Avoiding cravings during Sobriety

Turning over a new leaf after one has gone through a phase of alcohol or drug abuse is indeed very difficult. Although the more herculean task is the phase of trying to prevent relapse, trying to prevent those irresistible urges to reach for that ‘one more sip’ or having it ‘one more time’, which can be a potential cause of relapse is an onerous task. 

Cravings and “irresistible” urges are a completely normal and acceptable part of recovery after rehab. With enough will-power, determination and a proper action plan, it is possible to beat these blues and have a 100% successful recovery.

Cravings are a mind-play that arise from emotional roots. These are just the cravings to re-live the pleasure and trying to recreate the dopamine release which happens when one consumes alcohol. For many people in recovery, they serve as strong motivators to continue abuse. 

Learning to control cravings is a crucial ability for long-term sobriety. Here are several ways to cope with cravings as they occur.

Accept that you are recovering

Accepting that cravings are human, natural and unavoidable is the first step in dealing with them. Cravings have been encountered by anyone who has ever had a successful recovery, and they are likely to continue to do so in the future. Know that you are not crazy if you have a craving.

Don’t give into withdrawal symptoms

The body, when deprived of something it had gotten used to for very long will definitely react in one way or the other. Some of the most common reaction symptoms include headache, shaking, sweating, nausea/vomiting, anxiety and restlessness, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, trouble sleeping, concentration issues, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, etc. As easy as it is to give in and give the body what it thinks it needs, one should stay true to the original plan and stick to it. 

Avoid blame game

The symptoms can be considered to be a temporary tantrum that the mind and the body play to achieve the dopamine release. It is often noticed that the person tries to blame everything that goes wrong with their body on not being able to consume something and tries to use it as an excuse to re-instigate that habit. It is important for someone to remember their final objective and not let them give in.

Divert your attention

Diverting one’s mind to other hobbies like reading, playing, video games, running, painting or yoga can provide the mind with ample distraction that it doesn’t pay attention to the craving and helps shift the concentration to something entirely different and divert your attention away from the compulsive feeling.

Indulging in exercise or a sport

Engaging oneself in sports can be one of the best and the quickest ways to make one jump right back on two feet. It reduces anxiety, increases metabolism, improves mood, fixes appetite and also relaxes the mind. It is the most effective when it comes to controlling craving bouts. Putting up rules like performing 20 push ups every time one thinks of indulging into a craving is an example of how this can work.

Keep a journal

Try making a pros-cons list for how alcohol or substance has benefitted or has been a liability. And importantly, weigh the points against one another with regards to how valid they are and be honest to yourself to figure out whether it is worth all the loss or not. One will realise that it is not worth all the trouble, especially considering health implications and relationships.

Set future goals

It is understandable if one is unable to completely cut off in a single go. Therefore, it is advisable to set gradual limits and goals to periodically decrement the consumption and eventually stop altogether.

Avoid association with past habits and influence

Avoiding the places and people who one associates with the habit, especially during the initial time of recovery is an important step. These places and people have potential to entice the old habits and may result in a re-lapse, putting all the efforts down the drain. Once the person is free of the cravings and has recovered to a strong mindset with a determination to never trod down old paths, he or she will develop the capability to dissuade the urge even when encountered with the associated places.

Phoenix Rehab Services is a leading Rehabilitation Centre in India for Substance Abuse and Behavioural Addiction. At Phoenix, we can help provide the right tools to you or your loved ones on the journey to lead a healthy life free from addiction. Our reliable & effective Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Program is headed and supported by experienced & dedicated de-addiction therapists and is driven by motivated staff that is equipped to handle the various needs of patients and has years of experience in treating addiction. 

Our top inpatient de-addiction program in the world, expert team handling this program, our state-of-the-art facility located in Hyderabad, India and our multi-disciplinary and medically guided holistic approach to individual patient scenarios will help you heal from your physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual ailments towards total Recovery.

Our Integrated Drug & Alcohol Addiction Recovery Program is a 12 Step Program approved by the World Health Organization. We are proud to mention that we enabled hundreds of successful recoveries from around the globe. In fact, the very first in-patient in our rehab happened to be from overseas.