What are cravings, exactly?
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What are cravings, exactly?
Hello all and happy Friday.
Cravings have still been unusually strong so I thought I'd make another post. This time, I wanted people's thoughts on what a craving is.
I read that just because you're having a craving doesn't mean you really want to drink. About 1/2 of me is inclined to agree with that and the other 1/2 not. I mean if a craving doesn't mean you want it, then what does it mean?
Let's hear it. I'm open to anything that helps me keep distracted and educated about this
Cravings have still been unusually strong so I thought I'd make another post. This time, I wanted people's thoughts on what a craving is.
I read that just because you're having a craving doesn't mean you really want to drink. About 1/2 of me is inclined to agree with that and the other 1/2 not. I mean if a craving doesn't mean you want it, then what does it mean?
Let's hear it. I'm open to anything that helps me keep distracted and educated about this
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
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I think of a craving as a 'desire' for something. In early recovery I had to use ways to get thru them without giving in and drinking. Now I rarely get them and on the rare times I do, the thought is easily dismissed. I used to substitute walking my dogs when I wanted to drink. By the time we came home, everyone was happy and the craving to drink was gone.
I used to substitute walking my dogs when I wanted to drink. By the time we came home, everyone was happy and the craving to drink was gone. Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
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I read that just because you're having a craving doesn't mean you really want to drink
I can have a physical craving - that gnawing emptiness in the stomach, the sweating, the jitters and shaking - and still, in my mind, not want to drink.
I know someone who gave up smoking - their physical cravings made them want to drink - that is their mind interpreted that physical craving as a desire to drink.
Other people can experience hunger the same way....hence the HALT acronym.
just my two cents.
D
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I don't think it's much to do with physical withdrawal, Dee. I'm pushing 6 months and I feel better than ever. No, it's just the simple "wouldn't it be nice to have one" craving that seems to be hovering over me for the past week or so.
I don't know where I read that, either. I think it was medical literature- or at least sober literature
I don't know where I read that, either. I think it was medical literature- or at least sober literature
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Hi WO, glad you are hanging in there and posting! Cravings are part of addiction, recovery and relapse. But they don’t have to lead to relapse. I believe they are based in neuroscience and memories. Obviously, it’s an I tense desire for something. The desire comes from the positive memory associated with the drug, alcohol or behavior. The brain is selective this way in only recalling the positive aspects of the drug. It all has to do with how drugs, alcohol and addiction affects brain chemicals. Cravings occur when you are exposed to something, or an environment in which you previously used the drug. Ie, a cold beer in hot weather.
Just know this will pass. Alcoholics and addicts who give in to cravings rarely ever enjoy it. It just leads to more problems. When I had previous relapses, even when I drank very little, I hated myself for it. I really affected me spiritually. Remember that this craving will be short lived if you don’t give in. Cravings are just like passing storms and waves. Sometimes they last longer than other times, but they will pass. Stay strong!
Can you get away and distract yourself? Does it help that the weather is cooling down a little?
Just know this will pass. Alcoholics and addicts who give in to cravings rarely ever enjoy it. It just leads to more problems. When I had previous relapses, even when I drank very little, I hated myself for it. I really affected me spiritually. Remember that this craving will be short lived if you don’t give in. Cravings are just like passing storms and waves. Sometimes they last longer than other times, but they will pass. Stay strong!
Can you get away and distract yourself? Does it help that the weather is cooling down a little?
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Here's an ancient Christian description of 6 stages of temptation. For me it helps visualize the journey from, "I can't imagine putting a drink to my lips." to "How the hell did I end up drunk again???" Feel free to substitute drink/drug/whatever for "sin." I don't mean to push a particular religious viewpoint here, but this jives so well with so much else I've read on this forum, from all viewpoints, that I felt moved to share. First time I saw this I was floored they'd figured this out 1,500+ years ago:
Provocation occurs when one receives the initial suggestion to sin. This is the first stage of temptation. This suggestion to sin may come from people or from demons.
The next stage of temptation is momentary disturbance of the intellect. At this stage, one has a thought to sin. The concept of sin is in one's mind. If one continues to dwell on this idea of committing sin, then one advances to the next stage of temptation, coupling. If one replaces the thought of sin with holy thoughts, then one avoids advancing to the next stage of temptation.
Prayer, fasting, and other ascetical labors are necessary to combat temptations when they have advanced beyond the first stage.
Coupling is the third stage of temptation. When one reaches this stage of temptation, one has already committed sin in one's heart. Coupling involves playing with the idea of committing sin, thinking about doing it and even thinking about how one will do it and possibly even avoid being caught doing it.
The fourth stage of temptation is assent. At this stage, one makes a mental decision to commit a sin.
