MustAbide

Hi friends, wanted to hear your thoughts. I have 34 days sober right now and always hit a wall around this time. My last relapse way at 32 days. What is it about the 30 day mark that kicks the cravings in? Does any one else ever get to this point and feel this way? I was having zero cravings, even was around alcohol a couple days. And then boom out of nowhere I keep thinking about just having a beer or two in the early afternoon when no one is home. I of course am not going to give in this time, as I am tired of the merry go round. But the voice is strong. I start out patient group therapy Wednesday morning, hopefully will help keep me on track. Thanks for reading, hope all are well.

Robbie64

I used to be a member of a stop smoking group on usenet years ago (alt.support.stop-smoking, like most newsgroups these days it's now as dead as a dodo) and someone made an observation there that could also apply to alcohol and any other substance to which people become addicted.

The observation: the hardest parts when trying to give up (smoking) are "the threes" - 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months and 3 years. Another poster then added that around the 30 day mark was also a tough point. Maybe it's psychological? 30 days is around a month. Maybe when that milestone passes the cravings kick in once again?

If it is psychological then logic says that the cravings will pass eventually. Maybe it's because it's long enough since you last had a drink that your body is recovering but maybe a bit of boredom is setting in? But that observation someone made all those years ago definitely holds true when it comes to cravings for alcohol, at least in my experience.

MustAbide

Robbie thank you for your thoughtful reply. I agree its mostly psychological. My brain is like 'hey times up, time to ruin your life again now that you feel better!' . Also a month is just long enough to regain full health and the shame to fade into still a painful but far off memory. Its ridiculous! Boredom as well. The need to feel something "extra".

Maudcat

I was about three months sober before cravings abated. It takes time.
I feel like it’s that voice in your head saying that you have been soooo good for so long. Have a drink. It’ll be fine.
Breathe through it. Exercise through it, do whatever you can to distract yourself from wanting to drink.
It will be worth it.

Sunflower79

Ghostlight1

My cravings started on the fourth day. I couldn't imagine going thirty days without a drink when I was active.
Every four days. For years and years.
Congratulations on your sober time. And I hope the craving goes away.

orderfororder

For me, the worst of it happens around day 10/11. I know this because for whatever reason, I would always get to day ten and then I would have unbelievable cravings and relapse. I am currently at day 55, but even on this round I struggled on day ten or eleven. I got to the point of flicking on my bedroom light to get ready to go out and buy liquor. I believe I even had my shoes on. It was like two people internally battling. I eventually decided to try to stuff my face with food, luckily it worked. Since then, it's been much easier, although the AV still pokes its head out here and there.

I'm sure that our highest cravings correlate with something psychological. Maybe a threshold of boredom or a sense that our body has recovered. Either way, a huge part of recovery involves retraining those psychological habits. It takes time and hard work but it is worth it every bit.

Dee74

Anniversaries seem to do that to some people.

Its not uncommon - the further away we get from our last drink the harder it is to maybe remember the really bad bits....and 30 days is not really long enough to start seeing all the benefits of recovery.

But - stay true.
Just keep doing what you've been doing

D

Tetrax

I can't say too much right now (in a relapse I guess) but yeah my longest relapse was just after doing 30 days and thinking I was 'better now', what with MM and rehab etc. suggesting this milestone was the turning point or whatever. I know (with hindsight) I used the 'milestone' as an excuse...

least

Get thru the cravings any way you can. Eat. Walk. call a friend.

I would also suggest you start practicing gratitude every day, if you don't already do that. It will strengthen your recovery and gratitude also can make you happier.

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/22/o...pier.html?_r=0