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    Tool box

    There are six recognised methods for dealing with cravings when they occur:


    ? distraction
    ? imagery
    ? rational responses to automatic thoughts
    ? activity
    ? relaxation
    ? coping flashcards

    Distraction ? the goal of these methods is to move a person?s attention away from negative internal thoughts or uncomfortable feelings, towards a more neutral external focus. They seem simple, but can all be effective -
    ? concentrate on your surroundings and describe them to yourself in detail, this can be quite ?grounding? when you feel like you?re losing it.
    ? talk to someone, anyone. A trusted friend, relative, your counsellor or even a total stranger if need be. It can help you get away from that loop running in your head.
    ? change the scenery ? go for a walk, a drive, a bike ride, just get away from wherever you are right now.
    ? oddly enough, cleaning or other household chores can be perfectly distracting if you?re craving, and you might feel some sense of achievement too.
    ? video games (or indeed the old fashioned kind) can require enough concentration and challenge to take your mind off it, and of course, you can play them alone.
    ? I?m sure you can think of some other things to do which are distracting and enjoyable.

    Imagery ? there are a few different types of imagery which can work -
    ? command your craving to STOP (see a big stop sign), then refocus on a relaxing location of your choice ? a favourite peaceful spot.
    ? if you start remembering good times when you were drinking, then replace that image with the bad times, your lowest ebb when you felt ashamed and disgusted, do you want to end up back there?
    ? if it?s negative, depressing images that are giving you cravings, then imagine an optimistic view of your near future, with friends or family, having fun without a drink (or any other positive image).
    ? if you know you?ve got an event coming up which will give you cravings ? try rehearsing the image in your head of you dealing with it appropriately. Run through the feelings you?ll have so you are not caught off-guard by them.

    Rational Responses to Automatic Thoughts ? whenever you feel a craving, ask yourself ?what thoughts are going through my head right now?. Many of the thoughts you are having will themselves be responsible for your craving. It becomes a matter of responding to those thoughts in a more rational way.
    ? look for evidence to back up or contradict your thought and ask yourself:
    ? can I look at this situation differently?
    ? if what I?m thinking is true, what really are the consequences?
    ? what is likely to happen if I carry on thinking like this?
    ? what positive action can I take to solve this problem?

    Try not to make such catastrophic predictions about your cravings, like ?there?s no way I can stand this, so I might as well just drink and get it over with?, ?I keep having cravings, so I must be an alcoholic, I can?t beat this?? etc. Cravings usually subside fairly quickly anyway, so just ride it out if need be.

    Activity ? if you?ve had an addiction to drink for a long time, then you?ve probably not got many hobbies left. In fact quite often, drinking is the only activity you actually do for fun. So when you try and stop, boredom is the biggest hurdle. There?s no way around it ? you?re going to have to try some new activities.

    When you?ve found a few that you like, make sure you schedule them in every week:

    ?On Tuesday I?m going swimming, on Thursday I?m going to the cinema with Sally, on Saturday I?m getting out to the countryside for a walk with my partner.?

    It will feel weird to some to plan your week this way, but in the early stages of recovery from addiction, it?s essential.
    r />Relaxation ? Anxiety, Anger, Frustration and Stress are amongst the biggest triggers for cravings. So learning some relaxation techniques can be a life-saver. If you?re not so tense, you?re less likely to act impulsively. And if you?ve been using alcohol to relax for years, then you are going to have to learn some other methods. Try these:

    Simple Relaxation
    More Relaxation Techniques
    BBC ? Relaxation

    It will take a while to learn these new techniques, as with any new skill, but keep at it and you?ll be floating around on a cloud of calm like the best Buddhist masters ? well, hopefully?

    Coping Flashcards ? when you?re in the grip of a strong craving, it?s hard to think rationally and remember all the things you?re supposed to. So writing yourself some instructions on a small index card can be useful. (This helps tremendously for people with anxiety too). The priority is to convince yourself that you can cope with this situation. Here?s a few examples of things you might write -
    ? things are going well with my partner right now, I don?t want to mess it up
    ? this craving will pass if I just give it time
    ? I?m not helpless here, what action can I take?
    ? what are the pros and cons right now?

    Remember ? It?s just a craving, it won?t kill you. But drinking might?

