sparklegirl

Did you find that your strongest cravings were in the beginning of your recovery or further down the line or are they all over the place?

I am finding them stronger tonight. Maybe because I no longer feel horribly nauseous. I'm still doing good. I am keeping myself busy, however I think it may be a put the kids to bed and then early to bed for me kind of night.

What was your experience ???

doggonecarl

Hang in there, sparkle. I always found the first days, say a week, of sobriety the easiest. The memory of the last binge or whatever misfortune that led to my decision to quit were fresh. Once the alcohol was all out of my system and I started feeling good, the cravings started. All I would think about would be that deep gulp of ice cold beer!

There is a lot on the internet about the brain disorder of addiction, explaining the cravings and how they can be viewed as the part of the brain that now seeks the alcohol or drug you've been abusing. Once I looked at the booze brain as not being the "real" me, it has been easier to ignore it. The cravings aren't me, it's alcohol demanding to be let back in.

Certain triggers also set off the cravings. Figure out what yours are and avoid them if you can. Or if you can't, strengthen yourself so you can be ready. Good luck.

SSIL75

In the past when I quit my cravings were really bad the first week. Then sort of kicked back in a while after that when I stopped working on recovery (stopped reading here, stopped eating well, exercising etc).

tservice

I am on day 3 and I crave a drink almost all day long. I just keep telling myself NO! I can never ever drink again.

stephnc

My experience has been similar to what others here have said...cravings went away initially during the first few days, only to come back after a week or so...but after the first couple of weeks, things got noticeably better. Now, 4 months in, I occasionally have ~thoughts~ about alcohol, but definitely not physical cravings. Hang in there...it's going to get better before you even realize it.

Stephanie

Jamison

From what I have read during the first 7 to 10 days, the cravings are from your body going through withdrawal. Your body being used to and needing the alcohol.

After that tiggers cause my cravings.

For me sometimes they are just thoughts of drinking and sometimes (and I hope to learn better methods) if I don't answer the thoughts the "right" way they turn into stonger cravings.

I am a really negative thinker (working on it) but I will get a thought like "just one more drunk and I can start over". I try to answer with "yeah but if I drink once more I have to go through withdrawal all over again or just one more time might lead to death".

Or another example my addiction will say "no one really cares so get drunk" and I have to battle back with "people do care about me or I care about myself".

Sometimes things like just talking to my brother or neighbor (who drinks) can trigger me.

In the past when I had long periods of sobriety I remember not really even thinking about drinking.

Hope this helps some and never give up!!

It is an awful disease but other's have overcome and so will we

Cottonwoodchris

The first 3 days of my detox were so bad, that I must have told myself that after I get thru this (finally needed meds day 3) I don't ever want to go thru it again. So, I have had zero cravings. I do have that random thought pop into my head, "sure would be nice to have a drink after work" but it only lasts a few seconds. I know that if I start again, it will be back right where I left off. And it will kill my kidneys and liver, and me. No way. I am enjoying my new sober life too much. Keep yourself busy, take walks, heck I'm at SR about 4 hours a day!

Vanilla28

my first 5 days sober was in a detox center and i found i didnt crave at all, most likely because i was in a structured environment with other people with the same problems, nicely secluded from the rest of the world...but the day i left after being dropped off at my truck...the whole drive home i was going out of my mind and the panic started and i ended up crying aaaall night because i didnt feel strong enough to make it.....
a week more of that and i started not not crave anymore.....now im on day 16, and lastnight was brutal! man i wanted it bad. but u just have to hang tough, even today im craving really bad....so im here on the website, and when i finally feel like getting out of bed, im going to beeline for my running shoes and walk and clear my head.

i guess basically what i am getting at is no matter where you are in your recoverly, you will have days that you dont even think about drinking, and days where its all you think about...the important thing though is what you do. dont cave in...and you will feel so proud you were strong. do cave in....the guilt you feel afterwards is almost always worse than the cravings you were originally having...
not everyone is the same i understand. im just speaking from my own personal experiance. lol

heartsupport

Mine were all over the place. They were really difficult at first and then they got better, and then, depending on my mental and emotional state, they would wax and wane. I found the most important thing for me was having accountability.
Best of luck!