How can I distinguish craving for food vs craving for alcohol?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,697
Originally Posted by lovingseren 
Yet you have no problem with telling someone it is inevitable that they are going to drink.
Thanks for sharing with me what Bill learned back in the thirties. I am glad it has helped others.
Seren
Thanks for sharing with me what Bill learned back in the thirties. I am glad it has helped others.
Seren
Yeah - most alcoholics I know have drank no matter what the consequence (jail, illness, loss of job, loss of family, loss of all things worthwhile in life.
In my experience - once I realized that I will drink again - I was pretty much willing to work toward the solution that was being offered to me.
If you can't relate then you can't relate - what can I say?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,697
Originally Posted by Mercedes1
..."It is a physical phenomena - not mental at all. A physical phenomena that is limited to alcoholics alone - does not occur in non-alcoholics..."
1) I disagree with this statement based on my personal experience. BTW, Dr. Bob's blog in the BB is theory, not fact. Cravings to me are a symptom of a desire. Sometimes these desires are misconstrued as "needs". You don't have to be an alchoholic to do this. We can satisfay that "yearning" through many outlets..some healthy and some not. I, "learned" how to drink to get my relief from negative feelings, experiences, conditions, circumstances, people, places and things. Over time became lazy to any other solution. Basically, what started as a good reason to drink, became "I didn't need a reason, still drank". Bottom line, for me, cravings are a result of what EVERYONE experiences from time to time..life on life's terms. You don't have to be an alchoholic to experinece this. It is WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
I have craving for exercise..as I have taught my self to strive for this daily. Hense when I miss, I go through withdrawals. I crave the result when I can't go out. I hense get cranky and irritable.
I crave food sometimes for comfort. I crave relationships for attention. You can also use these in transference once sober to be as addictive in the negative as they can be positive if used in "balance".
2) I also agree with LovingSeren, to suggest one "is going to drink" over a craving then you are basically suggesting to be successful in overcomig alchohol we must deny the craving? It is through facing our "craving"s, ...aka...negative feelings, people, places, things, circumstances, FEELINGS..that we overcome. Not by giving "exuse" to not be accountable to it. BASICALLY WE HAVE A CHOICE. We always have had this.
When in the pit of alchoholic addiction we seem to lose our freedom of choice. But the tools of sobriety have been and are always there, we just need to learn to EXCERCISE the painful character changes necessary to make the positive choices without the result (getting high or numb). It is not a question to not have the cravings..but what to do with them. ONce we identify tools of healthy choice, slowly we lose the cravings not because of a physical/chemical reaction but due to dealing with them..transferring the obsession to HEALTHY SOLUTIONS.
Hope that helps.
1) I disagree with this statement based on my personal experience. BTW, Dr. Bob's blog in the BB is theory, not fact. Cravings to me are a symptom of a desire. Sometimes these desires are misconstrued as "needs". You don't have to be an alchoholic to do this. We can satisfay that "yearning" through many outlets..some healthy and some not. I, "learned" how to drink to get my relief from negative feelings, experiences, conditions, circumstances, people, places and things. Over time became lazy to any other solution. Basically, what started as a good reason to drink, became "I didn't need a reason, still drank". Bottom line, for me, cravings are a result of what EVERYONE experiences from time to time..life on life's terms. You don't have to be an alchoholic to experinece this. It is WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
I have craving for exercise..as I have taught my self to strive for this daily. Hense when I miss, I go through withdrawals. I crave the result when I can't go out. I hense get cranky and irritable.
I crave food sometimes for comfort. I crave relationships for attention. You can also use these in transference once sober to be as addictive in the negative as they can be positive if used in "balance".
2) I also agree with LovingSeren, to suggest one "is going to drink" over a craving then you are basically suggesting to be successful in overcomig alchohol we must deny the craving? It is through facing our "craving"s, ...aka...negative feelings, people, places, things, circumstances, FEELINGS..that we overcome. Not by giving "exuse" to not be accountable to it. BASICALLY WE HAVE A CHOICE. We always have had this.
When in the pit of alchoholic addiction we seem to lose our freedom of choice. But the tools of sobriety have been and are always there, we just need to learn to EXCERCISE the painful character changes necessary to make the positive choices without the result (getting high or numb). It is not a question to not have the cravings..but what to do with them. ONce we identify tools of healthy choice, slowly we lose the cravings not because of a physical/chemical reaction but due to dealing with them..transferring the obsession to HEALTHY SOLUTIONS.
Hope that helps.
There is also a mental obsession with alcohol - inability to put into perspective properly what will happen when one drinks after being away from it for certain time. The popular term is relapse.
I was strictly coming from an AA perspective, if I was not clear on that I apologize.
I realize there are different definitions for the word 'crave'.
