Any advice on how to deal with the urge to drink ? Iāve hardly been sober a week 
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Hi welcome. Many things, take a cold shower, take a warm bath. Try to focus on something you can see, focus on a lil object or drawing. What can you smell, hear? Taste. Go for a slow walk and just listen to the wind, the way the trees blow, all the cars and just watch the universeā¦ during a urge, you can also think h.a.l.tā¦ and I hungry? Angry? Lonely? Or tired. We are going to experience withdrawal up to about 10 days, things will experience is irritability, head fog, anxiety, sad, happy. The urges to get easier and sobriety is worth it. No itās not easy, but life will become maneagble again. Take it one day at a time, one hour at a time. The urge will pass just try to keep your hands busy.
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Also drink lots of water, get lots of rest. Eat some chocolate, and be easy on yourself. I started taking some magnesium pills and menās vitamins. It helps as well
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I found just distraction. For distraction there is so much you can do.
People have cleaned their houses top to bottom in early recovery.
I used to get home from work have something to eat, hit the bath then bed. Most nights spent on here or reading literature.
Unfortunately they last for as long as they do. It helps to rethink how we see alcohol. We need to retrain our brains to think that we arenāt missing anything.
I found accepting where I was and just getting on with what needed doing the best way.
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Thank you 
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Iāll give it a shot 
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Recognise them for what they are. It is your addictive desire deceiving you. It tells you that having a drink will be great, it will take you away from your problems, it will find any excuse to tell you it is OK to have a drink. They lie and when you are in between cravings you can see the deceit. But they are transient. I knew when I gave up cigarettes 22 years ago that I was ready when instead of thinking āIām gasping for a cigaretteā I think āIām having a craving, I wonder how long it will lastā I got curious and this is helping me with alcohol. I am more than 5 months sober and get the occasional desire but nothing strong.
Cravings get shorter, they get further apart, they get weaker and it is great that you can label them as just cravings. Go kick their ass. 
BTW I relapsed after 2 years before and I wasnāt craving a drink at the time so lack of cravings doesnāt mean it is OK to drink.
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Thatās all you can do Jacob.
As Piglet says, recognise them for what they are.
Accept them.
Hang around in here as much as you can. It helps pass the time.
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Thank you all for the supporting comments! Itās really helped me, Iāve over come the urge and Iām now aiming to last the weekend
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They do go away. Stay sober, keep saying no when you get an urge and it gets better. Relapsing just starts the process over.
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Hey Jacob,
Thatās great but donāt just aim to last the weekend. Know you will last the weekend because you are strong enough if you believe in yourself and you want it bad enough. You are worth it! This is the point at which you can turn your life around. You have done so well so far. Iām not being patronising (I hope) but lots of us have been there at a critical point and glad we didnāt look back. Donāt throw it away! 
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Thereās a million tricks of the trade but if all addicts knew the answer to that we wouldnāt be on here now, so read everyoneās advice and then at some point we have to decide how much do we really want sobriety and are we willing to do anything to get it.
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Hi Jacob, welcome to the forum.
Reading through the previous responses, the other members here have given some solid advice.
As @anon12657779 stated, the cravings take as long as they take. It sucks but the important thing to remember, they do eventually go away.
Finding ways to fill the downtime was very helpful for me. I picked up new hobbies, read, meditated, went to therapy, and plenty of other things. The steps can be different, you gotta find what works best for you and I encourage you to do so. But the main point is to DO something. Take steps, make plans, set goals, and work towards them. Go as fast or slow as you need to. Just be honest, patient, and kind with yourself on where youāre at. And ask for help when you need it. We all need help from time to time, no shame in it.
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Remember you have a safe place to talk. And a community full of caring people who want to see you succeed as badly as you do. Keep shaing and keep coming back.
Nice job on one week! Welcome 
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For my first 2 weeks it was really hard. Then I ended up getting sick for 3 weeks after from side effects so it changed my mind a bit. Then when my boyfriend relapsed a few weeks back it made me feel some type of way. Like if he could relapse I could to. But then when I said it to myself it sounded so stupid I was able to avoid it. I am not far along, but extremely far at the same time with 86 dyas! I havenāt had a ācravingā in over a month now, but sometimes I have the thought of drinking and my mind will obsess about it. Just take it day by day & keep reaching out. You are not alone.
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Guys thank you so much !!! Really helped and I couldnāt of done it without you. This is the 1st Saturday I spent without a drink since I remember myself. Thank you so much ! I feel great.
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I can honestly say after 10 weeks sober taking a drink hasnāt even crossed my mindā¦
I have 7 meetings of AA per week. A sponsor who has a sponsor who has a sponsor. Fellowship. Service. Steps. (About 3/4 through step 4 ATM).
But the advantage I have is I live in a sober home. Following 12 stepsā¦ My mind is focused on recovery, and Iām definitely noticing changes within me.
I would give AA a chance. But find a proper serious group not some half assed do what you want type thing. I havenāt got the time for thinking of getting drunk Iām curious to know moreā¦
Iām not saying itās the answer. Iāve tried AA for five years but I wasnāt willing to do anything because why would I? Drink was my only desire.
I think this time itās different because Iām sick and tired of been sick and tired.
Change your whole daily routine get fellowship and hang about with people in recovery . Good luck
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Yes, the cravings go away, but the desire varies.
The way I see it is that cravings are the physical addiction part of it, where your body needs it (or thinks it does). That goes away pretty quickly.
The desire is another thing, that all depends on you, as itās a choice. As you develop healthy coping skills, your desire will decrease.
Just keep at it, one day at a time. Itās not easy, but its worth it.
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Cravings are what you basically said dasin. The physical sideā¦ the āphenomenon on cravingā as we say in AA.
Although thatās just me each service has a different opinion about that so Iāll keep it openā¦
Itās the mental obsession your dealing with now if thereās not much recovery around you just try switch your addiction to something less harmful for now such as exercise , keep busy!
Itās about learning wether you have alcoholism or you are just a heavy drinker then you can work with it, try every recovery option available see what works for you.
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I am 4 1/2 years and there are times that I still have to check myself.
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