Lance40

Alcoholism is the bane of my existence. It lies in wait for a long time and then makes a reappearance. Back in April when the winter rains stopped and it started getting nice then I got cravings to go out on a patio and drink wine. That was fine after a few days and after a long spell of nice weather with no cravings today is cloudy with patches of light rain. As I'm walking home today thinking about work all of a sudden I get that warm, fuzzy desire and look up to realize I'm walking by the liquor store. I kept on walking and am fine now, but I guess my subconscious dragged up all those cloudy, rainy days when I would stop in and buy my fix of vodka for the evening. It's more irritating and annoying than anything, but at least I'm fine now. I just wanted to post because I find it's important for me to acknowledge these things because otherwise they can become these secret little indulgences of temptation that can balloon pretty quickly.

Fly N Buy

Good for you on not acting on our thoughts!! Well done Lance

Delilah1

Good job continuing to walk on instead of going in!

PurpleKnight

Keep pushing through Lance!!

Soberwolf

Have you heard of urge surfing

learningagain

Good for you. I think being sober is an association game...so you have to unlearn drinking in every situation you used to drink in...so, initially cravings are all the time: drink after work, drink before bed, drink when you eat a meal. As you begin sobriety, you tackle the more common triggers first, and after a couple of times you break the association of that event and drinking, so it becomes easier not to drink with a meal etc.

However, you then have to tackle the less common situations - for example, a vacation, a wedding, a death etc. These do not happen every day, so when you tackle one of these events the AV is loud, because you have yet to break the association. By thinking this way, I hope to have positive experiences during events - I am gaining another disociation, rather than being disappointed I am still "craving".

Hope that helps, if not sorry to ramble, but stay strong!

Debbie329

Cravings don't drive me to drink......I don't have any.....maybe cause I was never an everyday drinker.....and maybe that's cause I don't have the constitution to be an everyday drinker. My weakness is lack of sleep, irritating people and stressful events......like my ongoing dental work problem. We all have our triggers.....but we must master them or they'll master us.

Lance40

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Some good stuff has been shared. I haven't heard of urge surfing - what is that?

Dee74

I'm always honest and admit that I hasd those pesky little thoughts for a long time...but I really believe it's not those random thoughts, but the response that is the measure of our recovery - sounds like you're doing great Lance.

Urge Surfing helped me - it's explained here
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-surfing.html