Chilledice

Is it normal to be constantly thinking about alcohol during the first few weeks when you give up? its all I can think of! booze booze booze!

Foolsgold186

Hi ChilledIce,

I think everyone is different. I dont seem to be bothered with the thought of alcohol but I've only been sober 17 days. I've think my mind and body have finally come to the realisation that for me drink causes nothing but hurt and pain to not just me but everyone else around me. I have 2-3 drinks and I'm semi-normal then that I'm gone and carnage begins. I think of that and one crappy drink doesnt seem that worth it. I got to meetings, see the yets still to happen to me and exercise. Its slowly getting better day by day.

The pros to drinking just dont seem that great anymore. I'm sick of feeling ashamed of myself and although these past 17 days have been hard emotionally I know drink will make me feel 10 times worse.

If its a craving going to the docs might be a good option.

Youre doing great tho!

One day at a time.

L x

Marcher13

Chilledice are you occupied with absorbing work and leisure activities? I did think about alcohol but I also changed my routine and activities so that I became absorbed by those. Maybe there is a sport or interest from your past that you could pick up again? Or maybe you' like to try something new? This would be the perfect time.

cardoon

I was for me. Look up AVRT. It has some good tactics to help with the over thinking. One I use is to say, "stop" out loud when it happens. Distraction also works. Find something to distract yourself.

LadyinBC

I am going to say yes. I constantly thought about it ALL the time during the first 4 weeks. Week 3 was the absolute worst for me. I am by no means trying to sound discouraging. This does pass and you think less about it as time goes on.

shakeel

If you are like me and drinking is all you been doing for the last 2 decades, then yes, it is normal to be thinking about alcohol.
every memory I have of the past, alcohol is present in some sort of way. so it's normal. My brain has yet to adjust to the new life, new adventure without alcohol, dealing with life without alcohol. bur like Cardoon said, check out "AVRT" on line, they talk about the addictive voice and ways to shut it off.

Stoogy

I must admit to a few cravings in the early days, but I think that was just my body adjusting rather than me craving, but generally the cravings tend to be at their peak early on while your brain chemistry is adjusting to sobriety.

LBrain

It depends on the individual. Some do , some don't. Some let it overcome their desire to stay stopped. Work on techniques to get you through it.

Nonsensical

It was day 84 and I was getting ready for bed, and I realized I didn't think about alcohol all day today.

That taste of real freedom was worth more than all the drinks I ever had combined. Stay the course.

jaybee1

Normal I'm not sure. But it sure is normal for me, so you're definitely not alone ... I'm not sure how long you've been sober, but for me it'll be two weeks tomorrow, and I spent countless hours thinking about alcohol, addiction, recovery, and everything associated with it.

I'm hoping it'll get better because it's tiring quite frankly.

scintillady

I'd have to say yes I do think about alcohol a majority of the time. Most of the time I think about it as something I cannot have any more and that saddens me, as I generally really enjoyed it. I do know now that it's impossible for me to drink any, and I miss it. Since I am on antabuse and on day 15 now alcohol free, one of the great things is that whether I'm going to stop and get alcohol on the way home from work as I usually had done every day has been totally taken out of the equation. I know I can't drink under any circumstances, and if I were to decide to drink I would have to plan 2 weeks in advance and hopefully the craving would be gone by then. The hardest part for me has been trying to think of other things to occupy my mind and hands in order to give myself some things that I enjoy doing sober. My favorite thing to do on a day off used to be to have a couple glasses of wine, cuddle up with my dog while reading a good book, and fall asleep for a nice long nap. I can still do all of those things except for the wine, but feel like that is something missing. I have lots of stuff I should be doing, and hopefully will find myself motivated to get some of it done. I do think about alcohol excessively, but since it's only been 15 days I hope that will pass. I'm hopefully joining a gym soon, also, since I seem to have been substituting eating for alcohol and I need to lose some weight.

hokey

I'm on day 10 and I find myself thinking about it, but the thoughts are so negative that it (so far) hasn't produced a craving. I absolutely do NOT want to drink. I don't miss it at all, I cherish my sober time. I don't think it's abnormal to be feeling that way though Chilled ... it will get better. Hang in there

Verte

It was definitely my normal. This has dissipated greatly, thankfully, and I feel less and less occupy (I have to qualify this by stating that I was thinking about this all the time while NOT actually surrounded by bottles and alcohol). I'm only over a month into recovery.

Just as reaching for a glass or bottle had become a reflex, earlier and earlier in the day before I stopped drinking...so has 'banishing the thought' today.

Keep going strong Chilledice...it is so worth it and it gets better.

PurpleKnight

I thought about it all the time, that's why it's important to plan activities, fill the time so you are busy and not thinking about it.

After some time, your thoughts will settle!!