Big cravings and forgot how to deal with them
 

I am having big cravings for days and am really feeling lost.

I called my old sponsor (even though I am no longer in the program) and he obviously said he was powerless in this situation.

I am trying to distract myself, but the thoughts keep coming back.

I tried reading threads by people going through the same thing, but that made cravings more intense.

This is like dreamcrabs. If you think about them you give them power, but to not think is the hard thing.

Urge Surfing really worked for me...I really encourage you to practice the technique so it's there when you need to use it.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-surfing.html

Also remember the HALT thing - eaten anything recently, MF?

D

Hi Miami, I'm a sober alcoholic, so can't know exactly how you're feeling, but I did have cravings. I think learning how to handle them is a key to success. I'll give you a few thoughts and you can take or leave:

- Are they happening at a certain time of the day? For me it was straight after work so I walked a good part of the way home, listening to music. That was a great diversion and relaxing as well.
- Don't let yourself get too tired hungry or thirsty, and feel free to eat stuff you really like. I would have a fresh juice cocktail after work and it acted as a substitute.
- Learn to meditate, even for a short time. My method was to take 5 deep breaths, concentrating on my body. It was like magic for dismissing the cravings and I can't think of a time it didn't work. I think the cravings appeared when I was tense, and this relaxed me.

Hope some of these help a bit. Congratulations for resisting so far.

It has been coming for the last week. No real pattern.

When they are present I feel a slight nausea so I cannot eat.

I can try meditating, but i know that years ago when I quit it did not help. But I was also in 12-step recovery, so maybe it will be different now.

The two things that helped me the most were urge surfing and playing the tape. I still use them as needed.

Sorry you are craving lately, Miamifella. Hang in there :) Just remember that it's only a thought, and it will pass. And you DON'T want to go down that path again.

Urge surfing sounds a little like my Law and Order technique. I would just feel the urge and delay calling the dealer till the next showing of Law and Order on A&E. Back in the late 90s there were showings throughout the day and they became my time markers that would help me ride out the urge.

I always thought that deferring the urge like this was ultimately not a good thing. But maybe it is.

It isn't deferring the urge so much as it is being mindful throughout. It is like meditation, the basics of it.

It's about moving through the urge, like bodysurfing through a wave.
I learned to separate myself from the urge and observe it, like a third party might.

D

I am not sure that I understand how this is different than waiting for the urge to pass. You wait, you notice the effects until they go away. I think we all have done this.

It's not about teeth gritting and white knuckles at all, which is what waiting for the urge to pass was for me.

If you're interested, there's any number of links around that can explain it better than I can I'm sure...

If not, no worries - Just trying to help MF :)

D

I guess I don't associate this with teeth gritting. But the link just talked about waiting and observing which was something I thought every addict did at some point.

I think the term "urge surfing" implies a stressful, dangerous situation which is probably why I never investigated it. I don't like the idea of being a daredevil with addiction. But reading about it, it is a much more calm idea...more floating than surfing.

I wouldn't recommend anything risky..I'm not into Chuck Norris recovery ;)

D

Well try the 5 deep breaths technique and see if it has any effect, rather than full on meditating (unless you think that will help).
Do the cravings come and go, and can you see any pattern? It might not be a time thing; maybe it's to do with your emotional state.
Try eating something very digestible like ice-cream or whatever you like that you can get down, or even a sugary drink.
Everyone has their own methods, and a lot of it is trial and error until you find something that works for you. I guess my suggestion is to make it a priority. You might even consider seeing a doctor if there are medications that help.

The only pattern is that cravings come when I have time to "get away with it."

Years ago, I tried making sure I had appointments every day of the week, but going without ever having a day off also created problems.

This may be something I just have to live through and struggle with when necessary.

It would be easy to underestimate the Urge Surfing technique, but I found it to be effective and powerful. Anyway, hope you do give it a chance, Miamifella... it was in no way "dangerous" and instead was leveling and calming in my own experience of it.

there is power in making the commitment that I WILL NOT USE TODAY, NO MATTER WHAT. end of discussion, no debate. ain't gonna happen. PERIOD.