One of the trippiest parts about getting sober was experiencing something called "REM rebound" where you dream intensely and vividly all night long, night after night. The way it was explained to me is that alcohol inhibits REM sleep to such a degree that it's like it has to catch up for lost time. It's exhausting but also an interesting experience, I'll say that much.

It took quite some time to feel like I got a restful sleep, but oh man, what a difference when I did! Reflecting on my drunken decade, I don't think I knew what a good night's sleep was. I felt like I was sleeping, but it's more like I was passing out from alcohol overdose day after day. It's no wonder I was constantly depressed and suicidal all those years.

That and the "pink cloud" phase (which I wish could've lasted forever) were the most interesting parts about becoming sober.

[–] PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works 25 points 9 months ago (1 children)

This is very interesting, and thank you for sharing your story. I am unfamiliar with the “pink cloud” phase; do you mind elaborating?

[–] LinkOpensChest_wav@lemmy.dbzer0.com 36 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Not at all. I don't know the exact mechanism, but a lot of people experience a period of intense unbridled happiness while becoming sober. It only lasts a couple of weeks to a month, but it's so great when it happens. I'd dance by myself listening to music and just be happy as a kid on a snow day. Some people have described it as having "rainbows shooting out your asshole." I wish I could feel like that all the time.

[–] PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works 12 points 9 months ago (1 children)

That sounds amazing; it’s unfortunate that you have to go through hell first. About how long after being sober does it occur? Or does it differ between people and how much alcohol they consumed regularly beforehand?

And congrats on staying sober for so long! That’s a huge accomplishment and you should be proud of yourself!

[–] LinkOpensChest_wav@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Thanks! And I'm not sure to be honest. I never heard of it until I mentioned in AA how happy I'd been feeling lately. I'd say it was maybe 4 weeks into my sobriety? But as with a lot of things, I'm sure it can vary wildly.

I was pretty deep in, and I couldn't afford the medical support I should have had because I lost my career and I was also legally forbidden to drink alcohol for one year. It got so much easier after the first year and a half to two years, but I still remind myself every day that I'm choosing not to drink because anyone can easily become an addict or alcoholic.

[–] PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, and I wish you the best of luck in the future!

[–] LinkOpensChest_wav@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 9 months ago

Thank you so much

[–] fishos@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

It's like your receptors lighting back up and realizing that they can experience all of this unbridled and uninhibited again. That feeling of "the joy is coming from inside!". Personally, it's like your body waking back up and coming out of a deep fog.

[–] turkalino@lemmy.yachts 21 points 9 months ago (4 children)

Marijuana also hampers REM sleep, so daily smokers experience the same thing when they take a T break or get sober. I'd be interested to see a similar study for weed, especially since it's marketed as a sleep aid

[–] WhiteOakBayou@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I'm a generally habitual pot smoker who has long periods of sobriety due to switching jobs or a few times to support my wife during her pregnancies and I can say that without fail about a week after I stop cannabis I start having super intense dreams for about two weeks then normal dreams after that. When I go back to smoking, I stop dreaming after around a week of use. My sleep quality generally increases without cannabis but I do have ptsd associated nightmares, sweating, yelling etc. Cannabis completely stops my dreaming but I need like 9 or 10 hours of sleep to feel as rested as I do with 6 hrs sober.

[–] LinkOpensChest_wav@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 9 months ago

My husband uses weed for the same exact reason as you, and we've noticed this as well. He needs a few more hours of sleep to feel rested, but the fact that he is sleeping peacefully without the horrible nightmares makes me so happy. He tried so many different things for so many years, but getting his medical card has been a game changer.

[–] LinkOpensChest_wav@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 9 months ago

Yes, and oddly enough in my husband's case, I feel like that's helped him immensely with his PTSD induced nightmares so much, with fewer nasty side effects than what he was taking before. His provider even mentioned that it would likely help with the dreams when she helped him get his medical card. Probably less than ideal for the general smoker, though!

[–] zeekaran@sopuli.xyz 3 points 9 months ago

I have heard this many times but it gives me awful, vivid dreams, and consistently.

[–] HeapOfDogs@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

It varies person to person but yes (personal experience)

[–] Holzkohlen@feddit.de 1 points 9 months ago

Reading this almost makes me wish I was a drunk and I could quit now. But I hate sleeping drunk way to much to ever get to that point in the first place.