What helps you?

Life in Recovery
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What do you do when you have cravings or are really close to using/having a drink? What makes you think twice and just say no?

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I remind myself of my last hangover and go get something else to drink and drink a lot of it so I feel full. The craving usually passes within 10 minutes.

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I tell myself that its just not an option anymore so stop thinking it is…that i have to find another way of coping with life full stop

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And do exactly what your doing here and reach out to us…i did that ALOT early on…your always welcome here to do that its what we are here for :people_hugging:

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Play the tape all the way through. When I crave a drink my brain usually tells me it will just be one drink. Just one to celebrate or commiserate or fit in.
Now that I’ve named my disease alcoholism I understand that I don’t want a drink I want an escape and then all the drinks.

Take yourself through succumbing to that craving mentally.
My first drink might taste fine and maybe it relaxes me, the second and third would for sure because I hardly ever stop at one drink. My 8th or 10th drink I usually get a bit foggy but I don’t stop there. I usually drove drunk and woke up with a wicked hangover so I picture that too.
The more gory you make the details the better.

I don’t have the energy for another hangover and I don’t have the patience or the chances left for another recovery so I don’t take that first drink. I’ve mentally drank 10, felt the consequences and discovered it wasn’t worth it. This always helps me ride out a craving. Sit with that craving. It will tell you what you really want. Are you hungry, lonely, angry or tired?

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I go rock climbing (new hobby), go for a walk or a drive, call someone I love, binge watch a show, read a book, clean my house. If all else fails, I work extra shifts and take on so much work that I don’t have to think about it.
Oh and I coms here A LOT! reading other people’s posts and the meme section here make time fly.

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Double up on sobriety related content… this place, podcasts, meetings, books, YouTube videos.

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