Alcohol Cravings
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chicago Illinois
Posts: 65
Alcohol Cravings
I am losing my mind. I have been sober for quite a few months. Since January 1st, I have not had any caffeine or any sugar in anything. Doing de-caf coffee, sugar-free candy, s-f ice cream, s-f oatmeal..you name it...its sugar free. I read a book entitled "Beyond of the Influence" and it talked about avoiding these foods so eventually my cravings will subside. But I am craving like a lunatic. Its not a mental craving, its pure physical. Help! Any suggestions?
Thanks
Thanks
Well good luck with that one.. ( smile ).. If that worked I guess we would not need this forum, we would not need AA or anything else to help us out.. Just simply eat the right foods...
You have been sober to long to be having physical withdrawals of any real substance..
I am an alcoholic.. I had not only a mental obsession but a physical addiction to alcohol.. The last few years of my drinking was not just wanting it but I needed it.. Long after the physical addiction was gone the mental obsession continued. It told me over and other I NEEDED to drink.
I can only share my own experience here - I went through detox and then treatment. Some have a harder time than others with a variety of withdrawals.. Sometimes we need medical help. Other times we just need help from others like ourselves to tell us and show us how they did it.. For me that was AA. I had to take action.
I hope you find whatever it is that will work for you.
Linda C.
You have been sober to long to be having physical withdrawals of any real substance..
I am an alcoholic.. I had not only a mental obsession but a physical addiction to alcohol.. The last few years of my drinking was not just wanting it but I needed it.. Long after the physical addiction was gone the mental obsession continued. It told me over and other I NEEDED to drink.
I can only share my own experience here - I went through detox and then treatment. Some have a harder time than others with a variety of withdrawals.. Sometimes we need medical help. Other times we just need help from others like ourselves to tell us and show us how they did it.. For me that was AA. I had to take action.
I hope you find whatever it is that will work for you.
Linda C.
I think you need a Ho Ho. Is a little sugar really all that bad? I think that when we go to extremes, it is likely to backfire on us. Moderation is the key!! (Then again, if we all knew moderation, none of us would be here). Best wishes!
I think what you have achieved is awesome...really wonderful!!!
And sugar is really a terrible substance...however, I agree with Lee above - if sugar/caffeine helps with sobriety, go for it.
What about just having *some* sugar...i know for me, having those treats like sugar and caffeine are just essential to me not feeling too DEPRIVED, lol!
Good luck - and you've done great by the way. But if you're not feeling top of the world by now...well...re-evaluate?
Well done again,
Cathy31
x
And sugar is really a terrible substance...however, I agree with Lee above - if sugar/caffeine helps with sobriety, go for it.
What about just having *some* sugar...i know for me, having those treats like sugar and caffeine are just essential to me not feeling too DEPRIVED, lol!
Good luck - and you've done great by the way. But if you're not feeling top of the world by now...well...re-evaluate?
Well done again,
Cathy31
x
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chicago Illinois
Posts: 65
Think you guys missed the point
Think you guys missed the point. Alcohol = sugar. sugar = alcohol. That's what us alcoholics crave genetically. Its a proven fact.
The MORE sugar and caffiene an alcoholic consumes makes the cravings even worse. Once a person crashes from the high of sugar and caffiene, the body goes into reserves and cranks more sugar into your blood stream...hence the craving for alcohol.
The point of going without, sugar and caffiiene, over time, the body finds where it should be naturally...it finds its natural chemical balance.
The MORE sugar and caffiene an alcoholic consumes makes the cravings even worse. Once a person crashes from the high of sugar and caffiene, the body goes into reserves and cranks more sugar into your blood stream...hence the craving for alcohol.
The point of going without, sugar and caffiiene, over time, the body finds where it should be naturally...it finds its natural chemical balance.
Originally Posted by OnRecoveryRoad
Think you guys missed the point. Alcohol = sugar. sugar = alcohol. That's what us alcoholics crave genetically. Its a proven fact.
The MORE sugar and caffiene an alcoholic consumes makes the cravings even worse. Once a person crashes from the high of sugar and caffiene, the body goes into reserves and cranks more sugar into your blood stream...hence the craving for alcohol.
