Do craving cycles exist?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,506
Do craving cycles exist?
I have been quite fortunate throughout my sobriety so far, very few real cravings to be honest and nothing that lasted too long, but recently I have been having quite strong thoughts, don't get me wrong I will not act upon it as I would never risk all my good work getting flushed down the toilet like that but does anyone find cravings working in timeline cycles? I've heard some people mention 3 months being quite strong but I never had that but now at 6 months the cravings although under control are certainly pulling harder. Any thoughts guys?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 442
I expect no one can tell you anything factual that applies to all people who abstain, but I also have similar problems. I can go for weeks with relative ease and then suddenly the cravings strike and im then on rocky ground. I've had them at 3 months, 6 months, 2 weeks, a month... Invariably in my case, the cravings eventually win... But im working on that 
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: TN
Posts: 263
Stoogy, thanks for posting this - like you, I would love to hear what others have to say about this topic, especially those with more sober time.
I am almost 9 months sober, something I can't quite believe. When I made it to 6 months, I joined this site to solidify my commitment and to give me a sense of accountability. But also to recognize my need for recovery. It was only after I became sober, that I understood I needed recovery. Kicking the drink is only the first step for me at least. Lo and behold, I understand more and more every day character issues that I need to address and work through that I was ignoring through drunkenness. They still exist even though I was pretending they didn't exist. And alcohol was great for that kind of pretending! But not really…
All that being said, yes, I have had some major cravings lately at this point. I have never had a voice telling me I can moderate. Instead, my cravings say, "Just go ahead and give in to the intoxication you lived with for years. And drink more, if you wake up shaky, like you always did. I feel good in you and I'm here if you ever need me."
I know I can't moderate. One drink and I know I'll be drinking a ton. And cravings tell me to "obliterate." For me personally, this is fear and this is ego. These are issues to address and work through in my own personal recovery.
I'm not going to sabotage myself at this point. If this is selfish, so be it. So far this selfishness about maintaining sobriety has resulted in more joy in my life and progress I couldn't have imagined in such a short time period.
Cravings, be ye gone with your false promises!
I am almost 9 months sober, something I can't quite believe. When I made it to 6 months, I joined this site to solidify my commitment and to give me a sense of accountability. But also to recognize my need for recovery. It was only after I became sober, that I understood I needed recovery. Kicking the drink is only the first step for me at least. Lo and behold, I understand more and more every day character issues that I need to address and work through that I was ignoring through drunkenness. They still exist even though I was pretending they didn't exist. And alcohol was great for that kind of pretending! But not really…
All that being said, yes, I have had some major cravings lately at this point. I have never had a voice telling me I can moderate. Instead, my cravings say, "Just go ahead and give in to the intoxication you lived with for years. And drink more, if you wake up shaky, like you always did. I feel good in you and I'm here if you ever need me."
I know I can't moderate. One drink and I know I'll be drinking a ton. And cravings tell me to "obliterate." For me personally, this is fear and this is ego. These are issues to address and work through in my own personal recovery.
I'm not going to sabotage myself at this point. If this is selfish, so be it. So far this selfishness about maintaining sobriety has resulted in more joy in my life and progress I couldn't have imagined in such a short time period.
Cravings, be ye gone with your false promises!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,506
Originally Posted by songthread 
Stoogy, thanks for posting this - like you, I would love to hear what others have to say about this topic, especially those with more sober time.
I am almost 9 months sober, something I can't quite believe. When I made it to 6 months, I joined this site to solidify my commitment and to give me a sense of accountability. But also to recognize my need for recovery. It was only after I became sober, that I understood I needed recovery. Kicking the drink is only the first step for me at least. Lo and behold, I understand more and more every day character issues that I need to address and work through that I was ignoring through drunkenness. They still exist even though I was pretending they didn't exist. And alcohol was great for that kind of pretending! But not really…
All that being said, yes, I have had some major cravings lately at this point. I have never had a voice telling me I can moderate. Instead, my cravings say, "Just go ahead and give in to the intoxication you lived with for years. And drink more, if you wake up shaky, like you always did. I feel good in you and I'm here if you ever need me."
I know I can't moderate. One drink and I know I'll be drinking a ton. And cravings tell me to "obliterate." For me personally, this is fear and this is ego. These are issues to address and work through in my own personal recovery.
I'm not going to sabotage myself at this point. If this is selfish, so be it. So far this selfishness about maintaining sobriety has resulted in more joy in my life and progress I couldn't have imagined in such a short time period.
Cravings, be ye gone with your false promises!
