ru12

Dr. Silkwood wrote his "Dr.'s Opinion" in the 1930's. Jung wrote around the same time. And if you really think their OPINION is equally valid today, I think that if you have cancer, or heart disease, you certainly shouldn't go see a modern doctor, you should restrict your treatment to what was available at their time too. Leeches anyone?

What, no? You wouldn't want to do that? No 1930's surgery for your 11 year old daughter? And why would that be? Perhaps medical science may have learned SOMETHING in the intervening years?

socallednormal

I think that in normal circumstances, only alcoholics crave alcohol in the way that they use the word "craving."

I have experienced what they describe, though, when I was on Ritalin. As each day progressed, I thought more and more about alcohol, then drank every night until I was drunk. I stopped taking Ritalin for a year and that drive lifted. Then I went back on Ritalin for a few weeks, and experienced the same thing again, that strange desperate need to consume alcohol until I was intoxicated.

Switched from Ritalin back to Adderall in 2011, and the need went away again. My own bottles at home are covered in dust now. Don't get me wrong, I can still enjoy drinks with alcohol. If I'm at a place that serves Margaritas I might think "A margarita would be a tasty way to quench my thirst," but it's an entirely different experience and motivation than "cravings" for the alcohol itself.

I started lurking this site back then because I was worried over what was happening to me, but it turned out that the whole desire only occurred whenever I was on Ritalin; now I don't take Ritalin. So I suspect that normal drinkers have the ability to experience craving, but can also probably go their whole lives without experiencing it.

Pete55

I'll try to explain it a different way, but those who want to can draw out a round circle chart.
All references are from the BB with page numbers in brackets.
Where the page numbers are in roman numerals from the Dr's Opinion, it's referenced from the 4th edition, but the wording is still the same as it is in the 1st edition.

It's written in the "we", but can be changed to first person as in "I" or "they".

Get an A4 and turn it long ways.

The heading is: The terrible cycle in motion (23)
Below the heading: The BODY of the alcoholic as quite as abnormal as the MIND (xxvi)

The action of alcohol on alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy...Phenomenon of craving (xxvi) Body

The idea that somehow someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the...Great Ossesion (30) MIND

Below these headings, starting at 12'oclock is 1:

-----------------------------------------------------------------
1: But soon "we or I" become "Restless, irritable discontented" (xxvi)

2: Unless we, "can again experience the sense of ease and comfort..by taking a few drinks" (xxvii )

3: However we, "are unable.. to bring into our concious with sufficiant force the memory of the suffering and humiliation" (24)

4: Therefore, we are without defense against the first drink ( 24 )

5: And hence we, "Succumbed to the desire again" (xxvii ) [6'oclock]

6:"And the phenomenon of craving develops" ( xxvii )

7:And so we, "pass through the well known stages of a spree" ( xxvii)

8: "Emerging remorseful" (xvii )
full of fear, guilt and shame

9: "With a firm resolution not to drink again" (xxvii ) 11'oclock

Below the circle write;

This is repeated over and over, and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery (xxvii )
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Note, there is no set time duration when the 9:firm resolution ends and 1:Restlessness etc begins again.
I have gone from 6 months without a drink due to circumstances from the last blackout drunken spree to the next day or next week.
The obsession to try to drink and enjoy it without consequences always returned until I found out the why's and the how's after 30 plus years of trying to drink alcohol, normally.

So from 1-9 ought to show a circle on your A4.
This ought to show the terrible cycle.

Question or Consideration:
WHEN do we break the cycle, or where is the actual act of insanity for the real alcoholic?
In other words, where do we seek a power greater than ourselves to break that cycle and not pick up the next drink?

I won't answer it here because that will not be fair, one has to walk through these steps to eventually "see" it.
In other words, take action on your part if you really want to or "get" to it.
( Chapter 5)

polaris

How about you quit being hostile, arrogant, and condescending?

Also, this isnt in regards to Alcoholism or anything, but to disregard ( what is often wisdom) of those who have came before us is hubris. Dont be so naive to think that "modern" is always better.

mjc400

I don't think you'll extrapolate any meaningful data from a compromised and limited poll that deals with such a multifaceted question.

MattyBoy

Good question and one I've often wondered myself. I think the major difference between alcoholics and normal drinkers is that alcoholics only really associate alcohol with getting drunk/high/buzzed etc. That's not to say a normal drinker will not enjoy getting drunk once in a while but they will only do so when it's appropriate. For me if I knew I was going to be drinking, I knew I was going to be at least pleasantly buzzed because that's what I associate alcohol with - with dulled emotions and getting high. Normal drinkers will generally see alcohol as a pleasure to be indulged in occasionally and for the right reasons and in the right circumstances.

brenteagle

It tells us that we have an allergy that shows itself after the first drink. The craving is amazing . Now u will crave the first couple of weeks physically but after that its mental.
As time passes it becomes less that's why we need a higher power because will power doesn't work. Take care

SnoozyQ

For me , i would interpret a Yes .

When i was drinking i used to salivate at the point of my craving , wanting , wanting wanting , to have that drink . Yes i craved that drink .

I crave chocolate now , when i get the craving , i just have to have it .