The fifth stage is prepossession. One arrives at this stage when one has repeatedly committed a particular sin over and over again in the past. The sin becomes a habit.
One must exercise much effort to resist such sins when one has reached the fifth stage of temptation. Fasting, prayer, reading the Bible and other holy books, practicing the remembrance of death, and other ascetical practices are necessary to defeat a prepossession.
If one does not fight vigorously against a prepossession, then one will advance to the sixth stage of temptation, passion. At this stage, a particular sin dominates one's life to such an extent that one not only commits a sin by habit, but is overly preoccupied with the practice of that sin.
It is very difficult to defeat a passion. One must fast, pray, and try to continually weaken the tendency to commit such sins that have become passions. It takes a lot of help from God and a lot of asceticism in order to gain the victory in such cases.
The next stage of temptation is momentary disturbance of the intellect. At this stage, one has a thought to sin. The concept of sin is in one's mind. If one continues to dwell on this idea of committing sin, then one advances to the next stage of temptation, coupling. If one replaces the thought of sin with holy thoughts, then one avoids advancing to the next stage of temptation.
Prayer, fasting, and other ascetical labors are necessary to combat temptations when they have advanced beyond the first stage.
Coupling is the third stage of temptation. When one reaches this stage of temptation, one has already committed sin in one's heart. Coupling involves playing with the idea of committing sin, thinking about doing it and even thinking about how one will do it and possibly even avoid being caught doing it.
The fourth stage of temptation is assent. At this stage, one makes a mental decision to commit a sin.
The fifth stage is prepossession. One arrives at this stage when one has repeatedly committed a particular sin over and over again in the past. The sin becomes a habit.
One must exercise much effort to resist such sins when one has reached the fifth stage of temptation. Fasting, prayer, reading the Bible and other holy books, practicing the remembrance of death, and other ascetical practices are necessary to defeat a prepossession.
If one does not fight vigorously against a prepossession, then one will advance to the sixth stage of temptation, passion. At this stage, a particular sin dominates one's life to such an extent that one not only commits a sin by habit, but is overly preoccupied with the practice of that sin.
It is very difficult to defeat a passion. One must fast, pray, and try to continually weaken the tendency to commit such sins that have become passions. It takes a lot of help from God and a lot of asceticism in order to gain the victory in such cases.
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Originally Posted by WaterOx 
I don't think it's much to do with physical withdrawal, Dee. I'm pushing 6 months and I feel better than ever. No, it's just the simple "wouldn't it be nice to have one" craving that seems to be hovering over me for the past week or so.
I don't know where I read that, either. I think it was medical literature- or at least sober literature
I don't know where I read that, either. I think it was medical literature- or at least sober literature
Sorry I was just addressing your question on wanting people's thoughts on what a craving is, and the idea you can crave and still not really want to drink.
I forgot to add a second part to my answer
I agree that physical cravings tend to give way to the mental variety after the first month or so.
As to why you're craving so strongly now - who knows. For me It was usually a sign I was under stress (or duress) in some way - some part of me wanted to escape.
Urge Surfing helped me a lot
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-surfing.html
D
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 33
Possibility
Hi WaterOx, I'm new here so obviously I can't give you any advice from direct experience with sobriety, however I did quit smoking after decades of a pack+ per day habit.
I rarely get cravings any more, but occasionally one will hit me out of nowhere and I have to really dig deep to find it but there is almost always something - perhaps the time of year or certain events approaching, or maybe music you have been listening to...it is surprising how strongly our minds associate addictions with things that we didn't even take any notice of at the time.
I'd be willing to bet that there's something going on in your life or around you recently that is somehow associated with your past drinking habits.
D.
I rarely get cravings any more, but occasionally one will hit me out of nowhere and I have to really dig deep to find it but there is almost always something - perhaps the time of year or certain events approaching, or maybe music you have been listening to...it is surprising how strongly our minds associate addictions with things that we didn't even take any notice of at the time.
I'd be willing to bet that there's something going on in your life or around you recently that is somehow associated with your past drinking habits.
D.
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Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Posts: 348
WaterOx.
I speak only for myself. For me, "The Doctor's Opinion" in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous defined "the phenomenon of craving" perfectly so that I could understand my obsession and compulsion to drink. The way I understand my disease is I have a mental obsession and a physical allergy to alcohol. The cravings start only if I pick up the first drink.
I speak only for myself. For me, "The Doctor's Opinion" in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous defined "the phenomenon of craving" perfectly so that I could understand my obsession and compulsion to drink. The way I understand my disease is I have a mental obsession and a physical allergy to alcohol. The cravings start only if I pick up the first drink.