I am almost 9 months sober, something I can't quite believe. When I made it to 6 months, I joined this site to solidify my commitment and to give me a sense of accountability. But also to recognize my need for recovery. It was only after I became sober, that I understood I needed recovery. Kicking the drink is only the first step for me at least. Lo and behold, I understand more and more every day character issues that I need to address and work through that I was ignoring through drunkenness. They still exist even though I was pretending they didn't exist. And alcohol was great for that kind of pretending! But not really…
All that being said, yes, I have had some major cravings lately at this point. I have never had a voice telling me I can moderate. Instead, my cravings say, "Just go ahead and give in to the intoxication you lived with for years. And drink more, if you wake up shaky, like you always did. I feel good in you and I'm here if you ever need me."
I know I can't moderate. One drink and I know I'll be drinking a ton. And cravings tell me to "obliterate." For me personally, this is fear and this is ego. These are issues to address and work through in my own personal recovery.
I'm not going to sabotage myself at this point. If this is selfish, so be it. So far this selfishness about maintaining sobriety has resulted in more joy in my life and progress I couldn't have imagined in such a short time period.
Cravings, be ye gone with your false promises!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 10,912
Cycles...
Well, I believe that these cravings are often related to physiological and brain chemistry fluctuations. The so called "triggers" and drug/alcohol cues have been demonstrated scientifically to operate that way - they generate cravings because being exposed to these trigger situations create a physiological/signaling change in our brains. But often, especially when less experienced in early sobriety, we are unaware of many specific triggers so don't recognize this fully and cave.
Back to what's potentially cyclical. Hormonal and metabolic regulation? This specific one does not apply to guys, but as a woman I can very clearly trace some of my worst cravings to certain phases of my menstrual cycle. I tend to crave food and other things on the same days. The cool thing I've found is that at least at this point (4 months sober) for me the different kinds of rewards seem interchangeable.
Guys also have physiological phases, so maybe that accounts for it to some extent. We hear people discussing curing alcohol cravings with food all the time... Or exercise.... You can fill in your method of choice.
In my case at least, the best neutralizers of my cravings tend to be direct physical things, like eating, walking or any form of aerobic exercise really, and a variety of other things. Much more effective than more purely cognitive distractions, such as posting or talking about it.
So my vote would go for physiological fluctuations.
Well, I believe that these cravings are often related to physiological and brain chemistry fluctuations. The so called "triggers" and drug/alcohol cues have been demonstrated scientifically to operate that way - they generate cravings because being exposed to these trigger situations create a physiological/signaling change in our brains. But often, especially when less experienced in early sobriety, we are unaware of many specific triggers so don't recognize this fully and cave.
Back to what's potentially cyclical. Hormonal and metabolic regulation? This specific one does not apply to guys, but as a woman I can very clearly trace some of my worst cravings to certain phases of my menstrual cycle. I tend to crave food and other things on the same days. The cool thing I've found is that at least at this point (4 months sober) for me the different kinds of rewards seem interchangeable.
Guys also have physiological phases, so maybe that accounts for it to some extent. We hear people discussing curing alcohol cravings with food all the time... Or exercise.... You can fill in your method of choice.
In my case at least, the best neutralizers of my cravings tend to be direct physical things, like eating, walking or any form of aerobic exercise really, and a variety of other things. Much more effective than more purely cognitive distractions, such as posting or talking about it.
So my vote would go for physiological fluctuations.
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 69
I have just got to 13 months sober and it was only about a month ago that I was on my way to the booze shop out of town to buy beer. I had gotten it into my head that I could manage a few and manage to moderate. Luckily half way there I had 2nd thoughts and turned around and headed straight to the gym! I think there was a very important lesson learnt that day. 1) Cravings do pass! Let them come, don't act, they will go! I stress again, do not act on them! 2) if you are persuading yourself, you are not only lying to oneself but you are also delusional. A normal drinker would never have to persuade themselves they can drink normally! I find now if I have cravings I do my best not to think too hard and I head straight to the gym and sweat it out. I cannot tell you how happy I am later that day and the following morning that I did not break! The key thing is to know that they are just there for a short period. I almost think it helps to have them come and go because I think it makes you better equipped for them in the long run.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,445
Terence Gorski writes about this, Stoogy...
http://www.tlctx.com/ar_pages/paw_part1.htm
Recovery from the nervous system damage usually required from six to 24 months with the assistance of a healthy recovery program. Recent research is showing that for some recovering people the symptoms of PAW often occur at regular "moon cycle" intervals and without apparent outside stressors. Often those 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 1 & 2-year sobriety dates seem to be "triggering" times for PAW symptoms to increase.
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