The point of going without, sugar and caffiiene, over time, the body finds where it should be naturally...it finds its natural chemical balance.
The MORE sugar and caffiene an alcoholic consumes makes the cravings even worse. Once a person crashes from the high of sugar and caffiene, the body goes into reserves and cranks more sugar into your blood stream...hence the craving for alcohol.
The point of going without, sugar and caffiiene, over time, the body finds where it should be naturally...it finds its natural chemical balance.
Originally Posted by OnRecoveryRoad
Think you guys missed the point. Alcohol = sugar. sugar = alcohol. That's what us alcoholics crave genetically. Its a proven fact.
Originally Posted by FriendofBill
Maybe its too soon to go without the sugar?
I know the correlation between alcohol and sugar. Maybe your body is just different, and needs the sugar for a wee bit longer?
I know the correlation between alcohol and sugar. Maybe your body is just different, and needs the sugar for a wee bit longer?
Originally Posted by MNGirlyGirl
I think you need a Ho Ho.
Because those things are unnatural!
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 8,709
And some of us gave you one.
I gave you a general suggestion based on my lived experience.
It's all I can do.
I can't talk about things I don't know.
Removing alcohol from the metabolism is a huge deal.
There needs to be balance in recovery.
A tipping scale only makes things harder.
I gave you a general suggestion based on my lived experience.
It's all I can do.
I can't talk about things I don't know.
Removing alcohol from the metabolism is a huge deal.
There needs to be balance in recovery.
A tipping scale only makes things harder.
Originally Posted by fuguestate
are those the things that are identical to ding dongs but come in different packaging? have a best before date of 2025?
Because those things are unnatural!
Because those things are unnatural!
Cravings suck... What I do when I get the rage to urge feelings is I eat some protein. It fills me up and hangs around inside my stomach. I do drink coffee but I don't use sugar - I use splenda. Using that stuff didn't seem for me to increase my desire to drink. Ohter things is go for a walk... go to coffee (decaf or whatever) with a good friend you can talk to about your urges, call a friend, take a hot bath with some scent in the water (I find my sense of smell is supercharged now and if I inhale something soothing - herbal oils or lavendar it helps!). I also clean like a fiend... I mean really... my house has never been so clean in my life. lol Sometimes I wonder if it's cuz the cleaning stuff I use smells powerful. Oh well, I won't worry about it as long as it isn't triggering me - which it isn't.
Anyway... those are the things I do. Oh... and hot cocoa! It's quick becoming my favorite self-love hug.
Hang in here... you really sound frustrated and on edge. Wish you had a gym you could go to and punch one of those bags for a half an hour... that would probably do you some good!
**{hugs}}
Suga
Anyway... those are the things I do. Oh... and hot cocoa! It's quick becoming my favorite self-love hug.
Hang in here... you really sound frustrated and on edge. Wish you had a gym you could go to and punch one of those bags for a half an hour... that would probably do you some good!
**{hugs}}
Suga
Originally Posted by MNGirlyGirl
Yes!!! They are my new addiction!! I have one every night before bed. They probably have a shelf life of ten years!! LOL
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 5
Craving Management
ORR:
I recommend as an alternative that you talk to your doctor about Naltrexone and Acamprosate. Both work effectively to block cravings for alcohol. If you do not have a doctor that is well educated on alcohol addiction, you can get a referral at www.asam.org .
If you have questions, please PM me and I will answer them in detail.
While Naltrexone is not a "magic pill" and while it does not eliminate the need for us to focus on the psychological part of our recovery, there is no doubt that it saved my life.
Kab
I recommend as an alternative that you talk to your doctor about Naltrexone and Acamprosate. Both work effectively to block cravings for alcohol. If you do not have a doctor that is well educated on alcohol addiction, you can get a referral at www.asam.org .
If you have questions, please PM me and I will answer them in detail.
While Naltrexone is not a "magic pill" and while it does not eliminate the need for us to focus on the psychological part of our recovery, there is no doubt that it saved my life.
Kab
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