How long...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sacramento, California
Posts: 5
How long...
...does an urge to drink last for you? I don't mean in the rhetorical sense, as in "the urge lasts a lifetime." I mean, a specific urge...one that kind of smacks you at a certain time of day or after a specific event. They say that for people who quit smoking, an urge to smoke only lasts about 5 minutes then goes away. I wonder if the same is true for alcohol. It sure isn't for me, because I've wanted a drink all night.
To Life!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 9,293
Hi, Twist,
And welcome to SR!
I quit smoking a bit over 6 months ago. And I can tell you there were MANY times the cravings lasted days!
Now, the *immediate* craving may have only lasted 5-7 minutes, as is the norm for any craving. But, unless I changed what I was doing, it was present all times.
In order to get rid of that thinking, change what your doing. The cravings pass.
Others will be by to share their ESH!
Shalom!
And welcome to SR!
I quit smoking a bit over 6 months ago. And I can tell you there were MANY times the cravings lasted days!
Now, the *immediate* craving may have only lasted 5-7 minutes, as is the norm for any craving. But, unless I changed what I was doing, it was present all times.
In order to get rid of that thinking, change what your doing. The cravings pass.
Others will be by to share their ESH!
Shalom!
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Hi Twist..
In early recovery . I timed my cravings.
Mine were 5/7 minutes in duration.
I can overcome most things for that short time!
I took action during that space.
Brushing my teeth...eating a Lifesaver...drinking water
(notice the oral connection?)
The longer I stayed sober they lessened in both frequency and intensity. I have no had an urge to drink for years.
Keep going forward...you too can find sobriety..
In early recovery . I timed my cravings.
Mine were 5/7 minutes in duration.
I can overcome most things for that short time!
I took action during that space.
Brushing my teeth...eating a Lifesaver...drinking water
(notice the oral connection?)
The longer I stayed sober they lessened in both frequency and intensity. I have no had an urge to drink for years.
Keep going forward...you too can find sobriety..
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Somwhere over the rainbow
Posts: 1,175
Hi Twist, the urge to drink for me has varied from time to time. Sometimes (most times) it is a passing urge that flirts in and then out of my thoughts. Other days it is a constant nagging thought that is there all day.
On the days where it is a nagging all day kinda thing, I have learned to accept the thoughts as a warning that something is out of whack. I then have to allow time to really think about what is going on in my life so that I can get to the bottom of what is prompting the "addictive voice". Once I do that, I can deal with what I am wanting to avoid by drinking. Normally it involves stessors of one sort or another. Things I feel like I've screwed up, things I didn't do as well as I could have, guilt, remorse, etc. Once I identify the stressors I am able to assess it. I can then take action to relieve that stressors and then the "urges" will pass.
The most important lesson that I have learned is to be gentle with myself and to do the work to understand what is causing the urge and then to deal with it. If I do not, it will eventually win. Trying to ignore the addictive voice is a fruitless task that results in failure. I can challenge the addictive voice when it is merely the product of me being bored and wanting to "numb" out. Other times when it is the result of wanting to run from my problems it is essential that I get to the bottom of my issues and sort it out or face being a slobbering drunk and then having to start all over again.
Peace, Levi
On the days where it is a nagging all day kinda thing, I have learned to accept the thoughts as a warning that something is out of whack. I then have to allow time to really think about what is going on in my life so that I can get to the bottom of what is prompting the "addictive voice". Once I do that, I can deal with what I am wanting to avoid by drinking. Normally it involves stessors of one sort or another. Things I feel like I've screwed up, things I didn't do as well as I could have, guilt, remorse, etc. Once I identify the stressors I am able to assess it. I can then take action to relieve that stressors and then the "urges" will pass.
The most important lesson that I have learned is to be gentle with myself and to do the work to understand what is causing the urge and then to deal with it. If I do not, it will eventually win. Trying to ignore the addictive voice is a fruitless task that results in failure. I can challenge the addictive voice when it is merely the product of me being bored and wanting to "numb" out. Other times when it is the result of wanting to run from my problems it is essential that I get to the bottom of my issues and sort it out or face being a slobbering drunk and then having to start all over again.
Peace, Levi
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