Cravings and urges
 

I'm curious what people do that struggle with cravings or urges to drink. If you have found ways to deal with or manage cravings or urges effectively, please post replys!

I get through the urges and cravings by keeping myself occupied and doing fun sober stuff. Some things I do are write and sing music.

Thanks for the reply Kassh. Having fun and staying busy both are great ideas. I also think that doing them with someone in recovery would help even more.

John,
I guess my first question would be are you an alcoholic? If in fact you are then I would suggest you turn to page 24 in the big book (Alcoholics Anonymous) first paragraph in Italiacs It reads:
The fact is most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so called will power becomes practically nonexistant. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the fist drink.
Then on page 43 of the same book last paragraph it says:
Once more: The alcoholic at certain times hase no mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a higher power.
Now having quoted the big book I would suggest that you ask your higher power to relieve you of the obssesion and compulsion to drink, because as the book states your defense MUST come from a higher power.

styloebetoe

Thanks for the input. You are absolutely right on here. AA's belief that you must get your defense from a Higher Power is my belief as well. As the moderator for this section of this forum, I am still interested in other things that people in recovery use to help them deal with cravings and urges. I request this information so that all who visit here may get ideas that will help them deal with a major cause of relapse in early recovery. Let me know if you have other ideas that will help those who need it!

My goodness, John. It seems that whenever you pose a question designed to create dialogue someone wonders if you are actually an alcoholic. I'm laughing heartidly at the moment.

I'd be happy to address your question without pulling out the BB, and hopefully, answer the question you posed. LOL http://soberrecovery.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

I work with others. I get out of the house and get to a meeting. I pray. I talk to my girlfriend, also in the program. I call my sponsor. If he's not in I talk to his wife, also one of us. I call Jon, our host here. I have MANY options available to me should the urge to drink strike.

But to say that I am powerless as the term is often misused in AA is not accurate. I am only powerless if I choose to ignore the tools that AA and recovery have given me that are gifts from my higher power. Left to my own devices I am powerless, but not when supported by faith and the fellowship. The Steps give me strength; the traditions keep me focused. But none of us is truly powerless, except when we pick up that first drink.

Work with a newcomer. Join H&I. Stay busy and of service in recovery. It works for me.

Krazy Bob:

Thanks for your response. There are many wonderful suggestions in your reply. I guess I do need to clarify for people reading these pages that not only am I in recovery myself for quite a number of 24 hours, but I also work in and run a treatment program. I am hoping to get lots of ideas for dealing with cravings and urges to drink posted here, so that those that really need them can find ideas here. Again, thanks for your reply.

John,

Thanks for letting others that visit here know that you are one of us. For the benefit of those that are not familiar with this board, if you look in the left-hand margin where the user name appears you will often see a title, such as Moderator or Administrator. These are people that have maintained sobriety/clean time and are here to assist users, keep things in order, and be of service in whatever way that we can. Speaking for myself, I may not have all of the answers, but I'm always open to new ideas and thoughts on recovery.