JustBreath

Its Saturday and I have nothing to do but relax. I mean I could be cleaning or I could take a shower but that's not fascinating me in the least today.

So as I was sitting here doing nothing I got an craving for alcohol (no surprise there) but this time I timed it...
It went away pretty quick, about 2 mins (2mins seems like a long time during the craving but really? What's 2 mins) I am not sure if it went away because I was focused on the time or if that's how long they really last.

Then a bit later it hit again.... I time it and before I know it I am thinking of something else.

People say the cravings diminish over time... like they go from 10 times a day down to maybe once a month after a few yrs.

I know everyone is different but does anyone else think that maybe the length of the cravings aren't too bad and it's the frequency of the cravings that takes the toll?

Just thinking out loud I suppose..

winslynn

It is an obsession,not a craving.Your mind will not leave it alone,it is stronger than you are and will sooner or later kill you.These are the cold hard facts of being an alcoholic.
Your body can't take it and your mind will not leave it alone.

Sudz No More

I have to agree, It is like Big Red gum. Keeps going and going.

try to learn to stop paying any attention when they come, they go away faster when you pay no mind.

On the plus side, they do get less and less over time. I just have never seen the impulse completely go away.

vinyl

You are the most draconian dude in this forum, hands down. Not everything is so black and white my friend. We're all vastly different organic beings with vastly different experiences and make-up.

I'm just saying, some (many?) of your posts are full of platitudes that are quire frankly untrue. That's just my humble opinion, maybe adding a caveat suggesting these are just an opinion of yours would cushion the blow to some of your more intense posts?

Take care and be well, sincerely.

heathersweeds

JB!!! HUG
For me in the begining, cravings were loud and long. Maybe 20mins. a couple times a day. They slowly went away. Then one day I realized I didn't crave a drink today...huh!! I often thought why didn't my Hp take my craving away like other people in AA? Untill I heard someone share. He said he doesn't belive he could take such instant gratification even taking away his obsescion would have been too much for him. I think that is true for me as well. I don't do well with ANY instant gratification! Hold on a little while longer! It gets easier!!!

iamchange08

don't entertain the craving and each time it comes back do the same thing over and over again and again, and with time it gets easier. its all in what you tell yourself, you can do this and you can be strong but you got to do it!! love and god bless!!

stairs

Great word choice, vinyl, thanks for the vocab lesson!!

I heard they can last up to seven minutes, over time they get shorter and shorter.

Impurrfect

(((JB))) - something I read, when I was in early recovery, is that a craving lasts no longer than 7 minutes. I never timed mine, but I did realize....7 minutes? I can get through that.

I trained my mind, early on, that when the cravings came, I said "not an option..next!!" with "next" being my cue to distract myself. I don't know how long it was, but I found myself at "next" without even realizing I'd had a craving!

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

DarkDays

Stronger than you maybe.

JustBreath

Thank you guys!

Winslynn: Thank you for your honest opinion.

Iamchange and Sudz: I can see how getting into the habit of paying close attention to my cravings might not be the wisest of my decisions. Thank you for that

Vinyl: Thank you for your incite. I believe as well that everything is not cut into stone and that one persons recovery/experience may not parallel another's.

Stairs: I am glad to be reassured that they do get further and further apart over time. Sometimes I just need a reminder. Thank you.

And Heather: That is a different way to look at it. I am very much an instant gratification kind of person and look where it got me Thank you dear! Hug!!

onlythetruth

I never timed a craving myself, but I'm not sure that the actual length of time matters as much as the fact that they ARE NOT PERMANENT.

tI say this because one of the things my AV would try to do to trick me into drinking was to try to convince me that (i) a particular craving was never ever ever ever going to end, so I might as well give up; and (ii) that the experience of having cravings repeatedly was never ever ever ever going to end and my whole life was going to be nothing but resisting them so....I might as well give up.

Stupid AV! I was smarter than it! I quickly figured out that the individual cravings went away, and they left even faster if I did something to distract myself (or ate, if I was hungry). Then I figured out that with time the cravings become fewer and fewer, and weaker and weaker.

Since then I've discovered (thru SMART) something called "urge surfing" where you actually sit and experience the urge, and NOTICE how it rises and falls like a wave. Eventually you learn what to expect of the urges and how fast they really do go away.

Importantly, they DO STOP COMPLETELY after awhile. I can't remember having anything even approaching an urge for at least 10-12 years.

