A few hours til 2 weeks sober and having an urge!

Up until this point I hadn’t really been thinking about drinking…now as the 2 week mark is hours upon me for some reason I am having the urge to open up that drink…

What do you guys do to control the overwhelming urge to have a drink, or to use?

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26 days in for me. I’ve had that urge almost every one of those days, you have to fight that urge. For me at first, changing my environment was the “easiest” way, I had to get rid of all the alcohol I had at home, because I didn’t want easy access to it. I also had to avoid places I used to go for a drink. Since then I’ve been working more on my ability to overcome the urge regardless of the environment. I went to a bar with some friends over the weekend, and challenged myself, had tea the whole night.

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I’m at 2 weeks myself. When the urges hit I either come on this app and vent, take a walk, think about how much regret and depression I felt everytime I relapsed. It is usually enough to keep me focused. Good luck I know hard.

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For me I will pray, call an alcoholic, hit a meeting or help a newcomer. Meditation is always good too.

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One of the AA slogans is “Think, think, think”. What I do is really think about what having that drink will do. Will it actually solve any problem? No. Will I be able to stop at just one drink? No. Will I regret having a drink? ABSOLUTELY YES.

Just think through the entire process (and think it through HONESTLY) and see if you still really want that drink.

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What works for me is : Reminding myself of two things. One, the person I was while using was a loser with no drive, no goals and procrastinated constantly. It was actually pathetic… Two)being sober is a lifestyle. For my case in particular I don’t have cravings for my d.o.c I have cravings for the chaos. So when the need to let things run-a-muck hits, I re-take control of my mind and my life and do something constructive and rewarding. I focus on my weaknesses and spend time turning my weaknesses into strengths. In particular running. Running is an activity I really don’t excel at. Especially being a light smoker. So I often find myself wanting to quit and just walk or slow my pace. Which in those moments is reminiscent of how one can feel early in recovery. You will want to quit, you will want to give up. You will ask yourself why the fuck am I even doing this? It’s in those moments you have to have an armoured mind and be mentally tough. It’s in those moments you can not allow excuses. Far too often people plan on giving up before they start. It takes fighting the urge to quit and summoning your inner strength to change how you think and act. As David Goggins likes to say “You have to remind yourself how bad ass you really are in times of need”

Sorry for the rant.

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Just say no, the urge will pass!!!

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This may sound ridiculous to some but when I wake up I ask my Higher Power (God) to keep me sober and when I go to bed I thank Him for removing my obsession to drink and use. It works and I haven’t drank in over 14 months. I also attend meetings and the combination of everything keeps me sober.

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That doesn’t sound ridiculous to me. I’ve heard many people say the same thing.

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I wasn’t sure I should post it just bacause you never know how it will be received also I don’t want to sound like a religous nut bacause I’m really not. It was something I heard the old timers say and some of them have decades sober, I figued it could work for me too.

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Just say no to yourself! Think of what will happen if you do! Think of something else. It will pass

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When I have urges or temptations, I think of Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Basically, resisting temptation will not kill you, but there are things you can do to ease the discomfort.

When serious urges hit, its think H.A.L.T.

Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired

Most times, these urges are the result of one of these. For me, it’s being hungry, usually, so eating a snack eases the urge. Beyond that, just power through the urges, they get less frequent and intense the longer you’re sober.

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It’s a great idea @Island-Girl. Everyone on the forum should respect whatever it is that others do to keep sober or clean. We’re all here to help each other after all. God and this forum have kept me sober for well over 2 years, and that is no small miracle!

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Ridiculous? That’s pretty much the most sensible thing I’ve heard.

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Make a list of how you feel when you’re hungover how much you hate yourself the next day and every other thing you can think of that makes you not want to drink … I keep it on my phone and believe me if I read it it does work because of the horrible anxiety and depression …
The Hangover is just as bad as the drinking as far as I’m concerned

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Dito on that. Good idea on the list for the phone. Wil do tonight!!

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Hours away from 3 weeks here…when I get any urge I “think through the drink” I think about how it will all play out. How it will go from buying that first drink to being passed out/blacked out drunk on a who knows how long bender. I just can’t keep doing that to myself…I don’t want to live like that anymore

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Someone posted this video a while back and I found it to be very helpful early on for me when I first quit.

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I am still at on my abstinence, though one tool I looking forward to using is the recognition that urges, like everything in life, is ultimately transitory.

Wait it out, urge will pass.

That is part of my plan. Maybe it can help you.

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