Ya, they go away. Also, we find other things to take up the time. So, exercise is something to look forward to daily. The happy feels, the good health of it all. We find juices, sparkling sodas, NA beer, NA wine to celebrate with instead of booze.
When sad, angry, frustrated, bitter, resentful, or upset in anyway, we then reach out to groups (AA, Refuge Recovery, Dharma Recovery, SMART, or any other program that exists). We share our feelings, we process them, we feel relief and move on. Doing this enough times build a pattern, and then we crave this healing and socialized comfort instead of booze to our problematic moments. Maybe we make a few sober friends that we can call instead of a group meeting. People we can trust with intimate details that we may not want to share with everyone. Or, we find a trusted therapist who can help us process in a similar capacity.
That helps for the good and the bad. We create new, healthy ways of dealing with life. Then our brain craves those new patterns instead of the booze.
Yes they do. It takes time. I haven’t had a craving for about 23 years and that was a one time deal on sept 11 when things were real crazy, before that it had probably been ten years or so.
Back when I had them I went to a lot of AA meetings to put myself in a safe space, and to learn tools. There are alternatives now try them too.
Yes, the cravings became minimal. That happened because I had a therapist who nudged me onto the road to recovery and AA meetings where I met people who understood what I was going through. Working the 12 steps relieved me of the obsession and compulsion to drink. I learned tools to build the sober, happy life I have today.
I hope you get the help you need and deserve.
Yeah they do.
Another thing that can help is exercise. I read a phrase here once "move a muscle, change a thought".
Doesn't have to be strenuous, but put that anxiety energy into something productive. I dove into my hobbies pretty hard for the first month and a bit.
I'm like always thirsty for a drink, and then I remember what I drank and remember how gross and not actually satisfying in anyway besides a buzz. Then I just think of actual good drinks, like a nice soda or some kind of juice mmm.
I play the tape forward. I ask myself, “what happens after that first drink?”.
I really break it down and visualize it. It’s pretty much always awful and ultimately I decide it’s not even worth it!
For me they did not go away or get easier even after a year, it only got worse. What worked for me was stepwork with a sponsor, within a few weeks the cravings were gone, I no longer have "triggers", and havent really wanted, craved or felt the need to drink for about 5 years now.
Someone on this sub shared this link that is excellent: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553654/
It’s not about cravings specifically but about relapses. It goes touch upon cravings though.
IWNDWYT
You have a lot of responses, and I agree with them. But sometimes, I do still mourn the fact that I can’t drink like a “regular person” when I’m doing something in a group. But it does subside fairly quickly. I like to use the tactic of thinking about something good that I can have instead. My favorite soda or snack.
2 years sober here. Ice cream and soda would usually rid the cravings for me. I also drank a LOT of N.A. beer early on - but this can be triggering for some.
But now, I don’t care for alcohol at all. I can go to a bar with a friend and drink 1 or 2 N.A. beers and have no urge.
So yes, it does get easier
Yep! I had my strongest on Day 8 and Day 12. I haven’t thought about alcohol for days at this point, much less missed it. I miss having relief but I’ve learned how poisonous it is so my mind just sees it as gasoline now.
I did also get busy. Strength training, therapy, work, chess.
I find an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure in this situation. If I wait until the cravings come, it's a miserable experience(even if I don't cave) but if I make sure the do the things I need to do to stay sober, everything is much easier.
What are those things? Well for me, it's going to AA meetings regularly, but I suggest you find what works for you and stick with it, even when you're feeling good and think you might not need it(remember, alcohol can be very cunning).
Substitutes are SUPER helpful for me. Went to a wedding a month ago that was very drinking oriented, had lots of drinking games and shit. I was miserable & all they had was soda for other options. A couple weeks ago I went to a concert and was feeling urges, so I got to the bar to get a Coke & they had Heineken Zero!! I felt saved. I'm on 6 months and have realized that my physical setting is the biggest cause of urges. Being around people who are drinking, seeing it and smelling it (who would've thought the smell would be such a huge part of the urges????) is an instant trigger that I avoid as hard as possible. They have gotten a bit better for me, but occasions like I described totally send me on the wrong path for that night, until I find a substitute that really feels satisfying.
Definitely!
Playing it out also helps a lot, it’s like
“If I give in to the craving, I KNOW where it leads. Endless drinks and a cascade of other issues that it brings”
Cravings pass in 5 minutes just keep distracting everytime they come up.
You can do it!
