ghal

It's funny how a little change in the routine can trigger something like that. I work for a large Corporation and I am a mobile worker with a large campus only 25 miles away from my home office. I went out there for meetings today (first time since stopping) and in my car on the way back I badly was craving a drink (or wanting to go drink at 5pm). I am now back in my home office trying to figure out what triggered it. Nothing stressful, just 3 meetings that went well?? Funny thing is that I was told to stop drinking for a while due to abdominal issues and told if I start back it has to be very moderate like 2-3 drinks (beer or wine only) at a time maybe twice a week. The reason I am trying to quit is I don't think I can maintain that level. Anyway, I think I have licked the craving but that's the first real craving I have had since stopping two weeks ago. This really worries me for the future???? Any advice?

dancinggirl

Ride it out. I'm still getting it, too. Doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason to when it happens. But it DOES pass within time.

Astro

The mental obsession. I can be walking down the street, minding my own business, when suddenly my brain attacks me from out of the blue and tries to tell me how good a drink would feel.

Do I give in to the craving?

Nope. I can go to meetings, call a friend in recovery, pray and meditate, read a recovery book, have coffee with someone else in recovery, talk to my sponsor, etc. etc. Plenty of tools to use when those situations arise.

Drink time comes even after years of sobriety. It's good to have a plan of action at that time.

HeavyJ

Like dancinggirl says, ride it out. I had the same thing yesterday (See post about triggers). It comes and goes, and after 56 days, yesterday's urge was the worst yet....I just think to myself, never ever ever take that first one...

Heavy

four812

i get urges when I am feeling good
or bored
lonely
angry
because the sun is out
because it's raining
snowing

i guess when I breathe!

CarolD

In AA we watch out for HALT.
Every time I drank again at least 2 of these were present.

The longer I have stayed sober
my cravings decreased in duration and frequency.
They vanished around 3 months of AA recovery.

Good to know you resisted....

shorty28562

Just keep fighting it and they will become less frequent. When you do have them, just play the whole scenario through in you head and figure out if that is really what you want. Make a meeting, call a family member. Just stick it out

tommyk

The disease is cunning, crafty, and sly.

It will pounce on you at your weakest moment... and it seems to know exactly when those moments are.

Fill up your toolbox with sobriety tools and use them.

Keep coming back.

bostonluv

ghal - I'd love a drink tonight and am struggling also. This is my 17th day. I'd like to make it to 21 days. I keep setting little goals to get to. That way I can technically drink on the 22nd day, which is only 4 days away. Then I can set my goal at 30, etc. etc. Mind games are helping me right now...

ghal

I guess this will be like Cigs. I quit smoking in Jan 2004 and the longer I get from that date the less I want one. Actually, I hate the damn things now that I think about it. I wouldn't smoke a butt if my life depended on it. I m not sure Alcohol ever gets like that but that's my kind of personality. I am either 100% in or 100% out. I don't sit on the fence. Thanks everyone! I had popcorn instead of a drink My biggest test will come on August 21 when my DR tells me my AST blood levels are back to normal. I will need this board at that time for sure! I got a wake up call with my Liver. The GI said I am lucky it showed in the test because there is no damage. He said moderate drinking would be fine but doesn't think I can manage it so he wants me to quit forever. FTR, most people would probably classify me as a borderline alcoholic but I am not sure that's accurate. Todays craving was mental, not physical but I don't think that matters. A non-alcoholic probably wouldn't have today's problem, right?

mxchaos

I find that if I do something like rub icecubes on my neck or take a walk the cravings disappear much faster than if I just sat there letting the craving talk me into drinking.