Anoronha

Everytime my parents go out it is a trigger for me I think of immediately going to the liquor store and buying booze and hiding it in my room and drinking it. I know it will eventually pass been keeping myself busy. This really sucks after I had that one drink I keep obsessing about drinking more.

Deluxe

Just hold on. Hard cravings last only something like 13 minutes before the brain moves on to other things. Have a shower. Put on a movie. Go for a walk. It does and will pass and as every day passes it gets easier and easier. Try chalking up just 10 minutes if it's bad. Then another 10 minutes until it passes.

Always remember...you are not alone!

nandm

Deluxe said it quite well. The only thing I can add is that in early sobriety when I was faced with the insane cravings it helped me to tell myself that I only had to not drink for an hour. Then once I made it that hour I would look at that and it helped give me strength to tell myself well I was able to make it one hour so I can do it again and tell myself again that i would not drink for one hour. This at times would go on all day until I finally went to sleep but it was easier for me to view not drinking as a short term thing that I can't ever drink again ever in my life. That thought was just too overwhelming. I had to break it up in more manageable chunks of time until the cravings were under control. It does get better and they do recede with time. Working the Steps and learning how to apply them to problems like you are facing really helped me in dealing with the cravings. I learned to apply the Steps to problems that I used to drink at. It is a much more productive way for me to live.

jskool

Yeah "manageable chunks" is the key. Keep it simple by pacing yourself. It's hard not to drink forever but it's easy not drinking for an hour. When I want to drink booze, I brew up a pot of tea and by the time it's done the craving is gone.

krazynoklahoma

I had to cut it down from one day at a time to one minute at a time.

1newcreation

Just keep it simple:say to yourself "I haven't quit drinking but only today I won't drink"
The cravings will subside w/ time & as Deluxe shared do smthg different. I get on my treadmill for an hr, have candy & drink tea but mostly coffee & that's it.
Hope I helped

FreebirdII

For me at least, every time I have the "feeling" I grab a sour jolly rancher or other kind of sour candy so the "feeling" will pass.

whiskeyman

call someone and start a conversation to break the thought pattern

Frejya

If your problem starts with after your parents leave, then try getting a companion with yourself, your friends etc. They can help you and save you from loneliness that forces you to drink. Hope i helped.

visch1

In the beginning during those periods it was suggested to think about NOT drinking as suggested. I would think of some very obnoxious situation like falling into a septic tank and the results. Sure got my mind off drinking fast. Years later I chuckle with that remember when. BE WELL

sunrise1

krazynoklahoma said it well... I myself have had to back down to the "four hour" plan. I could not think beyond that because it was too chaotic. Hang in there. Call someone. Text someone. Find a chat room.

THEOjibway

I know how that feels very much. I use to wait till my parents went on vacation then I would buy liquor and drink the week away either by myself (most of the time) or with a friend. Each time I found out they were going out of the country or far away for a week I would book off that exact week and say i'd be looking after the dogs and house, when really all I did was just drink. It got harder and harder to maintain. I once drank myself so drunk that when my brother got home from hanging with his girlfriend for the day I was sitting in the family room playing video games drunk as heck. I was suppose to cut myself off by 9pm but I ended up going to the bar till 10, got home and played games when I was suppose to be in bed before my brother got home and saw what I was doing. I was even suppose to work the next morning! I skipped work because I was hung over badly.

Anyways I could go on and on. Its not a nice feeling when you are drinking behind your family. They think you are doing good when you arent. Been there and done that. I am 28 years old and I am now finally 1 year and 8 months sober and the journey has been amazing with its ups and downs. Keep at it! Try hard and you'll reap the rewards sooner or later .