Originally Posted by
Anna 
It will definitely get better, but having patience will help.
To deal with mental cravings, I think it's important to know that there is more to recovery than stopping drinking. Stopping drinking is the beginning, but it takes lifestyle changes to make long-term recovery work.
Thanks for reiterating that point. It's hard -- I already have a very physically active lifestyle, as an endurance athlete, and the friends who enjoy that with me are the type who pop open a beer at the finish line every time. The difference is that they don't have to do it every day, and they don't have to use alcohol as a way to self-medicate emotional pain. I struggle to replace people, places, and things because I truly love my current passions, and they keep me healthier than the average person despite my alcohol consumption.
Such a double-edge sword. In order to separate myself from the activities I associate with alcohol, I'd have to drastically change my otherwise fitness-focused lifestyle. For me, if I sat at home all day watching TV, I'd never crave a drink and probably be sober because I see alcohol as a reward. But at the same time, I'd turn into a couch potato. Neither is ideal.