The Dreaded Craving: You Can Make it Through Unharmed
Cravings are the sudden desire to return to drug and alcohol use. Cravings can be brought on by reminders of addiction or come randomly Many people fear cravings because they worry that they’ll return to active addiction.
The good news is that cravings are temporary. If you don’t act on them, you can make it through without relapsing. There are some ways to help yourself make it through cravings unharmed.
1- Give yourself five minutes to reflect and think through the craving. You probably got in the habit of acting out your thoughts. Remember, addiction is closely linked to impulsive behavior. When you have a craving, take a few minutes to appreciate your recovery and think through negative thoughts. Take five minutes to focus on your breathe and calm yourself.
2- Get rid of reminders of drugs and alcohol. This is an important step to practice. You can’t move forward if the past is all around you. Redecorate your home if you need to. Get rid of all reminders of drugs and alcohol. Make your home relapse proof.
3- You have to talk to somebody. You can’t recover alone. No matter which way you go about this step, the important thing is to connect to sober people. Meetings, support groups, and recovery assistants are all ways to talk to a positive person.
4- Find positive distractions. Don’t stay in the Craving, you have to work past it. Find a way to distract yourself.
- Listen to a favorite song
- Color
- Call a sober friend
- Go to an amusement park
- Go swimming
- Learn how to horseback ride
- Take a walk
- Get a pet
5- Reward yourself for making it through. Drugs and alcohol use may have been your reward for making it through a long week or a stressful situation. You still deserve a reward, but now you want to make your reward healthy. Think about doing some of these activities:
- Go roller skating
- Watch a new movie
- Go to a spa
- Get a massage
- Go to the hair salon
- Buy yourself a treat
Hired Power understands addiction treatment. Hired Power uses innovative approaches to help you get and stay sober. If you want to learn more about the power of recovery, call Hired Power today at 714-559-3919. Hired Power is the expert you need to help you take the first steps towards your recovery goals.
