cravings

[spuddleduck]

day 14AF and feeling really good about it. this may not make sense but i feel im getting a grip on the cravings of wanting to drink dont actually want to drink as it will put me back to sauare one. im keeping very busy and enjoying it but i just cant chill out (as for sleep, well thats not happening well yet) thinking about AL a lot, but in a good way as in i dont want it in my life. taking herbal stuff with valerian and hops and L GLUT but it doesnt seem to be helping. think my body is wanting the opportunity to relax and AL is the thing that has done it for years. think im answering my own thought here as i probably am still craving AL. hmmm this may sound like gobblydigook (it does to me). im off out now for a long walk with my dogs and when i come back i will want to sit down and chill but a glass of wine is not an option (o dear maybe i am still craving AL) anyway i just wondered if anyone can throw any light on this crazy double think that is going on in my head. as always big love and hugs and thanks to everyone here :l :thanks:

[JackieClaire]

cravings

Spuddle,
On the way to the shops late last night I was peering in the pub windows and thinking how nice it would be to stop and have a glass of wine. Ha ha moi with one glass of wine. It would really have been 6 glasses of wine, quick trip into the shop for more supplies and a take out.
I'm 8 months AF tomorrow. What the hell was I thinking?

Get out with them doggies, ride this feeling through. Is it really worth that drink to know you are going to feel absolutely crap later.

Good for you for talking this out.

J x

:l

[OverIt2007]

cravings

Spud,

I am oh so familiar with those damn awful cravings. I KNOW how hard they are to overcome.

Oh damn. I hate those cravings. They sabatage all your hard work you have done. What has worked for me in the past is putting a bunch of food in my mouth! Ice cream, fast food, whatever! Food is better than drink!

I've always found it really hard to drink on a full belly. Even force yourself if you have to. That alcohol craving just might be a food craving or a sugar craving in diguise.

Trying to help my friend. You have done so good, please double think before letting the craving overtake you.

:l

[sisley]

cravings

Hey there Spuddle..Im starting day 18 and my cravings are getting worse than ever..feel like Im going backwards here. Got the L Glutamine yesterday, started it, todays gonna be day two on that..Im taking 4 1500mg. pills thru out the day...the bottle says up to 4 is okay...so Im spacing them out..hope it will help me, U said its not helpin U, right..how much are you taking?? While trying to work thru the AL craving, Ive been eating chocolate candy...this has got to stop...I feel like Im in a vicious cycle. REally wanna loose weight, Ive been eating healthy, exercising but still dont feel right...one step forward, two steps back. that's how it feels lately. bummer (: my alcoholic reasoning brain says...well have the chocolate, if it helps, at least your not drinking, but Im replacing one habit w/another..

[Anotherday]

cravings

spuddleduck;817201 wrote: day 14AF and feeling really good about it. this may not make sense but i feel im getting a grip on the cravings of wanting to drink dont actually want to drink as it will put me back to sauare one. im keeping very busy and enjoying it but i just cant chill out (as for sleep, well thats not happening well yet) thinking about AL a lot, but in a good way as in i dont want it in my life. taking herbal stuff with valerian and hops and L GLUT but it doesnt seem to be helping. think my body is wanting the opportunity to relax and AL is the thing that has done it for years. think im answering my own thought here as i probably am still craving AL. hmmm this may sound like gobblydigook (it does to me). im off out now for a long walk with my dogs and when i come back i will want to sit down and chill but a glass of wine is not an option (o dear maybe i am still craving AL) anyway i just wondered if anyone can throw any light on this crazy double think that is going on in my head. as always big love and hugs and thanks to everyone here :l :thanks:

Yes, I can sure relate. The whole idea of cravings confuses me thoroughly. I don't know whether they are psychological or physical but they are there. Good for you on that walk with your dogs! I should do the same, but I can't walk both at once as they don't know how to walk and just tangle me up in their leashes. And I sure can relate to the concept of a glass of wine afterwards, but as you said, you've done so well now and it WILL put you back to square one, so hang in there! :l

[Doggygirl]

cravings

Hi all. I think it's important that we think realistically about the challenges ahead. If urges and cravings disappeared after a couple weeks AF, there would be a lot less active alcoholics running around drunk in this world. If this were easy, we wouldn't need MWO, AA, SmartRecovery, Rational Recovery, Rehab centers, Interventions, etc.

The good news is that the urges always pass. ALWAYS. Initially they can be really intense and seem impossible, but they are NOT impossible and over time (a LOT more than a couple weeks) they WILL decrease in their intensity. But like Jackie Claire mentioned, be prepared for those random nutty thoughts of "just one" and other lies to come to mind even far far down the road. Those types of thoughts are not really intense for me beyond a mere moment, but it's important I recognize the Big Fat Lie that "just one" is for me. There never was and never will be a "just one" as proven through real life experience hundreds of thousands of times.

The supplements and hypnosis CD's and other tools really help. But there is nothing I know of that will completely make the early days of sobriety easy and craving free. Aside from using the MWO program, I found the best thing was to have a list of stuff to do and stay busy.

The nice thing about sticking with it and not caving here in the early days is that you will never have to go through it again if you don't relapse. It DOES get easier. (just not in 2 weeks usually)

DG

[spuddleduck]

cravings

thanks all for your ideas and input. im diabetic so i cant really get stuck into the lovely chocolate too much.... but i can certainly eat other nice goodies...healthy or unhealthy.. but unhealthy seems more of a naughty treat.
anotherday... i have 2 labradors, a bugger to walk together. ive just bought a double leash thing which ties them together and you have one lead in the middle. just tried it today, seems to work as they pull against each other instead of me.
oh and did i have that chill out glass of wine. SOOOOOO NOT. stupid voice went away.... for now at least :l

[the bellinator]

cravings

You folks have made it a long way.........go for one month! The cravings will pass if you ride them out.

I'm so proud of you because I've never made it as far as you have.

Sending you love and strength,
the bellinator

[Lavande]

cravings

Spud,

Hang in there, you are doing great
The early cravings turn into urges and the urges eventually turn into just thoughts! At that point it's easier to think 'what the hell' I don't drink anymore & the thought is gone.

Keep up the good work, you won't be sorry!

Lav

[mama bear]

cravings

I don'tknow if I have cravings or if it's just habit?????

[OverIt2007]

cravings

Mama Bear,

When people on here would talk about "cravings" I was like, what the heck are they talking about???? I never ever thought my drinking starting with a craving before. I even wondered what exactly is a craving???

Then it kinda dawned on me that a craving is basically the same thing as habit. Your brain tells you to do something, go get a bottle of wine, and you do it.


I believe craving and habit are same thing now.

[Funny Girl]

cravings

I agree OverIt - to me craving = trigger - things make me want to drink & are habitual. That's the way it was with smoking too.

[Hippy Chick]

cravings

Hey Spuddle.

I got Calms Forte with the starter pack and they help me sleep a good 8 or 9 hours a night. I know it is them because if I dont take them I toss and turn all night. I dont think you can buy them separately off this site. But if you google Hylands Calms Forte you should be able to get a distributor closer to you.
They are brilliant and I have just ordered another three bottles of them (100 per bottle). You can take them during the day for anxiety also.

Good luck.
Hippy