Day 26, cravings are hitting me now
 

Hi all. I'm still here. Yesterday cravings started hitting me. :gaah I think (don't laugh), it was the fact that the weather, which was bitter cold, is breaking, and we've had almost balmy temps here (I live in the South). So, that had me thinking of sitting with friends, outside, shooting the breeze and, of course, drinking.

I want to get my 4th weekend under my belt so badly. And I will. I won't drink. I just wanted to get my thoughts out. I'm also going to go back and read some of my first posts.

I don't want another hang over, or another panic attack after drinking. I don't.

Thanks for reading...

The spring thaw and the good weather do that to me too Humble.
Fortunately we have to wait until July for that in the frozen northland. :)
Hang in there and ride it out.
Try to remember all the bad drinking times instead of the good drinking times,
I know I have a lot of bad ones to remember and even more bad ones that I don't remember.
When I got the urge to drink this worked for me and now whenever I think of alcohol only the bad memories surface so a craving does not even have a chance to materialize.

Fubar said what I was going to say. Drinking had good times for me, but along time ago. Towards the end of my drinking career I couldn't remember 1 good time. My drinking had escalated into hangovers, blackouts, and a huge loss of self confidence. That is just a few of the bad things. Losing husband and son's respect was huge for me.

Life is so much better now. I would imagine it is for you. Cravings will come and go, but remain strong in your desire for a better you. Thanks for posting this and you CAN do this! :)

I don't think anyone here will laugh at what you post...most of us have or will undergo similar events. Congrats on your commitment.

I like what someone here once said: "I've never woken up wishing I had drank the night before." Hang on tight to your sobriety. It is so much worth the effort.:grouphug:

That's a great quote. So true! Thanks for sharing it.

Just get through it...somehow. As I recently learned, there is another way out of that little tunnel... a sober way. Things get easier that way too.

At 26 days I started doing that "won't drink today, I'll wait till tomorrow" thing... not recommending it in general, but if it works for a short period of time. I was convinced I wouldn't make it long--somehow I not only made it through about 3 days of that (with a redesigned bedroom and a clean fish tank), the craving-stress part actually went away.

And I love that "never regretted not having drank" theory. It's true. Even when I wake up still feeling like I want a drink, I'm not mad at myself for not having done it the night before.


Hold on tight for a day or two till this goes away.

Take care,
TB

Hang in there. You are doing great! We're both at the same spot, almost to a month! Which is amazing. You know you are on the right track. :) You can do it!

This is a wonderful thing to remember. Thank you everyone for your encouragement. I really, truly appreciate each of you.

Thank you...

CarolD always says a craving lasts on average 5-7 minutes (if I remember correctly).
I never timed mine, but they did pass.

Make sure you're not hungry - that one always got me.
Angry lonely and tired can send pretty good signals too.

Reach out here - keep busy - think about 'playing the tape through'...honestly think about where one drink would lead...sitting on the porch drinking might sound great, but that's not the reality is it?

Change your routine too - mix things up as much as you can.
And, if all else fails, sucking on a candy, or cleaning your teeth, does wonders.

D

I had a passing craving a few days back and reconized my personal trigger- agitation. Many of the sources of momentary stress that led to "single-serving therapy" are now quickly recognized by me as such- a screaming kid, a frustration at work- and I have learned to take my time-outs as needed.

A quiet alone moment in a dark room contemplating an event I'm looking forward to works wonders for me.

[QUOTE=...honestly think about where one drink would lead...sitting on the porch drinking might sound great, but that's not the reality is it? D[/QUOTE]


Love this. Thank you!!! I've actually said this to others, but I needed to be reminded in my muddled state! This is so true. Thinking that drink all the way through never would lead to a good place for me.

Once again, thank you for the perspective I so desperately need.

:tyou

humblestudent glad to hear you are still sober. Are you working a program of recovery? They make a huge difference for many, AA saved my life, I tried for many years to quit my way and alone, alcohol beat me, I sought out the help of others who knew how to stay sober, I found them in AA almost 3 1/2 years ago.

If you are not working a recovery program check some out, they do work for many people.