83mama0f2

Day one. Craving a night cap. I know from past experience it will pass but until then what do I do? When will the cravings end? I can't remember from last time

Mountainmanbob

From what I have seen everyone is different
and for me
sobering up each time has been different.
MB

Dee74

I craved for a while, but things got easier as I went on

Posting here helps.

These are some good ideas too:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html

the bottom line is - don't give in - a little discomfort, for a little while, is worth it later.

you'll get stronger and the cravings will grow weaker

Trees39

I do know for me that every time I gave in to a pinchy AV it came back like a vicious monster on my next day 1.

Drinking really seems to feed it and hurts me more, making me needy, searching and oh so desperate.

Stay away from that one drink.

SportsFan15

Remembering HALT acronym (Are you hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?) really helped me.

I started to notice that some of my cravings were simply for alcohol but sometimes I thought of alcohol when I actually needed to eat, feel my feelings, connect with others, or rest.

least

At around 3 or 4 months sober, I was still feeling dissatisfied and craving wine. I was advised by a member here to start practicing gratitude every day and it would help my recovery. They were right.

I had to force it at first, but it soon came easier to find things to be grateful for. Now it's a habit, and it makes me focus on the positive instead of the negative. And practicing gratitude every day made the cravings go away. I wasn't focused on what I was "missing" but rather on what I was "gaining".

We have a gratitude forum here. Post there to count your blessings, no matter how small. It works for me.

Delizadee

Cravings can definitely lessen with time... but they can also pop out of nowhere. Like MB said it's different for everyone. Be prepared and have a plan or alternatives in place. Fail to plan you plan to fail and all that

Reach out and throw anything and everything you can at that craving. Just don't take a drink. The other night I couldn't override my craving so I gave it a bait and switch. Poured myself a shot of water with juice just to go through the motions. Then followed it with much reading, writing and other good things as possible. And I felt much better having ridden through it without giving in.
Have you tried AA? I went to a meeting tonight with my sponsor- exactly what I needed this day.

83mama0f2

I failed.. I don't think I'm accepting this 100 percent.. That's why I keep failing. I quit for 10 months a few years ago and felt great.. I need to get back there. Had a coupe drinks tonight.. Didn't feel like I could just say no. That's a scary place :/

Dee74

Maybe you need a better plan mama?

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html

D

ItsJustMe89

Sorry you are struggling. Just wanted to let you know that I'm in the same place as you right now. I have been wanting to get sober again recently but have not made it past day 3. I have been trying to get to meetings when I can and sometimes I pick up a white chip and then drink the same night when I get home from the meeting. Tonight I went to a meeting and I didn't even pick up the damn white chip because didn't hear anything that inspired me and there was no one in the meeting that I felt like I could connect with as far as reaching out for support. So I came home and drank.

Its a frustrating place to be in. Knowing that you should get sober, attempting to quit, only to give in again. Last year I thought about getting sober and attempted to get sober for 5 months before I finally stayed sober for 87 days. Then I relapsed. So hopefully this time around I wont be stuck in this pattern for 5 months before I finally stop relapsing. But it takes what it takes. Just keep trying.

Steve3929

My thoughts are generally a bit different than most, but I have loved when the cravings were actually there. Whenever I have had to fight cravings is when my success is strong. Personally, I lose when I stop feeling the cravings. That is when I let the guard down or just decide I want a drink. The cravings tell me that I shouldn't drink. That drinking during those times isn't something healthy for me.

Again, that is just me. I hope you can get back to your 10 month run and continue on. Sounds like you had supplies for a nightcap, which may have been your downfall, but again, we are all different. Best of luck. You've done it before, which of course means you can do it again.

Dee74

I know this sounds like a cliche but if you want change you really have to make changes.

For me - at it's most basic - that meant not buying more booze.

if you need help with that get help.

If the help you have is not helping, either get more help -or think about whether you're using the help you have effectively or are you sabotaging your own efforts?

Maybe thats something you could address in a recovery plan too IJM?

D

ItsJustMe89

It's not a question of "if I need help with that"... I absolutely need help with that! I keep going to these meetings because I know I need to find a sober women to help me.

But tonight's meeting was a small group. I thought it was a speaker meeting which I really like because they are usually inspiring and there is no pressure to speak myself. On the AA intergroup website it said it was a speaker meeting. When I got there, it was a discussion meeting. There was only one other women there besides me. And I didn't feel that she would be the support that I am looking for.

I am actively searching for a sober women who could temporarily sponsor me. I say temporarily because the person might not be the one I will want to walk me through the steps but at least they could help me stay sober while I find someone that I want to work steps with.

Something I really hope to find are sober women who are available for late night phone calls. I get home from work at about 9pm and the night time is my danger zone because that is when I drink. I'd like to find people who would not mind if I called them between 9-12pm. That's when I need someone to talk to and its when I have to fight the urge to drink.