How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

[Samstone]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Honeysoup
I try to keep it in my mind just how badly I felt with hangovers, the never exhausting loop of drinking to feel better, then hungover again. Endless misery.

[K9Lover]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Think of your worst drunk episode...every detail that you can remember. That's what alcohol does to you.

[Honeysoup]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

At first it brings me great pleasure....then hell I don't know because I usually don't remember what I did. I usually end up waking up in the morning trying to remember what I did..who I called...if I was mean or did I even have fun? I made it and did not drink but man I wanted to. Its a love hate relationship...I want it because it seems to shut off the million things in my head...down time...time to relax. But in then end it does what it always does...makes me feel shame, guilt, sad, pathetic...

[K9Lover]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

So you are longing for something that brings you maybe one hour of "pleasure"...then turns on you and makes you feel shame, guilt, sad, pathetic. Obviously the pleasure isn't that intense since you said you can't even remember if you had fun. There are other things you can do for pleasure. Do you have any hobbies that make you happy? A favorite meal that you can splurge on? A trashy show to watch on TV? I used to think I had a love/hate relationship with it too, but then I could not pinpoint what it was I loved exactly. Any feeling of relaxation was coming from my environment, not from the liquid in my hand. People tend to confuse "relaxed" with "who gives a f&%k"....there's a difference

I'm glad you made it Honey :l Can you plan for tomorrow night? Rent a movie, borrow a book, call a friend for dinner? It will not be this hard forever, I promise!!

[Myluck]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

K9 - you are absolutely right - it is very helpful to plan something distracting and different from normal routine - go to the movies and stuff. I always was scared of the time I go home after work and have my first drink - this time if the day without drinking was scary, so I was making sure I am not at home at that time - this helped.

[j-vo]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Honey, there are so many tools that you can use to keep the beast at bay. Refer to the toolbox and choose the ones that have worked for you before. I think moving, getting out and doing something is necessary. When your mind is somewhere else, then it replaces AL thoughts. I don't meditate much, but I know that's a great idea. Good luck. Al is talking to us subconsciously all the time, at least for a very long time, and we've got to talk back, walk away.

[gambler]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Hi Honeysoup ..

I have no clue on the medication thing so nothing to say about that ... but I personally have found that reading and posting here in the forums was a tremendous tool. Tell you what..next time you have an urge start a post. Write out how you feel and dont make it a short post either. Keep writing and then tell us how at the end of your post the urge is gone. What I found is yes it does help to think about something else...and you have to think to type out something and it doesnt matter what you write. Give it a try. I never would have thought it would be so affective.

Be strong and dont worry about your swinging emotions..up,down,side to side .. whatever. Dont worry about anything actually. Just go with the flow.

Dave

Edit: I just wanted to add that dont expect any ONE thing to work every day. Dont get into the trap of self doubting your plan of attack. If watching TV works one day ( or hour ) and then the next day it doesnt do crappola..ok..try the next tool. What Im trying to say is try not to hold on to just one thing and one thing only. Use everything and anything at your disposal. Hell .. My house was freaking spotless at about 7 days. I mean like all the labels on the food cans were Face Out for gods sake !

[Honeysoup]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

These are all great tips and tools and I am so grateful that you guys have responded. I lost myself momentarily but I back...Have you seen that snicker commercial where the person is some crazy person until they give them a Snickers...Kind of felt like that but I didn't get a Snickers but I did get great friends. THank you everyone for the wise words of support. I needed it. Home safe in Jammies and AB down the hatch...here to another sober day

[Icanwithoutacan]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Good job!!!! I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to post bc you'll be talked out of drinking. I am really finding some if the hypnosis for alcoholism on YouTube helpful.... I don't have the afternoon cravings when I do them... About 30 min around lunchtime

[Pavati]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Hi,

At day three I don't have the wisdom that these folks have to offer, but I know that I, too, love the way AL shuts of the noises in my mind. I also know it is a short, temporary fix followed by a long bout of regret. I really appreciated this blog/video/website that Sunbeam posted in the toolbox for healthy ways to calm the mind: Three Tips to Lower Anxiety: Mind Health. Hope to see you around the nest often.

[gambler]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Honeysoup;1581486 wrote: Have you seen that snicker commercial where the person is some crazy person until they give them a Snickers...Kind of felt like that but I didn't get a Snickers but I did get great friends.

Here you go Honeysoup .. I dug this post that I made when I was on day 6.