Helene

I think everyone can crave a drink now and then, the way someone might crave a chocolate bar...the difference is that when I, as an alcoholic crave a drink, I actually crave a drunk, not a drink. I crave being completely mellow and out of it and loose. One drink is a waste of my time. I crave a drunk. In the alcoholic's world there is no such thing as "A" drink. Its never just one. Thats why we are alcoholics. And that is the difference.

Mirage74

I wouldn't know. I think I was probably an alcoholic from the first time I drank. How normal drinkers react to the ingestion of alcohol remains a mystery to me.

LBrain

I picked NO. I'm not a sex addict, but occasionally I crave it.

PurpleKnight

I'm undecided!!

If we're talking about the daily, I'm gonna have a panic attack if I run out of alcohol this evening, my life will be a disaster without alcohol, I will lie and do whatever it takes to get my next drink, nothing or no one is going to stand in my way . . . type of cravings then that's probably a no, that's why we have a problem and everyone else doesn't think twice about their relationship with alcohol.

However if we're talking about the same type of cravings I sometimes get for something sweet and sugary, or sometimes I take a fancy for some chinese food or pizza, or maybe something cool and refreshing to drink as I'm really thirsty, then maybe!!

I do hear people say things like I can't wait to have that first pint down the pub after work, or I've been looking forward all week (yeah seriously, a whole week it's been unopened) to opening that bottle of wine this Saturday evening.

Are these cravings? I have no idea, but they do look forward to the time they can drink, and not having that wine or beer at the weekend would be a real let down for them, which is I guess part of what a craving is, the difference is they wait and aren't having a panic attack on a Monday night!!

Music

I voted "no" for this reason. I believe people can have one or two drinks and stop, regardless of whether or not they want a third or fourth for this reason. Most people who drink, take into consideration whether or not they're driving, if there's some place to go or a family responsibility, can they afford to spend more...etc. And most important at least to me, can I guarantee my actions if I continue to drink? The Big Book talks about alcoholics becoming "anti-social", which to me means doing things, saying things and acting in ways that are normally not acceptable to society. I'm an alcoholic and I never worried about any of these things once I started to drink. Most people exercise their CHOICE to drink or not based on past experience. Hangovers, throwing up, upsetting the wife, offending people, etc. These folks are able to stop in time. My dad used to drink a beer on a hot day after mowing the lawn. Whether he craved a beer or not is up for examination, but until the day he died, I never saw him drunk....or even tipsy. So, I vote....NO!

Mirage74

I think I confused the meaning of the word craving in my answer. In AA, the phenomenon of craving happens after the first drink. I have it, a normal drinker doesn't.

Does a normal drinker ever desire (crave) a drink before drinking? I'm sure they do, maybe to take the edge off. The difference is in what happens after that drink is imbibed - they are able to stop abruptly, an alcoholic is not.

NightsWatch

I think craving (wanting, desiring) of things is part of being human, so yes, I think a non-alcoholic can crave alcohol. The difference between an alcoholic and a normal person is the compulsion to keep drinking, even past the point when it doesn't even feel good anymore. Similarly, I can crave ice cream, eat a bowl and be done with it, while a bulimic will eat a whole gallon and then some. The initial desire for ice cream is the same, but the outcome is different.

kepeb30

I know people that wont leave the house without a pot of coffee, now that is a craving. All I ever wanted from alcohol was to escape and it works but it kills you slowly and painfully. Some people crave coca. The pros and cons of the substance is the question..

desypete

my cravings would start when i took the first drink of alcohol
i would want more and more of the stuff for that effect you was looking for as it was the best feeling in the world

but the problem is i had no off switch unlike you have, i couldn't stop and i had to drink into oblivion
if i could stop when i had the effect i really wouldn't be a member of alcoholics anon

with drinking into oblivion would come the bad behaviors that would cause me guilt shame and remorse when i would wake up the next day or if a black out then i would have to rely on my eex wife to tell me what i did or anyone who was with me that night etc

i have come to accept that there are many different types of drink problem just like there are many different types of cancer
cancer is cancer but has different problems dependent on were the cancer is

i can never understand anyone who could control there drinking as i came to see i never could control mine

i have always shared if i could control my drinking when i had it in my system then i really wouldnt need aa

without drink in my system i would crave that effect the booze gave me, it gave me freedom and conference it brought me to life but like i said i couldn't stop once i got a taste for it

in the end it took control of me as i drank more and more on problems or happy events you name it, it was a reason for a good drink
then from weekend drinking it crept into daily drinking and daily getting smashed, in the end i was just permanently smashed

so thats how the drink affected me and how it lead on to worse and worse drinking

sudimudi

Craving is the term used for what medical science known as a phase of ACUTE WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME as per the book "UNDER THE INFLUENCE". Pl. go thru the book to find more. Dont blame me if you are scared to drink. I am now otherwise convinced that I have killed myself every day for 35 years.

Soberpotamus

My husband is a normal drinker (maybe has 2-3 drinks in a year). I asked him your question. He said he does sometimes crave an alcoholic drink. I pressed him to elaborate on what that meant to him... he stated he sometimes craves ONE drink under stress, and that he doesn't like the taste of it. Whatever

So... apparently, normal drinkers can and do crave it.