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What are cravings exactly?

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    #1

    What are cravings exactly?

    This may seem like a dumb question, but I've never really gotten what cravings are. Sure, I have strong urges to drink, times where I think it would be nice to just get drunk but I wonder if it's not more out of habit than actual cravings. Like last night - was a Friday night so I thought, gee, I really feel like getting drunk but I associated it with Friday night. So what is a craving?

    I'm on Topamax and only at 50 mg. It's for cravings plus I want to lose weight. It would be nice to know if its working for cravings. Are cravings thoughts?

    When I start eating a certain kind of ice cream I can't stop. I crave more of it. But I don't crave it until I start eating it. Same with potato chips.

    So my cravings start once I start to eat the thing. And my cravings for AL start once I start to drink. So what are the cravings in advance?
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    #2
    What are cravings exactly?

    I don't think I actually have cravings myself. My demon has been the self-talk that goes on in my head and tries to convince me that it is okay to get massively drunk at home all by myself. My goal is to stop those thoughts before I have a chance to buy booze. It seems a little different than a craving, which I think of as being somewhat physical. It is more like a mental illness that I need to take control of.
    I never could relate to craving     as being part of my problem.
    :crazymonkey: RivEd

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      #3
      What are cravings exactly?

      rived;825287 wrote: I don't think I actually have cravings myself. My demon has been the self-talk that goes on in my head and tries to convince me that it is okay to get massively drunk at home all by myself. My goal is to stop those thoughts before I have a chance to buy booze. It seems a little different than a craving, which I think of as being somewhat physical. It is more like a mental illness that I need to take control of.
      I never could relate to craving       as being part of my problem.
      That is exactly it for me! A couple of us were talking about this last week......the little voice on our shoulder. Trying to grab it & lock it up. I think it was Spam that wrote about building a room that she could throw it into and lock the door.
      Anyway very interesting....because that is how it is with me too. It is the 'self-talk' demon.
      "Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.".....Carol Burnett
      ..........
      AF - 7-27-15

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        #4
        What are cravings exactly?

        Well, good to know I am not the only one who wonders. Granted, once I take that first drink I sure want MORE and that is a craving. But it's the same with Breyer's mint chip ice cream, which is why I don't buy ice cream. I can't handle it. Or potato chips. I think for me it's more the thoughts of getting sloshed that are so appealing. I find a certain romance in the concept of drinking red wine particularly. Now if I could only take this thinking and apply it to other things that are healthy for me. Now there is an idea. If I could learn to like the idea of being brainy then I might be able to sit down and get myself to do math. If I could only learn to like the idea of being an athlete (haha) I might go for walks every day. Maybe I just need to retrain my thinking around healthy things to seem very cool (akin to my idea of romance around wine), so to speak.

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          #5
          What are cravings exactly?

          Historically, if the thought got planted in my head, there was absolutely no turning back and it resulted in a certain visit to the liquor store. My goal now is to prevent the thought from lodging in my brain. I need to change my thinking patterns and fill my brain with different ideas that will displace that evil thought. Wish me luck!

          Peace, RE
          :crazymonkey: RivEd

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            #6
            What are cravings exactly?

            With me it's what I call a "trigger" - certain things "trigger" my desire to do things. Sometimes it's even seeing a particular person - in the world of addiction, I've had relationships with people where our entire relationship was built around getting messed up - whether it was with alcohol, drugs, etc. That's all we did together. we had no other basis for a relationship. Typically if I was getting rid of a substance - those people had to go to - for me just seeing them made me want to drink, etc.

            As far as triggers like warm weather (typically a signal to drink beer to celebrate spring/summer), I just have to train myself to substitute a different way to celebrate. I had to do this when I quit smoking too. It just takes some practice, but you can establish new routines.

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              #7
              What are cravings exactly?

              True Sheri - I totally overlooked the physical cravings that some experience in a true state of physical withdrawal - probably because I've never experienced that level of physical dependence. My apologies. I have experienced blood sugar drops, but have usually been drawn to eating more sugar or sweets to replace the alcohol. My personal experience has always been more psychological so I related my experience with triggers that make me think about drinking.

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                #8
                What are cravings exactly?

                When I say 'true state of physical withdrawal' I mean serious withdrawal - DTs, etc. - not simple drops in sugar level, etc. Some people need to be medically supervised, so there are many levels of withdrawal to be dealt with and I don't want to minimize any of it - some is very serious.

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                  #9
                  What are cravings exactly?

                  Sheri and Funny Girl, you both are right. I forgot that in the early stages of withdrawal, the body most definitely craves alcohol, as it is precisely the substance that would put an end to the suffering! But once past the physical body's evident desire to get the poison back into it, we are then stuck with the mental game -- whichever version haunts you. When I am past physical withdrawal, I no longer have the cravings, just have to stay on top mentally.
                  :crazymonkey: RivEd

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                    #10
                    What are cravings exactly?

                    When I first read all the info I wondered if I needed to take L-Glut or any of that because I wasn't so sure my cravings were physical either. I think mine is mostly behavioural triggers too. However, I do have small withdrawl symptoms like you have when you stop drinking coffee, and what the L-Glut does for me is to actually make the thought of wine distasteful, which helps when combined with will power. You can push past this though, and when I drank a few days ago I looked at the bottle and thought. Why did I buy that? I don't even feel like it. Still drank it though, and as anyone who tries to save money by drinking cheap wine knows, after the first glass it doesn't matter much whether you feel like it or not.

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                      #11
                      What are cravings exactly?

                      maybe its just me but the mental is easier than the physical. I know I don't want too but my withdrawls have been chills shakes, sweats, and insomnia. and its only been 4 days. maybe its all mental and I'm blaming it on physical but last night I felt I had to drink to feel ok but just kept thinking "you don't need it" over and over. and rhe best part? I didn't drink
                      I wish I knew then what I had to learn now.

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