Serenidad

Specifically.....what do people do when they get a craving to drink? How or exactly WHAT do you do to not drink?

For example if it's 5:00 p.m. & you just got off work after a really stressful day and you have a huge craving what do you do? There really aren't meetings to go to at 5:00 p.m. sooooo do you put hand cuffs on? Duct tape your mouth shut? It's so scary & hard!

Thx in advance! Just looking to pick up a few more tools.

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Thepatman

Have early dinner, take a shower or a bath, go for a walk, call a friend you have not spoken to in a while or family.

Keep busy, change your routine completely!

Aellyce

I had awful cravings in the first ~5 months of sobriety. What worked best for me was having a healthy snack or full meal or going for a walk/run. Maybe you could also find a new activity or hobby, something you can do right after work outside of your home?

Adenough

Yeah keep really busy. Do anything to take your mind off it even housework. Don't know if you're into video games but I like the playstation it can keep you amused fir hours. And also think how bad you will feel in the morning. Post and read here often that also help. Good luck.

soberclover

I go right home from work so I don't have to go any place that alcohol is sold. I take off all my makeup and throw on my comfy sweat pants and sweat shirt so I look completely inappropriate to go anywhere. I eat an earlier dinner followed by ice cream. Ice cream is essential. I think it is also believed that a craving could be satisfied by eating something sweet. Alcohol has a lot of sugar so our body may have become used to that. I'm hooked on frozen yoghurt or low sugar/low fat ice cream. I then surf the internet (especially SR), crochet (good to keep hands busy), watch mindless tv or read. I'm also big in to word puzzles lately (keeps my mind focused on something else). I try to go to bed early. Once in bed, things generally get better. Great question!

Wastinglife

I eat dinner as soon as I get home. A full stomach takes away any desire for booze for me. I always drank on an empty stomach for that reason.

trachemys

Ice Cream.

You knew that was coming.

27cougar

That is my trigger time for sure. I agree with some others, once I am home I am good and don't go back out to get it. It's the getting home without stopping that is the challenge! I have been having a snack and making sure I have a cold bottle of water before I leave the office. Changed my route so I don't drive by the convenience store. It is hard.

Spinach

I found tomato juice with ice worked a treat, it stopped my craving and still allowed me to eat at our normal meal time.
John.

nvguy

Soberclover
I'm to new to give you intelligent advice, but the advice givin to me was ice cream and so far it's working 100% for me...
nvguy

dwtbd

When a strong urge(craving?) would pop up , it really forced me to focus on the 'now' of now. Even if I had to do it minute by minute.
If the idea of driving to get a drink , or even knowing there was something in the house, I would just stop and confront the urge by mentally 'saying' that right now this instant I will not go and get .. whatever. Just that act would start a little 'chain reaction' of thinking, along the lines of reminding myself why I wasnt drinking , I could not pretend to not know why I had made the decision to not start drinking again.
It maybe that that process would have to be repeated a few times in an hour, well so be it. The thing I found was that the more I took that stance, that there was no option of getting a drink no matter how 'powerful' the urge felt, the fewer times they started popping up, or if they did it felt more like a whimper(the last gasp of a defeated spoiled brat).
I have seen mention of 'urge surfing', not sure the technique but maybe worth a look see wish you well
Cant always outrun the urge, if they come they come, but can always damn sure shoot them down! You got this

nvguy

I meant serindad

Nonsensical

Close your eyes, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, and contemplate the craving. Why is it here? What does it want? What can it do to me if it doesn't get what it wants?

It has limits. Define it. Give it boundaries. Put it in a box.

It's just a feeling. If I sit there thinking OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG I hate this feeling!!!! I have given it too much power.

Define it. Give it boundaries. Put it in a box.

Then...

Serenidad>>>><<<<craving

You can do this.

Thepatman

Surfin the urge, I love it ;-)

least

In early recovery when I had the urge to drink I'd walk my dogs. They loved all the walks they got and I loved that I stayed sober.

Dee74

You've probably seen this before Serinidad but it really is what I and other people did
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html

I've been out of the loop a little - what have you been doing for your recovery?

D

FreeOwl

Excercise....
Jump onto SR and read some posts....
Read the Big Book....
Go for a walk....
Pick a few chores around the house that need catching up on...
Write about the craving...
Review the reasons for choosing sobriety....

PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL MY SPONSOR

Serenidad

Thanks for the feedback! You guys rock! Xoxo

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Serenidad

Dee! That's awesome! Thx!!!

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Tonymblue

I try to eat some good healthy food. Good blood sugar really seems to help. Plus with my tolerance a full stomach equals no buzz.