Something to Try When Cravings Hit

[Unwasted]

From Eckhert Tolle ? A New Earth/Awakening to Your Life?s Purpose
Addictions ? Page 246

A long-standing compulsive behavior pattern may be called an addiction, and an addiction lives inside you as a quasi-entity or sub personality, an energy field that periodically takes you over completely. It even takes over your mind, the voice in your head, which then becomes the voice of the addiction. It might be saying, ?You?ve had a rough day. You deserve a treat. Why deny yourself the only pleasure that is left in your life?? And so, if you are identified with the internal voice due to lack of awareness, you find yourself walking to the fridge and reaching for that rich chocolate cake. At other times, the addiction may bypass the thinking mind completely and you suddenly find yourself puffing a cigarette or holding a drink. ?How did that get into my hand?? Taking the cigarette out of the packet and lighting it, or pouring yourself a drink were actions performed in complete unconsciousness.

If you have a compulsive behavior pattern such as smoking, overeating, drinking, TV watching, Internet addiction, or whatever it may be, this is what you can do: When you notice the compulsive need arising in you, stop and take three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be aware of the compulsive urge itself as an energy field inside you. Consciously feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has disappeared ? for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you, and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. Don?t make it into a problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your mind. Ask yourself, Who is talking here? And you will realize the addiction is talking. As long as you know that, as long as you?re present as the observer of your mind, it is less likely to trick you into doing what it wants.

[Supercrew]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

Great information right there! Beating addiction isn't magic, it's about being aware of your subconscious thoughts and taking action to change those thoughts and not follow the ones that you know are detrimental.

[rubywillow]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

Very good info. So much we don't know about ourselves, and AL dulls what we don't want to know.

[Struggles 106]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

Excellent post!

Exactly right!That voice gets weaker as time goes on, it seems to me. I've adopted a strategy where I don't allow the subsequent thoughts to roll in,so to speak. I just say absolutely not at the beginning. But it's really not even that forceful.
If I'm driving by the pub where "everyone" is and think I could have one and leave, then i just think to myself-HAHAHA as if that is even possible and drive on by.
Mindfulness is a great thing.

[looking for peace]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

Unwasted, thanks for posting this. I will try to find my copy of the New Earth and reread it. That energy field he speaks of that is a voice that is not really you sounds like the AVRT voice in Rational Recovery. AVRT is addictive voice recognition technique. Basically it follows the same philosophy as Tolle's. Whenever you feel the urge come on or that little voice in your head saying that you need to drink, just stop and recognize it for what it is. It is a "beast" that is not really you trying to stay alive while the real you is trying to kill it. It will say anything to try to get you to drink. So by stoping and recognizing that it is this beast ( or this negative energy field) talking to you, chances are you can stop the urge. So instead of it being "I want a drink" it becomes "it wants a drink"

There was a recent revival of the subject of Rational Recovery on the board recently. There is a very good overview on the Rational Recovery method on their website. Just google Rational Recovery crash course and you can get it. It's certainly another way to change your mindset about alcohol and how to deal with cravings.

[Unwasted]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

LFP, I really like Tolle's works. He helps you separate your thoughts from "you." I had never really contemplated my inner "being" and with his teachings, Buddhist teachings, meditation, yoga, etc....all of it together is giving me tools with which to replace alcohol thoughts. So RR is another to add to the list. It all helps if you'll just practice it, right?! We're lucky to have access to such a variety of methods! Appreciate the suggestion.

Thanks for posting everyone .:l

[Anjicia]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

Thanks for posting we need all the help we can get specially this time of year.

[KTMrider]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

As many have said, thanks for posting this !! This philosophy is working for me and helping me separate "me" from what is trying to be my "friend". It helps me put things in perspective. Yeah so this sounds multiple personality, but until those who judge have walked with addiction, dont even give me any s--t.
Im glad I recently joined here.

[Nelz]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

Unwasted;1229238 wrote: From Eckhert Tolle ? A New Earth/Awakening to Your Life?s Purpose
Addictions ? Page 246

A long-standing compulsive behavior pattern may be called an addiction, and an addiction lives inside you as a quasi-entity or sub personality, an energy field that periodically takes you over completely. It even takes over your mind, the voice in your head, which then becomes the voice of the addiction. It might be saying, ?You?ve had a rough day. You deserve a treat. Why deny yourself the only pleasure that is left in your life?? And so, if you are identified with the internal voice due to lack of awareness, you find yourself walking to the fridge and reaching for that rich chocolate cake. At other times, the addiction may bypass the thinking mind completely and you suddenly find yourself puffing a cigarette or holding a drink. ?How did that get into my hand?? Taking the cigarette out of the packet and lighting it, or pouring yourself a drink were actions performed in complete unconsciousness.

If you have a compulsive behavior pattern such as smoking, overeating, drinking, TV watching, Internet addiction, or whatever it may be, this is what you can do: When you notice the compulsive need arising in you, stop and take three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be aware of the compulsive urge itself as an energy field inside you. Consciously feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has disappeared ? for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you, and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. Don?t make it into a problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your mind. Ask yourself, Who is talking here? And you will realize the addiction is talking. As long as you know that, as long as you?re present as the observer of your mind, it is less likely to trick you into doing what it wants.

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[looking for peace]

Something to Try When Cravings Hit

Rider, I actually like the idea of thinking of "it" like a split personality. The idea is to separate the real you from "it" as much as you can. Any thought pattern that leads you to drink is not you, it's "it" talking. Dont engage "it" in discussion just shut this primitive beast voice down immediately. It starts with just being aware that there actually is an "it" that is not you and that needs to be shut down.

If this concept is new to people, it's important to not be discouraged if "it" talks to you a lot at first. "it's" voice will diminish. I need to be aware of this myself since the voice was really talking up a storm yesterday. I like that you can also use this method of awareness for other things such as procrastination, food, etc.