12 days
Changing
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: NJ
Posts: 120
12 days
had almost 5 months but slipped.
it was worse than ever. days i can't remember and so much blackout.
the detox was horrendous.
why do we forget that and think only of the ease and comfort of the first drink.
i really need to know what you all do when a craving strikes.
it was like there was no way i wasn't going to drink when that craving took hold.
i don't want to die this way.
it was worse than ever. days i can't remember and so much blackout.
the detox was horrendous.
why do we forget that and think only of the ease and comfort of the first drink.
i really need to know what you all do when a craving strikes.
it was like there was no way i wasn't going to drink when that craving took hold.
i don't want to die this way.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 28,671
Cravings- be it alcohol, food (chocolate), carbs (stir fry noodles) for me come in waves- like anxiety. So I distract and do the breathing bit and do something else. Go for a 2 minute walk up some stairs, in the outside places- clean something, wash something, have a shower, write in my journal, paint something- anything.
Soberado
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Cleveland Ohio-ish
Posts: 395
For me I keep a stash of hard candy in my car, kitchen and bedroom and load up when the cravings came knocking. Also fruit works great too, one day earily on I ate so many lemon heads that made my mouth so raw I could not taste anything for a week lol. The crap we all go through to stop drinking makes me wonder why I started drinking in the first place.
Good luck Tiffany.
Good luck Tiffany.
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Welcome back Tiffany, glad you were able to quit again and get 12 days under your belt. As far as what you can do to avoid caving and drinking when urges surface, most will recommend having a solid recovery plan that you can follow and call on for support each and every day. Were you doing so during your 5 months of sober time? That's quite a good stretch by the way.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Dublin, Ireland.
Posts: 739
Hi Tiffany.
The cravings are really seductive.
We manage to convince ourselves that we won't drink enough to suffer after and then BANG.
I swear, we are not hardwired to remember pain well, because if we were, we would never go back.
But there are ways to keep connected to the reasons why we can't drink.
For me, this place is the best way.
Others use meetings and support groups.
Best of luck and well done for getting back on track.
The cravings are really seductive.
We manage to convince ourselves that we won't drink enough to suffer after and then BANG.
I swear, we are not hardwired to remember pain well, because if we were, we would never go back.
But there are ways to keep connected to the reasons why we can't drink.
For me, this place is the best way.
Others use meetings and support groups.
Best of luck and well done for getting back on track.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,476
Hey Tiffany,
Sorry to read about your relapse. It sucks! I've been in recovery a bit over 5 months now (this time), so I can only imagine how bad you must have felt the morning after. I was once sober 11 months and relapsed. I haven't forgotten how terrible I felt the morning after...perhaps that memory has helped me to stay on track this time.
At 5 months sober, I've found that the cravings have subsided considerably...but when they show up, its out of the blue. For instance, the other day I was working in my home office most of the day and after finishing my work, I was walking up the stairs from my office and I had a major urge to drink. I realized that I was triggered by the memories of rewarding myself with a drink at the end of a day. The first thing I did was eat something and I got my mind focused on something else (came to SR to read). That pretty much took care of the craving. If it hadn't, I would have gone for a run, came home and taken a shower.
Do you know what triggered you? For me, knowing why I relapsed has helped me prepare for the next urge. My relapse after 11 months was due to the death of my mother. I was next to her side in the hospital and it was too much for me.
Sorry to read about your relapse. It sucks! I've been in recovery a bit over 5 months now (this time), so I can only imagine how bad you must have felt the morning after. I was once sober 11 months and relapsed. I haven't forgotten how terrible I felt the morning after...perhaps that memory has helped me to stay on track this time.
At 5 months sober, I've found that the cravings have subsided considerably...but when they show up, its out of the blue. For instance, the other day I was working in my home office most of the day and after finishing my work, I was walking up the stairs from my office and I had a major urge to drink. I realized that I was triggered by the memories of rewarding myself with a drink at the end of a day. The first thing I did was eat something and I got my mind focused on something else (came to SR to read). That pretty much took care of the craving. If it hadn't, I would have gone for a run, came home and taken a shower.
Do you know what triggered you? For me, knowing why I relapsed has helped me prepare for the next urge. My relapse after 11 months was due to the death of my mother. I was next to her side in the hospital and it was too much for me.
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: fort worth tx
Posts: 1,373
Read your last sentence tiffany. Take it to heart. This disease will kill you. If you continue drinking the consequences are deadly. Choose life and stop drinking for good. Surrender, ACCEPTANCE, take action and ignore the cravings by developing a plan. Stay focused and execute your plan on a daily basis. The cravings eventually subside to mere faint urges. Takes time. You can do this.
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