Cravings do fade
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: canada
Posts: 748
Cravings do fade
I'm on Day 18 and just wanted to leave a tip for any newbies who may be struggling with cravings in the few earliest days of sobriety. I'm happy to report that those almost overwhelming cravings at the start actually do start to fade in frequency and intensity over time.
The way it has worked for me is that the cravings actually got stronger over the first week and a half, but right around the two week mark there was a noticeable shift. The frequency and intensity started to fade, and one day I had a pleasant shock when I was at the office and suddenly realized I had passed my "last half hour at work then walk by the liquor store" trigger point and hadn't even thought of alcohol.
Some of those early cravings were so strong I hardly knew how I would make it through them, but the way I visualize it for myself is that each time I was able to push through an episode of craving that I was forging a new pathway of thinking in my brain and that my addictive voice was getting beat down until it started to get the message that this new way of thinking isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
I'm pretty sure it'll always be lurking there in the shadows waiting for a surprise attack, but the whole point I want to make here is that it does get easier so just hang on and keep doing it one day at a time.
The way it has worked for me is that the cravings actually got stronger over the first week and a half, but right around the two week mark there was a noticeable shift. The frequency and intensity started to fade, and one day I had a pleasant shock when I was at the office and suddenly realized I had passed my "last half hour at work then walk by the liquor store" trigger point and hadn't even thought of alcohol.
Some of those early cravings were so strong I hardly knew how I would make it through them, but the way I visualize it for myself is that each time I was able to push through an episode of craving that I was forging a new pathway of thinking in my brain and that my addictive voice was getting beat down until it started to get the message that this new way of thinking isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
I'm pretty sure it'll always be lurking there in the shadows waiting for a surprise attack, but the whole point I want to make here is that it does get easier so just hang on and keep doing it one day at a time.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Omaha,NE
Posts: 372
Day 10 here and I've been waring with myself at work. I did 30 days with no problem in January(that was just a "break") and even went to the bar on Friday and didn't have the urge, but today it's been so tempting. I got this though and also have an appointment with my therapist in a hour, so I will keep fighting. Thanks for the advice!
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