    __________________


    :congratulatory: Clean & Sober since 13/01/2009 :congratulatory:

    Until one is committed there is always hesitant thoughts.
    I know enough to know that I don't know enough.

    This signature has been typed in front of a live studio audience.

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      Tool box

      Per Lavande's recommendation, adding this from my current post the 'Just Starting Out?' forum:

      ************************************************** *****************************

      My first go-through in rehab, we were taught something helpful. The HALT triggers for drinking. As in, take steps to make sure you don't get overly:

      Hungry
      Angry
      Lonely
      Tired.

      Hungry: When I drink, I tend to starve myself to a certain degree. I know if I eat, my cravings will diminish. I hate eating and drinking at the same time. I'd much rather just drink. So I'd rather eat nothing, preserve my alcohol-sensitive empty stomach, then allow my ever-stronger cravings to win out. It is so easy to short circuit this destructive mechanism. Eating regularly, even overeating, is an effective strategy to keep me sober. However, I manipulated this response for so long, I actively have to ask myself now: "Are you really craving a drink? Or are you just hungry?" Much more often the latter.

      Angry: This is much trickier. I am not at all a violent person. I have never been in a fight in my life 37 year life. But I can go from calm to livid in a matter of seconds, and in this tiny timespan my decision making process vis a vis drinking can go from sound to off-the-charts crazy. My addiction knows this. So if something happens that makes me really angry, it tries to feed that anger, to get me more and more riled up, until I storm off and buy a bottle. I need to make a conscious effort, when I do get angry, to take a step back and let the full-body heat subside. Take a walk, hit the heavy bag, curse out loud. Recognize it, let it wash over me, let it pass. In the past, I would grab onto it and very pointedly see how angry I could get, because my addiction was in control, and my addiction knew if it could get me angry enough, it could get me to drink.

      Lonely: This is one of the biggest reasons I'm here. I am not surrounded by people who understand alcoholism or who want to admit that I have a problem with it. It would be so much more convenient, so much easier, if I could just learn to drink moderately. This can be frustrating. Finding community here, a community full of people who know exactly how nonsensical, infuriating and difficult addiction can be, is important. I have good friends and I have a loving spouse, but sometimes I need people who can empathize with this specific part of my life.

      Tired: This is sneaky. When I'm tired, I tend to be moody, irascible and generally disagreeable. Much, much easier for me to get angry when I'm tired, and anger is the king of all triggers for me. It helps immensely when I end my evenings early, shortly after dinner. I go upstairs, brush my teeth, lie in bed, read a book. Watch TV, whatever. Doing this seems to send a clear message to my brain and to my addiction: the day is over. It's too late to start drinking. We've already gotten ready for bed. This helps make evenings, a notoriously difficult part of the day for alcoholics, the easiest part of my day.

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        Tool box

        Bump.

        Right. Go and take your life back.

        Your dignity, your health, your freedom. Oh yeah, and lot's more!

        Get yourself a plan and Do it. Can you do it? Yes you can friend. I have. Millions have and are, and so can you.

        'I am part of all that I have met, yet all experience is an arch wherethro', gleams that untravelled world whose margins fade, forever and forever when I move'

        Zen soul Warrior. Freedom today-

        Comment


          Tool box

          Bump.

          Right. Go and take your life back.

          Your dignity, your health, your freedom. Oh yeah, and lot's more!

          Get yourself a plan and Do it. Can you do it? Yes you can friend. I have. Millions have and are, and so can you. Once you decide, it's actually easier than you think.

          What have you got to lose? Depression? Anxiety? Self esteem? Confidence? Pride? Self respect? Wealth? Health? Yourself? Nope?

          Well get cracking.

          'I am part of all that I have met, yet all experience is an arch wherethro', gleams that untravelled world whose margins fade, forever and forever when I move'

          Zen soul Warrior. Freedom today-

          Comment


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            I'm sorry. I don't know what urge surfing is. Is it in the My Way Out book?

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              Thank you for sharing all that.

              That is all good but sometimes, right now all the time, I have no control over my appetite. It's dead and I am happy to not have to deal with it. I know that is bad for health and I try to eat anyway and take vitamins and such.

