Dealing with cravings
 

Hello,

I am new here. I realized my drinking problem in January, went to AA, sober for 42 days, then started drinking again while on vacation. It was a little here and there and now it is every night again (not tonight though, day 1!).

I am okay tonight but the cravings are going to start again tomorrow. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do for cravings in the early days of sobriety? I feel cravings, anxiety, confusion, and hopelessness when I don't drink, it will start tomorrow, today I am euphoric about ending this nightmare.

Also, I craved alchohol for every one of those 42 days noted above. Is there a time that I won't crave anymore? I am used to my life revolving around alcohol and it was all I thought about even though I didn't drink! I can't wait to live normally. For those of you that have some time under their belts, will the craving and obsession go away eventually?

Thanks, I am really glad to be here.

BeachAngel

Hi BeachAngel,

Good for you!

For me, what I had to do was to change my routines and patterns. I used to drink at home, alone and so I had to make sure to change that. Try taking a different route home from work, shopping at different stoes, going for a long walk after supper, anything that changes the routine of having a drink. I think it really helps.

I think stopping the craving for alcohol emerges as you begin recovery. Remember that stopping drinking is only the first step and then the hard work of recovery begins. I had to begin to rebuild myself and to learn how to like myself.

Well, this doesnt work for everyone, and it is not a permanent cure, but I have found it is helpfull in the early days: wear a rubber band around your wrist and when you get a sudden craving, snap the band against the underside of your wrist. This transferes your attention away from the craving. Anyway, it has worked for me before, and it is not a permanent solution, but we have to use whatever we can, right?

What helped me was to really focus on my recovery. AA meetings, the Big Book, sponsor, 12 steps, SR, journaling, reading and just trying to keep busy (hobbies, sober friends/family members, etc.).

It was much like developing an implementing a strategy to give myself the best shot at sobriety. This is a major life change and a great one. As the days passed, I would think less & less about "feeling deprived" and my drinking past. I started to get more & more excited about a sober future, the possibilities.

Best wishes.

I timed my cravings in my early sobriety.

They were 5 to 7 minutes in duration
and the longer I stayed sober
they lessened in both time and intensity.

I took action when they hit.
A walk...A drink of cold water...Brushed teeth
Danced around the room...Kept hard candy handy.

By 2 months AA sober...they had vanished.

And Yes! I did change many many things
in order to protect my recovery.
:laughing:
I did do at least 1 AA meeting a day.
I did quit hanging out with drinkers
I took a less stressful job

the only way to beat cravings is to stay sober, then they will go away!!

take care and all the best,

I'm finding cravings very difficult. I've got extremely strong feelings for someone i live with in a recovery house and i know it's unhealthy but i can't stop these feelings. Sometimes i just want a drink to take away this pain. I know that i will just feel worse about myself if i have drink and my self esteem is very fragile! I feel so much better having survived an intense craving, washing my face and looking people in the eye with courage.

stay where your hands are

that helped me alot...cravings do come and go...if you're a woman, it's kinda like labor.

I was told every time i had a craving or thought about alchohol, fear, etc. to think about spirituality instead (if you don't like that....substitute philosophy or whatever takes you out of the thought).

I worked in a bar and everytime i thought about the alchohol i would read something out of one of the 12 daily reflection books i carried with me and think about it.

I read alot in the first 9 months :)