-Gambler-

"Good evening and salutations all

(deep breath) Oh man what a day 6 it was ! Im sure glad this one is in the books. Talk about "Keep on Trucken".. I had to Plow through the worst day/afternoon thus far. Lack of sleep + not eating well + Thinking of family situation + AF = PAY PER VIEW ! Now I know what an emotional pregnant pinball machine feels like. I was down to my last ball. Bouncing all over the place Ding ding .. buip biop..ding ding. I was like WTF ! After my breakdown I pulled myself together ( with the help from one of the members here .. thank you again love ) and pressed on...once again tackling the daunting task of removing the remnants of the past. Cleaning and organizing. What caught me off guard is I could NOT focus on anything. Example: Im gonna finish up folding the laundry in the boys room right .. ok .. so I find a rag-towel that belongs in the wash room. So Instead of just putting it aside or throwing it towards the door (so I could grab it the next time I headed that way) .. I get up and walk to the back side of the house to put it away..right ? .. But now I spot a few coins on the dryer..oook..So I pick Them up (3 friggen pennies ) and walk to the living room to put them in the coin jar...Victory right ? uum..no.. I notice that I still have my coffee cup on the desk .. Gee what to do ? Yup you got it..grab the cup and go to the kitchen and wash it. There were some collector Coca-Cola glasses that I had dug out from the depths of the cupboards last night ( At least I can start pulling out all of my old Cool stuff ) so I wash them while im at it of course. Find a rag..back to the wash room.. Then Im thinking "Um..werent we going to finish up the boys room so at least ONE room is done ?". Lo-behold Im back in the boys room ( about 2 hours after I found one stupid rag LOL ).

Rinse and repeat for the rest of the day. Like a super-duper-super-ball that got shot inside my home I was

BTW... the wash room is now Spotless ..the kitchen does not have one dirty dish/floor/fridge even the stupid glass lamp covers are clean LOL. .. The living room is vacuumed up,Dusted and slightly re-arranged ( just have to do my desk area AKA My Personal Drinking zone ). ALL the laundry is done aside from what Im wearing or a few towels/rags for cleaning. The yard sale crap is nicely tucked away in the back bedroom. And finally... at last .. but first..but still came in last place Is the boys room is all cleaned and put away Spotless.

So thats my story for the Big day 6. One big roller coaster ride. It was not fun..not fun at all. Im not sure If im looking forward to tomorrow morning .. ... Im just not sure if a few of you pranksters ( and you know who you are ! ) are gonna tattoo a big 7 on my ass tonight

For you guys struggling tonight. Please do not give up. I promise you that It CAN be overcome.

Love you guys .. peace out ! "


Your not alone... but you have to stay strong and be aware that sometimes you have to reach out. This crap will pass very soon. It did for me the next day. I was told that in the beginning you have a good day then a bad one..but never two bad ones in a row. It was true for me at least.

Dave.

[Nelz]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

K9Lover;1581396 wrote: Think of your worst drunk episode...every detail that you can remember. That's what alcohol does to you.

Agreed!!!! Take that moment and use the embarrassment/pain/suffering it caused you, turn that around as motivation to never put yourself back in that position............believe me, it has tremendous power.

Pretty soon, you will be able to control your urges with less effort AND they will not pester you as frequent......just do your best to get over the initial hump

[K9Lover]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Hi Honey! How are you doing today? I hope you got a good night's rest. Even if it wasn't the greatest, it was better than any drunk "sleep". I never used to wake up in the mornings, I "came to"...which is a sad way to start the day. Most days I couldn't even remember getting dressed in the morning. That's MY reality of alcohol. Not the "fuzzy warm sipping in front of the fire" picture that I tried to create. Waking up in a jail cell with vomit on my pants is not too warm and cozy now is it? That's what I remember...not the few and far between times when drinking was actually "fun"...for a while.

Sorry to ramble. Stay strong and keep taking that Antabuse. It might seem like you're fighting against yourself right now, but it's so worth it and it will get easier, I swear!!

[Honeysoup]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Today is better...I got a good night sleep and woke up grateful I did not have a hang over. I am not as obsessed today with the drinking struggle, shame, guilt...but its still a long road ahead. I find it worse when I am PMSing and luckily I started to day so the anxiety can back off a little. I appreciate all the great feedback good and bad. I need as much support as I can get.

I find that I am craving anything sweet like I can't get enough...food period. I dont' know if it is the PMS thing or the fact I could be going through sugar withdraws from all the sugar in the wine or what. I don't want to start too many things so I am just kind of shoveling things in my mouth so I don't drink. I just don't want to become dependant on sugar now...lifes a bitch, if its not one thing is another...sigh

[Nelz]

How do I get help when I start the craving before caving??

Honeysoup;1581753 wrote: Today is better...I got a good night sleep and woke up grateful I did not have a hang over. I am not as obsessed today with the drinking struggle, shame, guilt...but its still a long road ahead. I find it worse when I am PMSing and luckily I started to day so the anxiety can back off a little. I appreciate all the great feedback good and bad. I need as much support as I can get.


I find that I am craving anything sweet like I can't get enough...food period. I dont' know if it is the PMS thing or the fact I could be going through sugar withdraws from all the sugar in the wine or what. I don't want to start too many things so I am just kind of shoveling things in my mouth so I don't drink. I just don't want to become dependant on sugar now...lifes a bitch, if its not one thing is another...sigh

They dont call me Daredevil Cookie Monster for no reason.........:H

I started eating suckers and cookies by the metric ton when I stopped drinking....from what I understand, got something to do with the absence of AL

If I was in your shoes...Id get the AL monkey off your back first...let the sugar monster take a ride for a spell....and THEN knock that one off.

Sugar is better than AL, and after you beat AL you can go to work on his evil twin brother............sweets