Ya, they go away. Also, we find other things to take up the time. So, exercise is something to look forward to daily. The happy feels, the good health of it all. We find juices, sparkling sodas, NA beer, NA wine to celebrate with instead of booze. When sad, angry, frustrated, bitter, resentful, or upset in anyway, we then reach out to groups (AA, Refuge Recovery, Dharma Recovery, SMART, or any other program that exists). We share our feelings, we process them, we feel relief and move on. Doing this enough times build a pattern, and then we crave this healing and socialized comfort instead of booze to our problematic moments. Maybe we make a few sober friends that we can call instead of a group meeting. People we can trust with intimate details that we may not want to share with everyone. Or, we find a trusted therapist who can help us process in a similar capacity. That helps for the good and the bad. We create new, healthy ways of dealing with life. Then our brain craves those new patterns instead of the booze.
Great comment, feel like there’s lots to look forward to
Yes they do. It takes time. I haven’t had a craving for about 23 years and that was a one time deal on sept 11 when things were real crazy, before that it had probably been ten years or so. Back when I had them I went to a lot of AA meetings to put myself in a safe space, and to learn tools. There are alternatives now try them too.
This guy hasn't had a craving since 9/11......take his advice 🙏🏻
Quit Lit (basically self help books) helps me. Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Drinking is good for busting that kind of thinking.
Yes. After about 6 months my cravings were gone. I don’t mean the desire to crack a cold one, but the real gnawing cravings have never come back.
Day 2 hundred and something .., I still want to drink. It’s fucking crazy. IWNDWYT
Yes, the cravings became minimal. That happened because I had a therapist who nudged me onto the road to recovery and AA meetings where I met people who understood what I was going through. Working the 12 steps relieved me of the obsession and compulsion to drink. I learned tools to build the sober, happy life I have today. I hope you get the help you need and deserve.
Yeah they do. Another thing that can help is exercise. I read a phrase here once "move a muscle, change a thought". Doesn't have to be strenuous, but put that anxiety energy into something productive. I dove into my hobbies pretty hard for the first month and a bit.
They've gotten less frequent and less intense for me. But they still pop up occasionally
I'm like always thirsty for a drink, and then I remember what I drank and remember how gross and not actually satisfying in anyway besides a buzz. Then I just think of actual good drinks, like a nice soda or some kind of juice mmm.
I play the tape forward. I ask myself, “what happens after that first drink?”. I really break it down and visualize it. It’s pretty much always awful and ultimately I decide it’s not even worth it!
For me they did not go away or get easier even after a year, it only got worse. What worked for me was stepwork with a sponsor, within a few weeks the cravings were gone, I no longer have "triggers", and havent really wanted, craved or felt the need to drink for about 5 years now.
Someone on this sub shared this link that is excellent: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4553654/ It’s not about cravings specifically but about relapses. It goes touch upon cravings though. IWNDWYT
You have a lot of responses, and I agree with them. But sometimes, I do still mourn the fact that I can’t drink like a “regular person” when I’m doing something in a group. But it does subside fairly quickly. I like to use the tactic of thinking about something good that I can have instead. My favorite soda or snack.
2 years sober here. Ice cream and soda would usually rid the cravings for me. I also drank a LOT of N.A. beer early on - but this can be triggering for some. But now, I don’t care for alcohol at all. I can go to a bar with a friend and drink 1 or 2 N.A. beers and have no urge. So yes, it does get easier
For me they do not. I have to wish them away, banish like demons out of my home. Until I do it, they dominate me
Yep! I had my strongest on Day 8 and Day 12. I haven’t thought about alcohol for days at this point, much less missed it. I miss having relief but I’ve learned how poisonous it is so my mind just sees it as gasoline now. I did also get busy. Strength training, therapy, work, chess.
I find an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure in this situation. If I wait until the cravings come, it's a miserable experience(even if I don't cave) but if I make sure the do the things I need to do to stay sober, everything is much easier. What are those things? Well for me, it's going to AA meetings regularly, but I suggest you find what works for you and stick with it, even when you're feeling good and think you might not need it(remember, alcohol can be very cunning).
Substitutes are SUPER helpful for me. Went to a wedding a month ago that was very drinking oriented, had lots of drinking games and shit. I was miserable & all they had was soda for other options. A couple weeks ago I went to a concert and was feeling urges, so I got to the bar to get a Coke & they had Heineken Zero!! I felt saved. I'm on 6 months and have realized that my physical setting is the biggest cause of urges. Being around people who are drinking, seeing it and smelling it (who would've thought the smell would be such a huge part of the urges????) is an instant trigger that I avoid as hard as possible. They have gotten a bit better for me, but occasions like I described totally send me on the wrong path for that night, until I find a substitute that really feels satisfying.
They really do. But you gotta stink with it. You've got this!
Yes, around 6 months
Definitely! Playing it out also helps a lot, it’s like “If I give in to the craving, I KNOW where it leads. Endless drinks and a cascade of other issues that it brings” Cravings pass in 5 minutes just keep distracting everytime they come up. You can do it!
I called other sober people when I felt like drinking and worked a program of recovery.