BTW- it was not Dr Bob who came up with this 'theory'. It was Dr William Silkworth - a non-alcoholic who treated alcoholics (Towns Hospital New York). Modern medicine has pretty much confirmed what he theorized in the 1930's.
I never said there was no mental aspect to alcoholism...
Your advice seems to be 'just choose not to drink'...for some people that choice is not possible.
How many dead-bottom drunks have you watched recover? I see it every day of my life. Alcoholic Addiction is different from alcoholism. Grab a PDR or DSM IV and have a read.
So many 'open minded' people here that cringe when AA information is offered. I don't think you can find a post of mine where I suggest that anyone go to AA...
Not promoting anything, just giving my opinion based on experience.
Perhaps its time to lay low.
"Dr Bob's blog in the BB is just theory" ...Dr Bob did not write the Doctor's Opinion.
sheeesh
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
Topic reminder.
Originally Posted by redstuff
I'm 10 days sober today, almost into the 11th day! I'm not sure if anyone can relate to this or not. Most would think it would be pretty simple to know when you are supposed to eat...right? Well, I'm not sure if I am really hungary for food or if I'm craving a drink. This seems to happen to me later in my periods of sobriety. I usually eat, and most of the time it goes away at least for a little while. The thing is, I seem to be hungary most of the time. I don't see how anyone could be so hungary, but who knows. I guess I have taken a lot of calories out of my diet by not drinking. Anyway, afterwards, I obsess about the fact that it might be an alcohol craving and get worried. Do I just need to eat more or??? Anyone know what's going on? Is this normal? Does it go away after a certain period of time? If so, about how long could I expect this to continue?
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 386
Redstuff,
many of us who drank didn't tend to eat a lot of healthy food, our bodies were malnourished when we chose to change our lives.
B complex vitamins and healthy food are a huge part of recovery.
I am a nurse, I work with addicts, I volunteer my time with addicts.
Drinking is a choice, a total choice.
I hope this helps.
Seren
many of us who drank didn't tend to eat a lot of healthy food, our bodies were malnourished when we chose to change our lives.
B complex vitamins and healthy food are a huge part of recovery.
I am a nurse, I work with addicts, I volunteer my time with addicts.
Drinking is a choice, a total choice.
I hope this helps.
Seren
same planet...different world
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
I thought of this today durning my wait for the landlord.
Yes, I actually thought about this thread today ....
maybe this will help - to ask yourself -
are you controlling it - or is it ... controlling you?
that's what I do.
Yes, I actually thought about this thread today ....
maybe this will help - to ask yourself -
are you controlling it - or is it ... controlling you?
that's what I do.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Boston MA
Posts: 666
The beauty of AA, especially in the beginning years was that it succeeded in an area in which the medical community had failed for years. Hopeless drunks were getting sober. For them drinking was not a choice.
For many drinking is not simply a choice.
Mike
For many drinking is not simply a choice.
Mike
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: DFW Texas
Posts: 68
Originally Posted by barb dwyer
I thought of this today durning my wait for the landlord.
Yes, I actually thought about this thread today ....
maybe this will help - to ask yourself -
are you controlling it - or is it ... controlling you?
that's what I do.
Yes, I actually thought about this thread today ....
maybe this will help - to ask yourself -
are you controlling it - or is it ... controlling you?
that's what I do.
For the past several days it seems as if something is controlling it, but it's not ME thankfully.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Florham Park, NJ
Posts: 174
..."...the medical opinion that is used in AA is that there is a physical aspect that one 'craves' more alcohol once they have had a little. This is an AA description offered by a medical doctor who treated drunks - it explained a lot of why people could not moderate or drink 'just a little'...."
It has also been said that the cravings are derived from the MENTAL obsession. I craved relief long before I picked up drink. It was trying to find that fix. I found it in alchohol. Some find it in sex, food, relationships, work. The point is, you can stop drinking but it is the obsession that leads you back every time. Any physical outcome (withdrawal, kidney failure, sickness) IMHO is the result of long, repeated use. I had an alchohilic mind way before I drank. So to my point, physical craving from one drink has nothing to do with it. ANd, if you are to stop..and stay stoppedl, its the mind to deal with.
To me, the doctors opinion was evidence it was a phenomium (spelling)..more than a fact of "allergy. Spiritual medicine doesn't really apply tio allergies (we have pills for that) but to the mind..yes.
