Smoking dream

[nsd_user663_9004]

I had a dream last night that I smoked a cigarette. It was quite horrible, I felt really guilty in the dream and the sense of failure was utterly real. It took me quite some time after waking up to accept that it had been a dream and that I hadn't actually had a cigarette. It was weird.

It's the first smoking-related dream that I've had since I quit but I was kind of expecting it because I've had similar kinds of dreams about alcohol since I had to stop drinking that three years ago. The drinking dreams don't bother me any more and I'm getting those less and less frequently as time goes by.

The way I see it, as long as the drinking (or smoking) feels wrong in the dream then the dream is not really about me wanting a drink or a cigarette, it's about my addiction wanting that drink/cigarette. If I ever have a drinking/smoking dream where I'm happy to be drinking/smoking again, then I'll worry.

My addiction is a part of me over which the rest of me has no control. I accepted that a long time ago about my drinking and I'm trying to do the same now with my smoking. If my addiction want to try to communicate with me using freaky dreams then fine, they're only dreams.

Like I said, I'm used to the drinking dreams now but the smoking dream was new and centred around new issues and new feelings and it did freak me out a bit even though I was expecting it.

Anyone else had similar experiences?

[nsd_user663_8221]

From what I've read on here, some people have lots of smoking dreams, others none, others still just 1 or 2 in the early days. I had 1 at about a week and half quit- I'd forgotten I'd quit and was smoking, not sure why it tasted so weird, realised, freaked and threw it away. Other people say they feel really bad and like they've failed when they wake- I was just relieved...

Like you, I was kinda expecting it, but still, needed to spend some time fathoming it out, spent 2 days working out how I was gonna deal with them, but then never had another! I think it can be your addiction, sneaking in a new way to try and get you, but equally, dreams are how we process the days events, so if much of the day was spent craving/being glad your not craving/contemplating your addiction etc, it's bound to end up in the odd dream here and there.

I'm no expert, (only on day 30 something) but if u can maintain the "only dreams" mentality- you'll be fine, don't read too much into it- keep up quitting, Pols xxx

[nsd_user663_8123]

Oh the guilt!

I have had a couple of smoking dreams, only one really stood out though. I was walking to my car in front of my children smoking a cigarette as hard as i could in one puff before they saw that i was smoking again. I felt so bad and like you say, i woke up feeling horrible that i had caved so quickly. It took a good 5 minutes before i could fathom out whether it had happened or if it was actually a dream.

After the initial guilt, it was pure relief that it was only a dream. I've had one or two more since, but not as vivid and lifelike as that one!

I am only nearing the end of my 1st month, so not sure how long they will go on for!!!

Good luck with your quit.

[nsd_user663_4293]

dreams

I have had one where I smoked but it made me sick and one where a friend offered me a smoke but I turned it down.

I think it is not surprising to dream about smoking because if you are like me it is on your mind, one way or another, all day.

[nsd_user663_9004]

It's good to hear that others have had pretty similar experiences. I kind of expected that people would have, but it's good to hear it, thanks for the feedback!

I know that dreams are how we process the events of the day before so it's not surprising that this happens I guess. I try to avoid thinking about smoke wherever possible but you're right, candowilldo, it's somewhere on my mind pretty much all day.

Pols: Yeah I felt very relieved too when I realised it was just a dream. The horrible guilty feeling was fleeting and confused while I was waking up, pretty much exactly as BeccyBoo describes... I think it might have been because it was a Saturday and I got to wake up naturally instead of being rudely awakened by my alarm clock...

Anyway, no more smoking dreams in the 2 nights since then so that's cool.

Thanks again for letting me know I'm normal! (in this regard at least...)