If you’ve decided to cut back or quit drinking, you’ve probably experienced some alcohol cravings. Craving a drink a few days or even weeks after quitting doesn’t automatically mean you’ve got an alcohol use disorder (AUD), it could have more to do with a particular moment, trigger or emotion you’re experiencing in which you typically resorted to having a drink. Normal as cravings might be, we also know how powerful they can feel when you’re in the grips of one.
Cravings are different from simply wanting a drink. They are more intense and usually linked to certain people or situations you associate with alcohol (like bumping into an old drinking partner, or watching a football game, for example). Internal stimuli, such as experiencing an emotion or a thought (like the sadness of a romantic break-up or the joy of getting a new job) can also trigger a craving.
- External triggers are people, places, or things that offer drinking opportunities or remind you of drinking alcohol. These “tempting situations” are more obvious, predictable, and avoidable than internal triggers.
- Internal triggers can catch you off guard because the urge to drink just “pop ups.” But if you pause to think about it when it happens, you’ll find that the urge may have been set off by a fleeting thought, a positive emotion such as excitement, a negative emotion such as frustration, or a physical sensation such as a fatigue, tension, or nervousness.
Here’s the good news: the average craving lasts for just six minutes. If you can find a distraction for that time, your craving will diminish. Then as you re-program your response to internal or external stimuli, the cravings will lessen in frequency and intensity.
One suggestion that works for lots of people is “urge surfing.” Think of the craving as a wave: it starts slowly then builds in intensity to a crescendo before falling away quickly.
When you feel the desire for a drink, don’t fight it. Think about the feeling, rather than the desire for a drink. Sit quietly and focus on how it feels, literally, in your body. What do you notice about the feeling? Keep bringing your awareness back to your senses – how each part of your body feels – and your breathing. Notice when the feelings increase and when they subside – and in a few minutes the urge should start to dissipate.
When faced with an alcohol craving, a positive distraction can also help occupy your thoughts and energy, giving you something to focus on besides the urge to drink.
Be ready with a list of go-to distractions you can turn to when a craving hits. Keep that list somewhere you can access it quickly — on your phone, the refrigerator, or in a journal, for example.
A few activities to consider:
- Put on some music and dance.
- Pick up a book and read at least one chapter.
- Go for a walk or run by yourself or with a friend or pet.
- Try meditation, yoga or a relaxing bath.
- Make a snack or cup of tea.
- Clean out a drawer.
- Journal about your feelings and about your victory of alcohol.
- Try some mindful coloring.
- Call or Facetime a friend who can get you through the craving.
Remember, cravings are 100% normal and may never completely go away. But they are manageable with the right tools.