JustBreath

Impurrfect: I look forward to the "next" before the craving hits. That is a wonderful thing to hold onto in my efforts Thank you

And Onlythetruth: I haven't started any treatments or programs yet but Wow! That is a very refreshing post. I do sometimes have the "whats the point" thought but I wait it out and it does pass. And you are the first person that has told me that they will stop completely over time. I love that statement! Thank you It means to me that there is an eventual end to the madness.

I am still very early in recovery. Day 20 today and my cravings have obviously dwindled over this time because I truly can't remember the last time I even had a week of sobriety. So its not like I have all this experience in the matter but I do know what has worked so far for me.

I am nervous though about starting a program because I am not sure which one to try.
It seems that people feel very strongly about how they achieved their own sobriety which is completely understandable, I would also swear by whatever keeps me sober. But hopefully I will have an open enough mind to remember everyone is different.
I have also been told I will fail on my own which I try to pay no mind to because my #1 goal is to never have another sip and I don't believe anyone can predict how I will end up.
I don't want to be the person that people say "Everyone slips" to and comforts.
I don't want to believe that everyone slips... It seems like an out to me. Like "Well if everyone slips then it's ok for me to" Not that I would act on these thoughts but I never want it to be a possibility for me.

I am sorry if I am offending anyone It truly is not my intent.
I am just trying to figure out what I have to do for myself to stay sober for the long haul.

Thank you all for listening!

Impurrfect

((((JB)))) - My "program" is one I worked out for myself. I did go to meetings in the past, use what I learned there. I also use a lot of what I've read here...some things work, some things don't. I just recently had my 5-year-clean b'day, so I must be doing something right!

I do admit, there are times when my mind goes to "wanna be numb" mode (I'm also a codependent in recovery and live with a really dysfunctional family). The good thing is? "next" kicks in, as well as remembering where I was when I relapsed, and it no longer seems like a very good option. I'm also still struggling with consequences from my using days, and I'm ready to not do anything that is going to cause me any MORE bad consequences.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

workingknee

I thought I would jump on the topic quickly to ask a question if possible? I'm at day 3 and not only at the times I used to drink, but most of the time I have a deep cold feeling to my upper arms and lower legs, and am more tired than I have ever been in years, wanting to sleep all the time and feeling this steady numb sadness... Is this physical cravings? I am also thinking about and planning my non-alcoholic intake constantly (I swear I've been to the store 5 times in the last few days buying things I never have before: tonic water, ridiculous amounts of diet coke, iced tea, sparkling apple juice, syrups, every type of damn herbal tea made... I feel like I now have beverage OCD) - any weird tips for that?

Anyway, thanks guys and hope everyone else is going well today? You're all so inspiring ... feels awesome to be here.

Merci!!

vinyl

Google PAWS. I found the detailed explanation of what my body is going through to be very beneficial. It also helped me realize, it's a long process. It's not just a few days, weeks or even months. Your body is going through a lot of dramatic changes and it will take some time to balance everything out. Stay patient, stay strong. Soon enough we'll be back up and feeling good again (I'm on day 9).

nel68

JB, I am 91 days sober thanks to SR :-) In the beginning my cravings came hard and strong.... (makes me think of labor pains...lol.. breathe in & breathe out) I had to keep myself occupied right when I was getting a craving. I notice over time they got very weak, I get them.. but it last just a minute or two. If I get a strong one... I just tell my acoholic mind...STOP!..then I get myself busy with something. Hang in there, you are doing great!! 20 days awesome

sugarbear1

Workingknee, at 3 days sober, it's not PAWS. It's early recovery. What was once numbed is now getting "un-numbed." Try drinking filtered water. Add some fresh fruit slices (orange, lemon, lime or strawberry).

Justbreath, my cravings were intense and a lot in early recovery, until I worked the steps (yes, all 12) of AA, then they just disappeared. I even tried to will them to return (yeah, an alcoholic thinking is dangerous) and they didn't return. That's just my story. I've had thoughts of drinking, but I thought them through to the bad consequences and didn't act on them.

Cravings and odd sensations, vivid dreams, all of these are early recovery processes which are really the neurons healing. This is what rehabs teach us--about early and late recovery and how to manage them and how to recognize and plan for relapse, at least the one I went to did this.

Be strong, stay stopped.

workingknee

Thanks Sugarbear and Vinyl. (and also JustBreath for starting this post) - I'm down with the water and fruit and I'll tentatively investigate PAWS - I appreciate it a lot. Thanks a million.

Time for more napping...

vinyl

Surgarbear certainly knows more than I do about this stuff. I was just suggesting PAWS as a good resource of what you body goes through. Good luck!

Dee74

This was a useful technique for me JB - it really helped me to put a bit of distance between me and what I was feeling

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-surfing.html

D