Managing cravings for alcohol
Cravings for alcohol start in your head and are a normal part of change. They can seem overwhelming at first but do not last long. Research from Drinkaware shows that, once you've stopped drinking alcohol, cravings can continue and peak at around 60 days after you've stopped.
Try to avoid sitting and thinking about the craving.
Distract yourself by breaking the thought process. The sooner you can break the thought, the shorter the length of time the craving will last. You could:
- get up and move around
- remove yourself from the situation which has triggered the craving
- go for a walk
- brush your teeth
- drink something cold or hot
- suck on an ice cube
- use a fidget spinner or ring to do something with your hands
- have a shower or bath
- reward yourself for not giving into the craving
The craving is not always about the thing you have given up. Cravings can be triggered by our emotional state and environment such as:
- tiredness
- stress
- anxiety
- low mood
- hunger or thirst
- people around you
Keeping a diary can help you to work out what feelings and thoughts trigger your cravings. You can then plan how to deal with these situations and emotions.