be cured without changing me as a person. By that I mean learning how to live, make decisions and accept life without having to drink. I can stop easily enough, it's shutting that voice in my head up - and I doubt without being heavily sedated for the rest of my life that a pill will work.

I have tried Campral and counselling, all the other bits, had an allergic reaction to antabuse - but at the end of the day I still go back to the same old thought patterns and the niggly voice tells me it's ok to drink. The only way forward after spending 1000s on private treatment I can see is AA to help with keeping my head straight, as well as getting my belief back.

It's such a complicated disease, and hopefully things will get better in future when it can be understood more.

[Guest]

Excessive dreaming

...and yes I do agree generalisations are dangerous - I usually try to avoid using them. It was simply an observation, yet everyone has assumed I'm on the attack.

I only wanted to add the the thread with my experience of dreams when I've been detoxing or sober for a while.

[Cinders]

Excessive dreaming

UKBlonde,

No worries. I agree about the dreaming in detox. Our poor brains don't get proper REM sleep when we drink. It is that simple.

We detox and our brains go wild, I think.

I am glad to see you posting again. I have often wondered where you went.

WB,
Cindi

[paula]

Excessive dreaming

I realise that you were speaking from a personal view, but we alkies are such sensitive souls, we do tend to take things personally. I attend AA meetings and find them more helpful than medication. We all react differently to meds, I think if something helps in the early days of sobriety that is fine. Once we feel stronger we should not need drugs to keep us sober. I do know some members in AAwho are so anti drugs, who are also taking large doses of Rx painkillers. They don't seem to see the irony of it.

[Guest]

Excessive dreaming

I know everyone will disagree but some of the withdrawls are something we need to get through. If there weren't any bad sides we could be tempted to drink again, thinking we'd gotten away with it.

That said I would never let or advise someone to put themselves in danger either. My take is that the dreams are to be expected, the later drinking ones can be so scary too - but sometimes a good reminder how awful it was.

Thanks Cindi, I'm getting long in the tooth at this now, but thought I'd come back for more!

[paula]

Excessive dreaming

Uk Blonde, wouldn't it be a pathetic place if none of us could voice an opinion or be a little bit contraversal. Keep posting it's good to see you back. Dreams ! Freud would have a field day with mine.