The bottom line to me is the cravings are normal when you first stop..you have to rethink your thinking, change your behavior and eventually deal with your cravings with positive "thinking" tools and behavior tools. This takes action, willingness, etc. So I never said you just "do it" w/out direction. Anyway, I believe if you just look at this whole thing as a "disease" you will always be in the victim mode. You need to take action and redirect your behavior and help is necessary,,, God, aa. Who can better re-arrange your hEAD than God? And in doing that action is req'd (AA is a great start on how)...we are not puppets hense we all have choice. Many people think God works through us just praying then sitting back and doing nothing. Also people think asking is telling God what you need. We ask for HIS direction, we do the next right thing..acting out our belief in faith He will comply and eventually we gain another day, another victory in life over simple things that used to baffle us. We pray and act out on faith of what we KNOW to do I and early in sobriety this is as simple as doing what we know not to do. Calling a friend, taking a walk, going to a meeting..these are actions of faith in what we know what to do and look to God to clear up what we can't...and then we don't worry about it. He will do for us what we can't. Its all those little things of doing what we know we can that distract us to not do what we shouldn't (drink). The thinking is the key though. We learn to not be selfish, to be compassionate, listen, do for others..this becomes our obession and before long we change. We change from the inside out. We "reprogram" our desires to want wht God wants. And the beautiful thing is it is exactly what we need. We become better people. Hense why so many (me included) say I came to AA to stop drinking but in actuality I found God (I found happiness, beauty, purpose). I got my fix. And God's fix is never temporary and His journey never ends..but it is all down a path of goodness so you should be glad it doesnt. It only gets better. But sometimes it does get harder (but in a good way)..because His way is dependence ...dependence on Him (not drink) so that is constant.
Anyway, . AA is a great program for direction in doing just that. You can get through sobriety (hense your choice is there) however I never said it was easy, But nothing good ever came through easy but the work is worth it and the payoff is unlimited. You not only get sobriety but you get your life back (mental, physcial, emotional, spiritual)..first things first though..TRUST/ACtion
It has also been said that the cravings are derived from the MENTAL obsession. I craved relief long before I picked up drink. It was trying to find that fix. I found it in alchohol. Some find it in sex, food, relationships, work. The point is, you can stop drinking but it is the obsession that leads you back every time. Any physical outcome (withdrawal, kidney failure, sickness) IMHO is the result of long, repeated use. I had an alchohilic mind way before I drank. So to my point, physical craving from one drink has nothing to do with it. ANd, if you are to stop..and stay stoppedl, its the mind to deal with.
To me, the doctors opinion was evidence it was a phenomium (spelling)..more than a fact of "allergy. Spiritual medicine doesn't really apply tio allergies (we have pills for that) but to the mind..yes.
The bottom line to me is the cravings are normal when you first stop..you have to rethink your thinking, change your behavior and eventually deal with your cravings with positive "thinking" tools and behavior tools. This takes action, willingness, etc. So I never said you just "do it" w/out direction. Anyway, I believe if you just look at this whole thing as a "disease" you will always be in the victim mode. You need to take action and redirect your behavior and help is necessary,,, God, aa. Who can better re-arrange your hEAD than God? And in doing that action is req'd (AA is a great start on how)...we are not puppets hense we all have choice. Many people think God works through us just praying then sitting back and doing nothing. Also people think asking is telling God what you need. We ask for HIS direction, we do the next right thing..acting out our belief in faith He will comply and eventually we gain another day, another victory in life over simple things that used to baffle us. We pray and act out on faith of what we KNOW to do I and early in sobriety this is as simple as doing what we know not to do. Calling a friend, taking a walk, going to a meeting..these are actions of faith in what we know what to do and look to God to clear up what we can't...and then we don't worry about it. He will do for us what we can't. Its all those little things of doing what we know we can that distract us to not do what we shouldn't (drink). The thinking is the key though. We learn to not be selfish, to be compassionate, listen, do for others..this becomes our obession and before long we change. We change from the inside out. We "reprogram" our desires to want wht God wants. And the beautiful thing is it is exactly what we need. We become better people. Hense why so many (me included) say I came to AA to stop drinking but in actuality I found God (I found happiness, beauty, purpose). I got my fix. And God's fix is never temporary and His journey never ends..but it is all down a path of goodness so you should be glad it doesnt. It only gets better. But sometimes it does get harder (but in a good way)..because His way is dependence ...dependence on Him (not drink) so that is constant.
Anyway, . AA is a great program for direction in doing just that. You can get through sobriety (hense your choice is there) however I never said it was easy, But nothing good ever came through easy but the work is worth it and the payoff is unlimited. You not only get sobriety but you get your life back (mental, physcial, emotional, spiritual)..first things first though..TRUST/ACtion
Last edited by Mercedes1; 01-19-2008 at 09:46 AM.
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For the Alcoholic, the physcial craving is consistent with cellular withdrawal. Beverage Alcohol is one of the most addictive substances known to man. As the body detoxs the last ingestion of Alcohol in the Alcoholic, the body rebels wanting more. The mental obsession is indicitive of a habitual process and can be diminished through certain repetitive programs or trainings.
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