Newtosoberlivin

For me, it is Pepsi. I think it's the sugar content in the soda. I know it's horrible for my teeth, so I do plan to bring along a travel tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush wherever I go from now on, lol!!! I've thought of switching to diet Pepsi, although I so don't like the taste of diet soda in general.

Do any of you have anything that you regularly try to stave off cravings?? Candy? Soda? Tea or coffee?

Just curious and would love other ideas, as well. TIA!!!

shaun00

yes .........sweet fizzy drinks..helped alot in the very beginning.

hard sweets....etc.

ex D-Boy

for the first week or so when getting off dope I used to eat about a bag of jolly ranchers per day. I wasnt worried about the hygiene aspect of it. I was real dopesick and cranky so I just didn't care if my teeth got cavities lol.

After that initial week though things calmed down. Meetings and staying around healthy people control the obessesion these days for me.

congrats on getting clean man!

Eclipse

I have been drinking water with tons of lemon and lime. It really tastes good and apparently lemon is good for the liver! (It almost tastes like a corona with lime!) lol

Gypsy Feet

I don't think I technically have cravings any more, however

When I am feeling sad, I have to have ice cream.
When I am tired, I have to have ice cream
When I need a reward, you guessed it

So pretty much anything is an excuse to have a bowl, sound familiar?

123bubblegum123

when i first got clean i lived off sour gushers for a week. i think craving sweets has something to do with sweets increasing endorphins, which obviously gives you a happy feeling. i just remember being depleted of all endorphins and actually googling things that would give me more lol..apparently the best endorphin increasing things are: sweets (especially chocolate), sex & love, and exercise.

mikefreak

We are two peas in a pod, uglyeyes! Have to LAY OFF for a while- gained five pounds. I'm a coca-cola junkie too, so I've been drinking C.C. zero a lot-helps. Nothing like a ice-cold, juicy orange on a hot day, either!

Dime

Looks like the food solution has been covered pretty well already but just a thought here. Many will say simple sugars are not the best because of the roller coaster effect they have on blood sugar in the blood stream. That being said when I quit smoking sweets seemed to work very well but I avoided the low blood sugar rebound by not allowing myself to get too hungry.

But there are many other great things to do when a craving occurs. Being around the house with nothing to do is a high risk situation. So calling a sober friend, going out and meeting friends or keeping yourself busy can be a real help. Physical exercise is also a great helper. A walk, run or whatever form of activity can be very good to relieve stress and anxiety.

The good part is that cravings do pass and generally become less intense and frequent. For me they just never seem to occur but I have stayed very active in a program of recovery.

least

What helps my cravings go away is reminding myself of the outcome of drinking. I don't want to go back to that hell.

Toomutch

I drink lw sodium flavored club soda on ice with lime, Or sparkling lemonade.

Jade19

Right now, day 4, I am chewing double bubble gum like mad. It's very high sugar...and I am drinking tons of tea...decaf tho...my appetite is all over the place right now. I wake up at 5 in the morning craving guacamole and chips...weird I know.

tommyk

12 steps.

I 'crave' drugs & alcohol now like I used to 'crave' the playground as a kid.

Times change, I've changed, different era now.

hendershot

Food, empty calories and sweets especially, usually help calm things down. If you smoke or dip tobacco that helps too (but only if you only already do it--do not start). One thing I did very early in recovery was write about a one page "good-bye" letter to drugs and alcohol, talking about the good times and the bad. If I am feeling really squirly I usually call somebody but if I can't pick up the phone I read that letter and it really helps remind me, in my own words, why it would not be good to give in. Generally though, not in terms of dealing with a craving as it happens, but preventing the frequency and severity of cravings comes from working a good recovery program--meetings, 12 step, sponsor, fellowship, etc. Eating healthy and exercise are important too. (I know no "medical advice" but for a bad liver taking a Vitamin B complex once daily helps regenerate some of the damage and makes you feel well). Good Luck.

tyler

Sleep, when possible. I usually get my cravings at night, so if I can I'll just go to bed early. I find they are often the result of bordom, so if I keep busy and othewise occupy myself, that helps too.

9Iron

Gummy Bears
Skittles
Cheese Popcorn
Sex

Not necessarily in that order.

1_day@_a_time

Praying........

btw, many/most alcoholics & addicts are sugar addicts.

watch out carefully for food & sugar issues, arguably the most powerful of all addictions.

hendershot

Assuming that there is such a thing as food/sugar addiction (I really have no idea)--I don't think it is that big of deal. In terms of harm, gaining weight and certain health problems could be associated with that but nothing in the way of the extreme interpersonal and social problems that come from alcohol or drug dependence. Not to mention the short-term fatal consequences of alcohol and drugs. It is better to be addicted to sugar than drugs and if having a few too many sweets helps you deal with your cravings there is nothing wrong with that. It's ok to watch out for food issues but it is important to understand that the relative consequences compared to other addictions are minor and nothing to take too seriously. I know overeating is a serious thing and this just my opinion, but I think in terms of practical effects it is not anything to lose sleep over when dealing with much bigger problems.

ruletheworld

Like others have said, my cravings are the result of boredom. I now know the meaning of "Idle time is the Devil's playground." So I just have to do something to keep busy, or just go to sleep.

The cravings have gotten less and less after 6 months, but they do still arise from time to time.

martha27

One reason for me failing to stay sober in the past was trying to do too much, get sober, get healthy, watch my weight etc. This time I have made getting sober the most important thing in my life, and told myself I will worry about everything else once I have gotten to grips with sober life.

To deal with cravings in this first month I have eaten 2 jumbo jars of boiled lollies, chocolate, cakes, icecream etc and loads of fizzy drinks (no caffeine). But now a month later I have been eating lots of whole foods and vegies and I am starting to feel less like sweets. I used to excersise a lot to get rid of hangovers and punish myself, but since I got sober I have not excercised once I think I have just not felt up to it, but I am sure it would also help.

Anyway even with all of this, I have lost weight as I loose all the puffiness, fluid retention and additional calories of BOOZE.........My body is healing itself it is now wanting to get healthy and I am just enjoying it.

p.s. I also ate tons and tons of bubble gum this helped a lot, sometimes I would eat 2 packets on one sitting just to stop craving - gross

Newtosoberlivin

and the great suggestions!!! We went to a friend's little girl's bday party this afternoon. So dh packed up the cooler with spring water and Coca Cola Zero for me, and that's what I had, besides having a bunch of "eats", of which there were many! I noticed that I leaned toward the chips, both white corn/taco and basic potato chips, I couldn't eat enough of them! All of our friends that I confided in said the same exact thing. "Good for you, that's awesome!!!" or "Good work, that's great!" or something similar. I did attend an intensive 2 hour discussion/speaker's meeting first thing this morning and that helped prepare me also. I am still working on getting a sponsor however.

I do have a craving now that we're back home for cheese popcorn to go along with my Pepsi though! I have a brand new bag in the cupboard that I plan to munch while our kids our outside (before they chow it down on me! lol!).

Great suggestions everyone, thank you!!! And caffeine free fizzy drinks are also a great idea, along with sparkling lemon lime water! You guys rock!!! (Must go for now and read some more, after I find that cheese popcorn!!!1 Thanks 9Iron!!!!!!)