sweetmamaof3

Today around noon out of nowhere, I started to get really anxious. My heart was pounding horribly, I wanted a drink at noon, and I never drink in the afternoon. I am day 3, and I have had many day 3's...I went to a meeting and felt much better but reflecting on the day, that has scared me.

LadyinBC

Especially in the beginning I used HALT.

Am I hungry, angry, lonely or tired. It is a time to take stock and see if any of these sypmtoms are happening as they can be big triggers. I still use it to this day.

Sometimes I would just sit back close my eyes and breath deeply. There are many different things you can do. Most cravings only last 30-40 minutes.

And you made it thru it today so congrats and give yourself a big pat on the back!

Dee74

Cravings are pretty normal sweetmama - nearly everyone has them, and it's important to realise it's how we react to them that's the measure of our recovery...

here are a few craving tips that I hope will help

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html

D

MythOfSisyphus

To me the best technique is to accept the panic/cravings/stress/bad times for what they are- something passing. Bad times are real, no doubt, but I acknowledge that I feel a certain way but tell myself that the feeling doesn't have to dictate my actions. I'm a thinking being, not just a feeling one.

Nonsensical

WAY TO STAY STRONG!!!

Sounds like that alcoholic living in your head is afraid and pulling out the stops. Mine likes to do that when I stop feeding him, stop listening to him and start doing my own thinking for a change.

Just take a few deep breaths and consider "What is it that I fear?"

Drinking was hurting people I love. It was making me a public danger. It was killing me. A slow, painful, lonely death.

What can NOT drinking do that could be worse?

A bottle can't run across the room and pour itself into your mouth.

Don't fear the fear. You can do this!

Ruby2

I get these feelings of anxiety out of the blue as well. They are pretty normal. I also use HALT. Usually something sweet helps out. The feelings generally pass pretty quickly if I ride it out and busy myself with something mundane.

I don't know about you but I have found mine particularly bad if I have not been drinking enough water or if I have been drinking caffeinated coffee. Or anything in it with caffeine. I am sticking pretty close to decaf anything lately and that includes caffeine free diet coke. It helps.

Great that you didn't pick up. I have also found that day 3 is hump day in new sobriety. As long as you don't drink today it should get better, in small doses, each passing day. Yay on day 3!

anchorbird

Day 3 was by far the worst day for me, stick with it, you can do it!!!

zombiegirl

I'm having an awful craving at the moment so I've had a chocolate or 3 n made a cuppa.
Just ignoring the wanting of wine whispering in my head.
Gonna cracking out the ironing if it doesn't pass in a few mins

Nonsensical

I keep some bacon behind a glass door in case of emergencies.

PurpleKnight

Cravings can just come out of nowhere, but for me especially around late afternoon/evening when I'd previously be thinking what I'm drinking this evening, in the evenings I now drink a lot of green tea as a substitute, it also helped with sleeping and dehydration in the first few days!