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Put simply, cravings suck. They are just part of the disease. They make no sense and have caused so many people a lot of grief. I caved and relapsed so many times even though I despised the taste of alcohol and I hated what followed after the first drink.
I am now over a year sober and I am so grateful not to have to argue with myself over whether to have "just one". What a joke that was.
I am now over a year sober and I am so grateful not to have to argue with myself over whether to have "just one". What a joke that was.
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For myself it's not so much that I get physical or mental cravings per se but rather false romantic notions of how my drinking used to be.
I'll give you an example: recently I was driving one evening and I was stopped at a red light close to an upscale bar and restaurant. The windows of the bar were overlooking the street, there was mood lighting and people were dressed for the evening enjoying cocktails.
Physically this didn't trigger me. Mentally I wasn't in danger of relapsing. It's just the damn AV starts playing pretend in my brain. By default I think to myself if I was still drinking I would be in there sipping my cognac like some James Bond wannabe while making all the ladies swoon.
It's BS. I know it's BS. Ask anybody who knew me from my drinking days and they would all say there was nothing charming, classy, nor debonair about any of it. I wasn't some esteemed gentleman enjoying a fine libation rather a loud, obnoxious, boorish drunk.
If I know it's BS so why do I have these thoughts if I'm happy in sobriety? The only answer I have is that I can silence that pesky voice to the best of my ability but it never goes away completely.
I'll give you an example: recently I was driving one evening and I was stopped at a red light close to an upscale bar and restaurant. The windows of the bar were overlooking the street, there was mood lighting and people were dressed for the evening enjoying cocktails.
Physically this didn't trigger me. Mentally I wasn't in danger of relapsing. It's just the damn AV starts playing pretend in my brain. By default I think to myself if I was still drinking I would be in there sipping my cognac like some James Bond wannabe while making all the ladies swoon.
It's BS. I know it's BS. Ask anybody who knew me from my drinking days and they would all say there was nothing charming, classy, nor debonair about any of it. I wasn't some esteemed gentleman enjoying a fine libation rather a loud, obnoxious, boorish drunk.
If I know it's BS so why do I have these thoughts if I'm happy in sobriety? The only answer I have is that I can silence that pesky voice to the best of my ability but it never goes away completely.
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I think a craving is a desire. It often comes in the form of an obsession that can be satisfied by giving in. In that case, I suppose a case can be made that you don't necessarily want the object of your craving, but you just want to get rid of the obsession.
I think the obsession is tied to an actual need at some level, however. But that's a dicey assumption too, because there seems to be no limit to the way our minds fool us. For all our evolved cognitive superiority, that big brain of ours comes with a lot of tendencies to make wild assumptions about things or behave in harmful ways. We are highly intelligent apes, but we are still apes.
I think the obsession is tied to an actual need at some level, however. But that's a dicey assumption too, because there seems to be no limit to the way our minds fool us. For all our evolved cognitive superiority, that big brain of ours comes with a lot of tendencies to make wild assumptions about things or behave in harmful ways. We are highly intelligent apes, but we are still apes.
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Originally Posted by WeThinkNot
For myself it's not so much that I get physical or mental cravings per se but rather false romantic notions of how my drinking used to be.
-bora
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For me I craved a drink when I was even mildly stressed. I don't just mean emotional stress; it could have been hunger, thirst, tiredness, and it didn't have to be severe. I worked it out after a while because eating and drinking water relieved it, as did deep breathing.
My body was used to resorting to alcohol to relieve stress so it would signal in the form of a craving. After a year of sobriety my body had got used to other forms of stress relief and I no longer experienced cravings, except in strongly evocative situations. I would still enjoy a drink I'm sure, but that's different from craving one.
My body was used to resorting to alcohol to relieve stress so it would signal in the form of a craving. After a year of sobriety my body had got used to other forms of stress relief and I no longer experienced cravings, except in strongly evocative situations. I would still enjoy a drink I'm sure, but that's different from craving one.
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For me a craving is an all consuming, overwhelming need to not feel what it is I am feeling.
Alcohol became my comforter, friend (albeit a bad one) and security blanket. Take that all away leaves you raw and vulnerable and wanting to return to the perceived solution.
I see it a little like grief, at first you think you will never cope when you lose someone you love but slowly slowly it lessens although never leaves completely, it is manageable.
Keep going WaterOx
Alcohol became my comforter, friend (albeit a bad one) and security blanket. Take that all away leaves you raw and vulnerable and wanting to return to the perceived solution.
I see it a little like grief, at first you think you will never cope when you lose someone you love but slowly slowly it lessens although never leaves completely, it is manageable.
Keep going WaterOx
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