Cravings at 43 days AF?

[woywoyboy]

Hi All, been a few days since I've checked in and hope all are OK.
Day 43 for me and being a Saturday I have had some really very strong urges and cravings. Even to the point where I had the car keys in my hand and was about to duck down to the bottlo. I must admit I've had a few urges over the past 2 weekends but nothing like today and I'm not sure why. I won the mind battle today (only just) as I knew I wasn't going to pickup a single bottle of wine but 2 or 3 and something else to go with it.
Is this normal to have these cravings after 6 weeks AF? I guess I just need to re-motivate.

[betty boop]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Hiya, yes perfectly normal, even later!!!

Try to keep your self occupied for a while, It always helps to "fast forward" to tomorrow morning and remind myself how bad you will feel tomorrow if you drink and how good you will feel if you dont!!!!

Be strong, read and post here for a while if it helps, just don't let the beast beat you!!!! :l:l

[mario]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

yes it is normal woywoyboy
When everything is going great and your feeling well the little devil in your head says go on you can have one, you deserve it,what harm will it do, you are in control.etc etc
These cravings will get more & more lesser as you continue on your sobriety journey, but we are all just one drink away from the beginning again, keep to your plan and read and share your thoughts here.

[Johnny]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Well done for checking in WWB. I'm sure it will pass and you will be stronger for the experience. Have a good day mate. Keep us posted buddy.

[hillsidetime]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Hey WWB, great job on not giving in to the craving. Yes, like said above, I think that it certainly is normal to get strong cravings in your second month - or any time for that matter. The number of social, auditory, media related, habitual, weather related etc etc cues, that help to create a craving are amazing. You did the right thing, ride the crave wave - it will pass. Sometimes the waves are bigger or last longer, but they pass. All the best,
Hill

[mollyka]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Great stuff on 6 weeks Wowo, yeah unfortunately it is normal I reckon. Actually I wonder are we more attentive to our sobriety in the first few weeks, it is all consuming because it is new and HUGE in our lives and then with a bit of time under our belts, maybe we just take our eye off the ball a bit - more comfortable in our sober skin - and then a craving can sort of hit out of left field? That's what I think happens to me anyway - well done on beating it - it'll make you stronger the next time
Molly

[rebirth]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Hi wwb. Hang in there. I am one day ahead of you and last weekend was a tough one for me. The craving was very strong and I was that close to giving in. I also get weaker at the weekends because my body clock says DRINK!!

I do the same method as Betty Boop..fast forward the clock. I know that if I cave in it's all over and I will be back to my alcoholic self, despising myself and my life again. It's not worth it wwb.
Reggie has mentioned some of the people on here who are living in sobriety. It's such an spiration for me as i now know it's achieveable.

This craving will go and you will feel stronger for it. Dont cave in wwb!!best of luck. x

[gyco]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

agin interestin thread,43 days is no different then 40 years my friend,to a person with an addiction,i have many friends that have had sobriety for years,tht was one of the reasons they kept goin to there program,like this place,it was there let loose,rather then drink,they find someone like them and talk it out,where theres a will theres a way,good for you for not picking the wrong choice gyco

[JackieClaire]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Wow,
Firstly congratulations on 43 days. The physical cravings will now be long past and now the mind games are starting.
I never went out to buy one bottle as I got as much as I could shove in my bags with some leftover to start the following day.
Believe me it does pass with each day AF. We begin to learn coping strategies. I read some where that some one gets ready for bed so they can't got to the shops in the jammies. Simple but a good one.
J x
:l

[Doggygirl]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

:goodjob: on 43 days AF WWB! That is excellent. That means you know how to get through a craving. The secret going forward is just to keep doing what you've been doing one day at a time. I haven't gotten a crazy urge like that in awhile, but I always have to be on my guard. 43 day is not a lot of time compared to the many years we spent drinking, no? (even though 43 days probably feels live forever some times!)

Develop a solid routine for what you do when urges strike. Then just do it every time. This isn't always an easy journey, but for me it's ALWAYS WORTH IT.

DG

[spuddleduck]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

WWB, well done on 43 days. i can totally relate. i got to just under 3 months, feeling really pleased with myself and loving the sober life. i caved in and since then i had a month sober and lately ive only managed a week. its like i opened the door to AL agian. i think as mollyk said, in the early days we are more attentive to sobriety.. i think i got lazy. im now trying really hard to get the focus back.
PLEASE DONT GIVE IN.. ITS NOT WORTH IT. there are so many similar stories here of people with lots of AF time having one drink and falling right back into the trap. so yes it is normal.. DONT FALL INTO THAT TRAP

[Pie]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Hi WWB,

Congrats on 43 days! It's scary to think you can still get strong cravings that far out. At least it seems far to me. Not sure this will help you, but it's what I thought of when I read your post. It's from a quit smoking site, since I'm working on that too, but I figure there are enough similarities between the two addictions that helpful tips for one, can be useful for the other, especially re: psychological cravings.

Psychological withdrawals are a mind game which we can beat through positive thinking and alertness. Understanding that negative thoughts will work against us is a powerful tool in itself. Equally as important is to realize that just one puff will reconnect all smoking memories and will viciously refresh the physical dependency cycle. The sobering truth to keep in mind; 9 out of 10 people who break down and have just one, will fail to quit. Feed the beast and you will lose your hand.

Best,
Pie

[Guest]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

WWB

Yes it is very normal. I am well over 100 days sober now(must do a count up!!) and although the physical cravings have gone I still occasionally get the mental urge to drink. In those situations it's good to remember why you stopped in the first place i.e. how terrible it all was when you were drinking. Cravings don't kill you but a drink will.

Well done and keep up the good work.

UKB

[woywoyboy]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Well the first thoughts that entered my head when I woke this morning were thoughts of gratitude. I was thankful that I had no hangover and that I fought the beast and won.
Today was an entirely different day as I had no cravings whatsoever but feelings of satisfaction.
I'll take that as a good thing!

[mollyka]

Cravings at 43 days AF?

Wowo, that's brilliant! It's a lesson to us all that the cravings - no matter how bad - do pass and how well we feel when we fight them! Have a lovely day (actually night time over there yeah!) well done anyway
Molly