Hello Everyone, This is my first post. I guess it’s obvious im here because I have realised I have a problem with my relationship with drinking. I am determined to go sober. I did drink last night but my intention is to start today. How do people stop the triggers from taking over? I sometimes manage to go 3 or 4 days without drinking. I even managed 9 months once and cant for life of me remember why I started again. But I do miss the clarity i felt during that period. All day in my head I talk to myself about how the drink is crap and I dont want it but then as evening comes around I find myself talking myself out of my intentions any advice would be greatly appreciated.
You asked about how to stop cravings, and to be honest we will have varying answers for this, as we have our own ways of dealing with it.
When you begin your sobriety, you must create a sober toolbox to get you past these moments. Sometimes it can be a basic need like hunger, thirst etc that we need to answer. The first thing I do is drink something thirst quenching like water, fruit juice etc.
If it isn’t something basic like that, ask yourself how you’re feeling. Are you bored, are you tired, are you stressed etc.? Then do something about it if you are. Get some rest, meditate, take a walk, go out and watch a movie, do whatever it takes.
You need to collect an array of coping methods for your toolbox that helps you to deal with each trigger when it hits.
For example, we have been having some lovely sunny weather here, and when my ‘drinking program’ tries to run during good weather, it’s tells me to drink cider or wine in the garden. I allow myself the time to think about what is going on, and it’s usually just thirst. A need for something cool to drink. I made some virgin Pina coladas for our BBQ on Saturday, and they were just the ticket. Knocked that craving right out of the water. It was refreshing and I felt satiated.
My point is when you’re triggered - Stop and work out what you really need
Thank you, thats great. It’s hard to say for me really. I tend to assign any situation to drink. If something hasnt gone my way. Ill have a drink as it will cheer me up. If I have had a great day, well i deserve a drink. I do like that it makes the noise and jumble in my head go away. But perhaps im better addressing all the noise. Thank you though I will try to think hard about why I actually drink. Because I really dont know. But I do know I dont want to.
I started making elaborate iced carbonated beverages with lime, lemon, honey, ginger and cayenne pepper. And…I don’t want to get flagged here but a doctor can help with these cravings too if you think it’s too much temptation. I think it’s called Wellbutrin. Apparently makes an alcohol buzz feel terrible if you happen to relapse. it’s supposed to curb the cravings for those of us (myself included) trying to do this thing without medication.
Hey, thanks for the tip. Ive just made loads of fesh lemonade. So ill be sipping on that tonight i have read about that before. I know it sounds daft but i dont really feel comfortable speaking with my doctor. Ive never really spoke to anyone about it except my partner.
Hi there, I can so ao relate to your text. That’s exactly me. That’s how insane this fucking addiction is… In the morning I would tell myself never again, would pour out the rest of the alcohol, feeling depressed, hangover, sad. As the day goes along, I feel better and all the promises are gone, finding myself buying more booze. how crazy right? The only way for me now is to stay sober, is to ban all the drinks from the house, get on here, write and read and read and write and do AA meetings and get involved with AA people. This is the only way. For me. And have a plan when the cravings come. I know who to call or to write. I just can not be alone with my cravings because then I’m scared that they will win
Hi Lisa, thank you for sharing that. After reading it, I realised I hadnt put enough thought into calling it cravings. The post you shared described it perfectly for me. Its 100% a constant internal dialogue with 1 side fighting the other. The mornings tend to be on the side of winning because im feeling crappy, but as the day goes on and i start to feel okay then the other side starts to win the argument. Anyway i successfully won the argument last night
Exactly that, I would wake up and spend the best part of the day thinking right i feel like shit, i look like shit, today is the day. But then as the day goes on and the less i feel like crap the more i think well its not that bad ill just have some drinks tonight. Then after a few all logical thinking goes out the window. I have done the first night/day so fingers crossed i can keep it up.
There are lots of other vids. I hope you find one that helps.
Have you read any Allen Carr?
Allen Carr’s Quit Drinking Without Willpower: Be a happy nondrinker (Allen Carr’s Easyway, 2) https://a.co/d/1V6Thzr
Hey, yeah i actually did the alan carr method a couple of years ago and i did actually like it. Maybe because i got to carry on drinking whilst i read the book. I definitely think its useful and i did stop for a while. Hopefully this time will be more successful
Thank you im not going to lie. That familiar feeling of feeling okay has krept in. The one where you kind of forget the guilt and stomachache etc. But i have a busy night tonight and im determined to keep the focus and drink my lemonade. Thanks for the support.
As soon as I admitted that statement was true in my life, I knew I had a problem. It took close to a year for me to try every conceivable way of convincing myself that I could cut down on alcohol, and I failed at everyone. The blackouts, bruises, memory failure, and desire to do it all again starting the next afternoon was finally enough for me to reach out and ask for help.
any advice would be greatly appreciated.
and work out what you really need 
i have read about that before. I know it sounds daft but i dont really feel comfortable speaking with my doctor. Ive never really spoke to anyone about it except my partner.
