A TOOL to fight my cravings!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 1,926
A TOOL to fight my cravings!
Just wanted to share....
I got a craving at my usually time yesterday....between 4:00-6:00 pm. I took my journal out and started writing. It was essentially "writing through the drink" instead of "thinking through the drink". (a.k.a. playing the drinking tape all the way through) When I am having a craving it's hard for me to think about anything BUT drinking so writing it out was so helpful!
It looked something like this:
1. Craving
2. Lie to family about where I am going so I can go out and drink
3. Buy beer & cigs
4. Chug beer in my car and worry someone will see me or even a cop
5. Go to bar
6. Sit alone like a loser
7. Drink X,Y, Z until I feel sick
8. Spend tons of money we don't have
9. Drive home drunk (ugh!) or spend a ton of $ on a cab
10. Vomit when get home
11. Spend the entire night tossing and turning and hating myself
12. Wake up stinking like alcohol and stale smoke
13. Feel so much shame, guilt, anxiety and depression in the morning
14. Head pounding
15. Soooo hungover
16. Wasted so much money
17.
You get the idea. Mine was ALOT more detailed and ended up having about 40 things on the list but it worked. By the time I got done there was no way in hell I wanted to drink!
I'm sure others have tried this tool, but if you haven't...it worked for me so maybe it will help you. :-)
I got a craving at my usually time yesterday....between 4:00-6:00 pm. I took my journal out and started writing. It was essentially "writing through the drink" instead of "thinking through the drink". (a.k.a. playing the drinking tape all the way through) When I am having a craving it's hard for me to think about anything BUT drinking so writing it out was so helpful!
It looked something like this:
1. Craving
2. Lie to family about where I am going so I can go out and drink
3. Buy beer & cigs
4. Chug beer in my car and worry someone will see me or even a cop
5. Go to bar
6. Sit alone like a loser
7. Drink X,Y, Z until I feel sick
8. Spend tons of money we don't have
9. Drive home drunk (ugh!) or spend a ton of $ on a cab
10. Vomit when get home
11. Spend the entire night tossing and turning and hating myself
12. Wake up stinking like alcohol and stale smoke
13. Feel so much shame, guilt, anxiety and depression in the morning
14. Head pounding
15. Soooo hungover
16. Wasted so much money
17.
You get the idea. Mine was ALOT more detailed and ended up having about 40 things on the list but it worked. By the time I got done there was no way in hell I wanted to drink!
I'm sure others have tried this tool, but if you haven't...it worked for me so maybe it will help you. :-)
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 1,926
It really DID work! I almost cringed at the thought of a drink by the time I was halfway through the drink! I hope it works for others! I'd love to hear if it does.
Thanks for encouragement everyone! :-)
Thanks for encouragement everyone! :-)
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 1,926
Haha I just re-read my post and I MEANT to say "I almost cringed at the thought of a drink by the time I was halfway thought the journal list"....not DRINK! Lol
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 1,926
That's a great idea! Just write your list very detailed and when you have a thought or craving force yourself to read the entire list slowly (even out loud?) and really think about it and visualize.
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