Cravings

This is an interesting topic and one that I have been thinking about lately because it's been coming up in meetings and of course I still have them but not nearly as often as before.  Check out this informative article posted on Addiction.com:

Anyone who’s engaged in addictive behavior knows something about cravings: that powerful desire that yearns to be satisfied by going back to your addiction. If you give in and indulge, it’s commonly referred to as relapse. But becoming aware of your cravings and learning how to manage them is a way to avoid relapse and stay on track with your recovery.

First, it’s important to understand that cravings are normal. Too many people recovering from addiction think that cravings are a sign that they’re relapsing. You only relapse when you revert to using the substance to cope with life stress and demands. You can and should expect to feel that strong desire to revert back to the old life from time to time. The goal isn’t to eliminate cravings, but to recognize when a craving cycle begins and then intervene before it pulls you into a downward spiral.

What Is a Craving Cycle?

Craving types and intensity differ by the person, but there’s a familiar pattern that’s common to most people. Here’s how the typical craving cycle progresses:

Trigger response. A person, event or sensory experience (smells, music or familiar surroundings, for example) trigger a thought or emotion that puts you in touch with the old addictive behavior. It could be as simple as walking by a bar and smelling alcohol or driving through a section of town where you used to meet up with drug-using friends. The trigger puts the craving cycle in motion.
Obsessive thinking. Once you’re in touch with the old addictive behavior, your mind tends to lock onto those familiar ways. It then becomes difficult to let go of these thoughts. You toss them around in your head, weighing the pros and cons. But the more you think about it, the stronger the urge to act it out becomes.
Full-blown craving. Craving is both emotional and physical. The emotional part is a compulsive need to get your “fix.” You can hardly think of anything else. The physical part of craving activates the stress response where you might experience increased heart rate, shortness of breath and perspiration. Once you get to the full-blown craving stage, the pull toward the addictive behavior is very strong and it’s difficult to resist the urge to act on your craving.

As powerful as the craving cycle can be, it’s not beyond your control. You can’t control the reality that cravings will come, but you can control how you respond to them. The key is learning to intervene in the trigger response stage. If you learn to do this, you’ll be able to avoid relapse, feel more in control of your life, and continue the growth and healing of recovery that you’ve worked so hard to realize.

How to Resist Cravings

Here are five ways to help you resist addiction cravings:

Learn the art of healthy distraction. Distraction is a double-edged tool: It can be either a form of avoidance or used to redirect your attention. Healthy distraction is used to redirect your attention from negative thoughts or a potentially dangerous situation to one that’s more neutral or has clear benefits. Types of healthy distraction include: Get into a new environment right away. Go for a walk, a bike ride or a drive. The idea is to change your surroundings so you can eliminate the triggering of the familiar sights, sounds and smells.Talk to someone who supports your recovery. Call a trusted friend, your support-group sponsor or a family member. These people will help ground you amid the swirling feelings that accompany the craving cycle. Engage in an enjoyable “clean” activity. Play a favorite video game, watch a movie, clean a room or start a new project.

These are just a few examples of choices that can help redirect your attention from the addictive behavior to healthier alternatives. With a little thought you can undoubtedly come up with many more.

Use creative imagery. Think about the images that are related to your old, addictive behavior: places you used to go, people you used to hang out with, behaviors you no longer want to engage in. Now, try to swap out those images with places, people and behaviors that support your recovery: a favorite vacation spot, the people in your support group, your family or the volunteer work you do. The creative use of imagery is a simple but potent way to stay connected with your core values and resist cravings.Dispute automatic thoughts and feelings. The triggering process can automatically cause thoughts and feelings to emerge that may seem irresistible. For example, suppose you bump into an old partying buddy at the mall and as you talk he invites you to an outing where there will be lots of familiar people as well as plenty of drinking and drugs. You feel the trigger of old memories and emotions and start rehearsing in your mind what it would be like to have fun with these people again. These automatic thoughts and feelings will quickly take over if you don’t intervene. Disputing these thoughts and feelings involves asking yourself some penetrating questions, such as:What positive action can I take in this situation?What is likely to happen if I continue thinking like this? What will be the consequences if I give in? What resources do I have to resist these urges? Get physical. When you’re physically active, your body produces natural feel-good chemicals that help improve your mood, reduce anxiety and stress, and combat depression. You don’t need to be a marathon runner or avid cyclist to get the full benefits of exercise to help combat your cravings. A brisk walk, gardening, outdoor projects or a brisk walk around the neighborhood can do the trick. Meditation and relaxation. Anxiety, anger and stress are the biggest emotional triggers for cravings. Learning some relaxation techniques can be one of your best preventative measures. Start your day with a few minutes of quiet where you close your eyes and pay attention to your slow, rhythmic breathing. Take deep breaths to engage the natural relaxation response. Journal your thoughts, meditate on where you want to go with your life, read a devotional, pray or subscribe to a service that sends you a daily motivational quote via email. Being mindful about your life will keep you focused on where you’re going instead of where you’ve been.