Cravings

[Diet Coke]

I posted a bit earlier this fall...now I'm back. I'm not sure if I need to be totally AF or AF and mod. I'm taking it one step at a time.

My question is: What is an alcohol craving? I know what it feels like to crave chocolate. I don't feel that way when I want to have a glass of wine, though. In my mind I'm a habitiual drinker. I like to come home after work or work out and watch tv with the family and have a glass or two (which leads to a bottle) of wine. I'm not a hard AL drinker..and only white wine. If we go out to have something to eat (which we do 2-3 times a week) I always order a glass of wine. Sometimes my husband has a beer, not always.

I try not to keep wine in the house because I know I'll drink it. So, if I stop at the grocery store on my way home, is that my craving? Sometimes I convince myself to not stop, most of the time I don't. Or I'll call my husband and see if he wants to stop to eat. Thats my latest "game" to have a couple of glasses w/o wine at home.

Does this make sense? It my game or inability to not stop at the grocery store my craving?

Will Kudzu help this?

Thanks.

[choice]

Cravings

Hi Diet Coke,

I too am confused by what exactly an alcohol craving is all about. I use to smoke and I sure knew how strong that craving was. It was very physical. I didn't think I had physical cravings for alcohol unless I was in the middle of drinking. Like if I opened a bottle of wine so that I could have a glass while I cooked dinner. Once one glass was down I didn't have any will power to put the cork back in the bottle. It was too hard. I'm not sure if that is a craving or not. Mostly, I think my "cravings" are mental. They feel like mind games I use to play with myself and others. I also wouldn't keep alcohol in the house because I knew if it was there I'd drink it. I think I was trying to keep my addiction at bay for a long time. If your noticing that your kinda playing a game wanting to go out to eat 2-3 times a week so that you can drink wine I think your starting to come to terms with what might be going on. I've noticed not everyone craves, at first I thought that meant I didn't really have a problem. I thought I could keep drinking. It wasn't until I really became honest with myself that my drinking was a problem that I needed to stop. I chose to abstain because moderation just seamed to hard of a choice for me. Good luck with what you choose to do.

[mylife]

Cravings

Hi DC, I also did the stop at the store on the way home to get wine. My argument with myself became do I really need to stop at the store, or am I just finding an excuse to buy wine? For me the craving is if I follow through in my mind what I'm really after -- it's not to stop at the store, it's to drink that glass of wine that I know will be included with that stop.

Good luck with your decisions -- I know how confusing it all is. I, too have decided to abstain as it's just easier for me than arguing wiht myself all the time (and losing!)

Welcome and have a great evening!

[Diet Coke]

Cravings

Well I'm glad people understand what I'm attempting to say. I sound like both of you. One of the reasons I was asking about cravings, was will the Kudzu and L-Glut help me?
I'm sure they won't hurt me, but, I'd love some help with the mind games. Mind over matter is not easy.

[mylife]

Cravings

I haven't tried L-Glut, but I do take Kudzu a couple times a day. I can't say if it really works or not to be honest. You might want to read the threads under holistic healing. For me, it's just a matter of deciding I need to do this and keeping the thought in mind that eventually I won't think about "stopping at the store" anymore.

Good luck with your journey!

[OverIt2007]

Cravings

Hi Diet Coke, Nice to meet you!

I was really confused about what a "craving" was too. I just thought that well, I want a drink, so I get a drink! Yes, that is your craving. The desire to stop and get the wine, when you actually know you really dont need it, you just want it. Craving and wanting I believe are same thing, when we know, we really shouldnt do it, but we do it anyways regardless.

[sapphire1]

Cravings

Hi Diet Coke,

Yes L-Glutamine helps with cravings. It helps by balancing out sugar levels and also has a calming effect on the brain. It is worth a try and there are no side effects. Good luck

[Doggygirl]

Cravings

On "cravings.."

I too am an ex-smoker and I can see the similarities and also the differences in the physical and mental nature of the cravings.

A word that is more descriptive for me than craving is "obsession." My obsession with alcohol was evidenced by things like:

*Thoughts would occur to me throughout the day about plans for that evenings drinking.
*I would feel a sense of relief wash over me when a drinking plan was established.
*If I had no drinks, all I wanted was "one."
*If I had one drink, all I wanted was more.
*I rarely thought up front "I want to get DRUNK!!" I just snuck there.
*Etc. - this could be a really long list!

What was the most telling to me about my obsession with alcohol was what happened if I tried to NOT drink. I went a little nutty.

So here is my challenge to you. Go for 30 days without drinking. See how that goes. If you don't have a problem with AL, then it should be no problem to go 30 days without drinking. My husband is a "normie" and he does that all the time.

L-Glut sure helped me in the early days along with Kudzu. It wasn't magic. It didn't make me forget about AL. It took a bit of the edge off and that was a blessing.

Strength and hope to you..

DG

[Diet Coke]

Cravings

Thanks everyone. ODAT....I started back on my vitamins and kudzu. I have the powder L-glut. Do you mix it in something?

[Rusty]

Cravings

Welcome, Diet Coke,

Put the L-Glutamine right under your tongue....it works fast and is tasteless! Good luck in your journey!