How to Deal With Alcohol Cravings

Deciding to pursue your sobriety is a huge step. But, as you work to overcome your addiction, you need to prepare yourself for a few roadblocks along the way. Here, we’ll focus on how to deal with alcohol cravings so you can beat these feelings and avoid temptation.

If you or your loved one need a safe space to recover from addiction, contact Myrtle Beach Recovery to learn more about our short- and long-term recovery programs.

Identify & Avoid Triggers

In order to combat your cravings, you first need to identify what your triggers are. There are two categories of triggers:

External triggers. These include people, places, time of day, and physical things—such as the presence of alcohol itself—that cause cravings.
Internal triggers. These are your feelings and emotions that cause cravings, such as stress, anxiety, and more. These may be more difficult to identify, as they are not always the obvious answer as to why you may be feeling the urge to drink. It’s important that you take an inward assessment when you get cravings as well as an external assessment.

It may take you some time to identify your exact triggers. Throughout the course of a month, make a running list of the causes of your urge to drink. The next time you experience cravings, you can refer back to your list of triggers to help you understand why you are feeling this way, or you may simply be able to avoid the high-risk situation altogether.

Develop Coping Methods

Some triggering situations may be unavoidable, and other times, you just may not be able to shake the urge to drink. In either case, you need to develop a few different coping methods to help you work through it. Consider implementing the following techniques:

Find A Healthy Distraction

One of the best coping methods to employ is taking your mind off the craving. You can do this by engaging in an activity that you enjoy such as reading, painting, or listening to music. In addition, exercise is extremely beneficial in assisting with your sobriety—something as light as walk could really help you take your mind off of the situation.

Think Through The Urge

If you’re thinking to yourself, “Just one drink won’t hurt,” stop and rationalize that thought. Remind yourself of the reason why you chose to pursue your sobriety—likely because drinking harmed some or many aspects of your life. Remember all of your hard work to get to this point. One drink will actually have you starting back at square one.

Talk About It

Verbalizing your craving is a great way to dismiss it. Call up a friend or family member and tell them about the situation. They can assist you in helping rationalize why you don’t need to drink, allow you to get your feelings off your chest, and even provide a distraction from the craving as well.

Remove Yourself From The Situation

If all else fails, or you simply feel uncomfortable in a certain situation, don’t be afraid to step away. Removing yourself from the situation shows that you understand when you’ve reached your limit and have developed the ability to identify when there’s a possibility of giving in. If it protects your sobriety, it is certainly the right choice.

Contact Myrtle Beach Recovery

We hope you better understand how to deal with alcohol cravings. If you need professional assistance working towards and maintaining your sobriety, don’t hesitate to reach out to Myrtle Beach Recovery today. We offer short-term and long-term recovery programs, providing a safe place to work through the 12 Steps.