If cravings have disappeared, has a higher power lifted them away?
 

How could my cravings just disappear? Is it more of "sick and tired of being sick and tired" or something greater? Probably the AA folks see something greater happening, but I don't know!

Maybe a combination of things? Idk. It's probably different for everybody. Pain is a great motivator.

I'm not sure.
I never had any blinding, white light experience in AA and it took almost a full year for my cravings to disappear...and they only did that after a lot of intensive stepwork. I am in AA but still do not really buy into the higher power concept.
The good thing is though, that they are gone! Hooray for you!! Keep up the great work!

Hi, Chiquen.

Cravings are very individual thing. Lots of different factors can contribute to their disappearing, re-appearing and their other behavior.

I seriously doubt about some higher power intervention though.

Whatever reason stands behind cravings's disappearance -stay vigilant! They tend to stab us in the back when we least expect them.

Keep posting.

Be grateful they disappeared but remain vigilant .. if / when they come back you have to be ready.

Who cares!! Just be glad they're gone!:scoregood

Yes, I was desperate and in pain. I couldn't live like that anymore.

9th step promises says that will happen, so good on ya for working the program!:You_Rock_

The big book says "The problem has been removed". We are put into a position of neutrality, safe and protected.

I didn't believe one word of that until I actually experienced it after I did my step work outta the big book. So yes, I do believe it's higher power inspired because that is exactly how I experienced it. And I poo-pooed everyone who said that for many years.

I still get a thought appear now and then, but I know that's just my mind trying to win me back and get me to hurt myself again like good ole' times. I am able to be around alcohol without white knuckling it. I am able to be around alcohol without craving or obsessing about it. It's pretty amazing.

My cravings disappeared after competing step 7 at 2 weeks of sobriety. Haven't had a craving since. I even tried willing my cravings back at 4 months of sobriety cause I was trying to be my own higher power; I gave up since I felt I'd actually will it back and I didn't want that!

What do you believe? Doesn't matter what anyone else believes. Maybe so, my friend, you have had a spiritual experience, that vital component of sobriety

a few things in life i know for sure ...

my name
that im a drunk and my life is unmanageable
that God got me sober
that God gave me my wife

everything else in life im a big knucklehead and dont know much

:tyou

My brutal opinion is this.
If a higher power made your cravings go away, that same higher power gave you the cravings in the first place, and at the very least failed to make them go away sooner than now, leading to consequences and despair. I would not want any such higher power in control of my life.

I am an agnostic. I mean no harm to those of faith, but to me it will always be an ugg moment. Religion is just as addictive as alcohol. Addictive personalities will move from one substance to another to get a fix. Surely, some are more harmful than others, but the cycle remains.

If you have no cravings, perhaps you have replaced your time allotted to drinking in favor of camaraderie and activities. That would make sense, and is what I've tried to convey in my own journey. You replace a hobby/activity with a healthier one, and before you know it, you've no time for the unhealthy one. Just my opinion.

Hi azwakeupcall :)

You'll find all kinds of folks here - some are agnostic, some are atheist, some are deeply religious, others profoundly spiritual.

Some do AA, some use other programmes.

We all get along reasonably well by respecting others beliefs and fostering a spirit of mutual respect.

I recommend you also visit the Secular Connections forum if you think you may benefit from a non 12 step, secular approach.

Dee
Moderator
SR

Who knows?

People have been asking those kinds of questions since we've been around and they've never been able to agree.

My opinion is, be thankful they're gone whatever the cause.

I think, people might disagree with me on this, if there is something greater then all he or she or it cares about is we try to do good in the world, and we're better at doing that sober. And if there turns out to be nothing, well, what's the harm in living that way? =)

Agreed,

As a dedicated AAer and someone who works on a relationship with my higher power (God, in the Christian sense) daily, I do believe my problem has been removed as the BB says it will.

As said above, it is different for everyone, but for me, I have had zero physical cravings since I quit and only one day (out of 535 or 17 + mo) where I even toyed with the idea of drinking. To me, that means my program and God are hard at work (me working the former and Him in charge of the whole).

I treasure the fact that I don't crave or want or think about alcohol in terms of using it. My focus is on emotional sobriety, and a lack of cravings is one reason I GET to focus on that.

Take care of yourself. Be grateful and keep going!

I did and still do the footwork and
my HP does the rest.

Hi Chiquen,

I love this thread you have started for 2 reasons...
1. You are not craving and that is so wonderful.
2. You have reminded me that, for me, my cravings disappeared from my first meeting and being reminded of that reminds me to be grateful.

I have often asked myself the same question and have decided regardless of whether this is the work of a HP or not, it IS a miracle and a gift.

Enjoy it with gratitude...one day at a time :)

or maybe it was a lower power that snuck in and put the cravings there.
its pretty sad to see people blame God for the work of satan.

great thing about opinions is they can be changed with knowledge

Or not. Some people believe in God and Satan, others don't. I think live and let live is the best approach. It's perfectly fine for you to believe in God and in Satan, but some of us do not. We are not "sad" or lacking knowledge as you just implied. "Never talk down to an alcoholic from any moral or spiritual hilltop..." BB, pg. 95.

I think that it can be your AV hiding and being sneaky.

Be vigilant and don't get complacent because it is waiting for you to let your guard down.

Good job! Keep it up!!!