jodc

I was not aware that the urge to drink would pass!!!!

I am SO SO SO OVER THE MOON to have read these words:

"Instead of battling the urge (or wave) ride it out and wait for it to crash and for cravings to disappear. When you give in to the urge, and give yourself the "fix" you crave, it only increases future cravings. By learning to ride the wave and let it go, over time you will notice cravings are less frequent."

For anyone who may want to read this thread, here's the link:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-surfing.html

There may be hope for me yet! Thank you Dee!

Dee74

Very glad to share it jodc.

I thought the only solution to a craving was drinking.
It was a revelation to me as well.

D

jodc

"By delaying gratification, and taking time to identify your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations at the time, coupled with learning to sit comfortably with your urges you can learn to let them go, and not act on them."

Sit comfortably with urges??? I have never even considered that as an option.

You know, I am feeling so good right now... so hopeful... so grateful to have read this article... tears are streaming down my face.

I can't say thank you enough.

Hevyn

jodc - how great that you found the thread invaluable & that you shared your thoughts. I wish so much that I'd had SR to lean on when I first struggled with drinking - decades ago. I could have been spared so much misery. Glad you are filled with hope and determination.

CajunPrincess

This post makes me happy.

I have read the thread on urge surfing too, but I guess it doesn't click with me. How is that any different from sitting there white knuckling it when you have a craving? Just something I've always wondered.

jodc

Princess, I guess what gave me hope is that the urge WILL pass.
Being with that urge - experiencing it, actually paying attention to how I am feeling... is not something I do much of because I fear those feelings; I just want them to go away.
I don't know that there isn't some white knuckling to go through; perhaps there will be. But now that I know the craving will die out after a few minutes, I'm thinking I might just be able to ride it out. and in the end, practice makes it easier... yeah?

Have you read that thread recently?
For me, I can read something many times and have no connection to it and then I read it again at a later date and viola! I got it.

I'm glad this post makes you happy!

MissPerfumado

Great post, jodc! I will never forget how useful I found the "playing the tape" tool, picked up on SR as well. Saved me a few times, that one.

This place is a Godsend.

tekink

I actually find that if I simply accept the craving but not give in it goes away much faster than if I try to fight the craving out of my mind.

This time I've not had cravings (day 33) prior times they frustrated me to my whit's end.

jodc

MissPerfumado,

Playing the tape...THANK YOU!

Bekindalways

^^^ this.

As a depressive, I kind of welcome and talk to the despair when it hits i.e. "Hello old friend. How have you been? What do you have to teach me."

Although I have to agree with Cajunprincess and jodi that there is always more or less of bit of white knuckling through the feelings. Sigh.

I'm sure the Poem Guest House has been posted here before but it is something worth posting again.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
— Jellaludin Rumi,

(hope this isn't too much of a segue from urge surfing.)

jodc

Bekind, that is a lovely poem; thank you for sharing it;
it's going into my "staying sober read file".

Algorithm

It has to do with not fighting the urge, not trying to change the urge, and not trying to remove the urge. If you do not engage with the urge, you will not white knuckle. Somewhat similar to what we do with AVRT.

Sarah Bowden, who did some research on urge surfing and other mindfulness based techniques, has an audio recording walking you through the urge surfing technique. She has a book as well.

jodc

Good morning all!
Quick note as I am having internet issues again...this is nothing new - been going on for years...now and then ATT does something to make it "act better" but over the long haul, it probably won't change so I just have to deal.

So. I made it through the weekend! Yesterday too! I do love this urge surfing thing.- it works for me.

Found a really nice Sunday morning meeting, got back into my health club and in general, my outlook is changing and I feel so much better!

Algorithm, thanks for the link; I will surely listen.

Thanks everyone for being here!!!

Have a wonderful day, evening, night!