              Tired is even worse. My brain won't go down that easily. It will stay awake. It does not understand the day being over not even when I am asleep. That could be because of the meds that I am on. The med that I am on keeps me from drinking. If I have to choose one and I think that I do, I am going to choose not drinking for now. Maybe sleep will come later. If it gets bad enough that I can't do my job then I cannot do it anymore.

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                Tool box

                10 Commandments for Relapse Prevention

                I think this is a really good tool I found on a website called Innergold - they treat all types of addiction:

                Before acting on a trigger or temptation discipline yourself to review the 10
                Commandment Questions of Relapse Prevention. Commit them to memory and let
                them be a guiding force in your life.

                The Ten Commandment Questions of Relapse Prevention

                1) Will acting on this temptation bring me long-term satisfaction or instant gratification?
                2) What will be the end result if I act on this temptation?
                3) If I choose to act on this temptation will it make my life better or worse?
                4) Do I take 100% responsibility for my own actions or do I blame others and make excuses?
                5) Can the addicted part of my brain force me to act out against my will?
                6) Is there a part of me that wants to walk away from this?
                7) Can I choose to follow that part that wants to walk away?
                8) Is there a feeling of peace that will come to me if I walk away?
                9) Would I feel better about myself tomorrow if I didn?t act out today?
                10) Will I honor the rational part of my brain that is encouraging me to walk away from this
                temptation?

                One can positively direct ones mind by learning to ask the right questions.

                ?A sudden bold and unexpected question doth many times surprise man and lay him open.? Frances Bacon

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                  Thanks to everyone here

                  This is so very motivating for me. I have been here before but now have the mind and spirit for it..

                  Take Care
                  Patrice

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                    Love that I am going to pull out a pen and paper and make a plan.

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                      I love the procrastination quote. Finally, I can see a way of putting that quality to good use!
                      You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life? Rumi

                      :lilangel:

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                        Tool box

                        so fantastic thank u xxxx

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                          Tool box

                          Mario - I love your idea about the flash-cards.

                          Unwasted - I wrote out some of your commandments a few weeks ago and tweaked/added my own positivie self affirmations. They work really well but I have them in my journal and on the computer . SO NOW I am going to write them out on a flash-card for easy access. Pull out of my pocket at a moment's notice and review. It really helps to get my thinking straight and staying focussed.

                          Even when I'm in the kitchen I can pull them out as I have not gone upstairs to the computer room to review them. And it is SO important for me to be constantly reviewing them throughout the day and at the craving hour!

                          I am going to add to my sobriety arsenal the urge surfing (on first page of this thread). I didn't give it much of my effort in the past but it really makes so much more sense now.

                          Even though I still struggle with this addiction I am sooooo much more aware and have a greater knowledge base in fighting this then I did a year ago!

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                            Tool box

                            Here's another one...

                            When you don't drink alcohol, you can drink as much as you want without losing control, getting a hangover, getting addicted or making a fool of yourself. It won't make you vomit, make a fool of yourself, get violent, embarrass you. You won't do or say stupid things, look a mess or make threats. You will be able to drive your car when you want. You will be able to do so many more things and enjoy life to the full.

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                              Tool box

                              I like the urge surfing ideas W.I.P thanks!! Will use this for my comfort eating now too
                              I am the master of my fate . I am the captain of my soul.

                              Had 10 weeks AF from 9-11-11 to 11-24-11


                              AF since 2/20/12

                              Goal no.1 - 1 week DONE !

                              Goal no.2 - 2 weeks.

                              Goal no.3 - 30 days.

                              Gaol no.4 - 10 weeks .

                              Comment


                                Tool box

                                I read the great tips here (thanks everyone!), and decided to add a couple that I have been using myself.

                                -I keep a bottle in my kitchen that's been left over and un-opened from before. Every time I see it (every day), it reminds me that I need to actively make the decision to not drink every day. I look forward to when I've become so used to being alcohol free that I can throw it out. I don't know when that will be, but it doesn't matter.

                                -Look at the teeth of people who I know or meet who drink a lot, and then imagining how my life would be if my teeth looked like that.

                                -After a slip-up, dealing with it with a little dark-humor and then trying again, even if it's for the gazzilionth time. At least trying is better than nothing at all. And as for the dark humor...well, even the best of us do goofy things sometimes. : P

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