When you move toward recovery from alcoholism or alcohol use disorder, it is very common to crave alcohol. These cravings can be very strong, intense, and even frequent. So, you might have often wondered, “How to stop craving for alcohol?” every now and then. With time and effort into practicing new responses, you slowly begin to see a decrease in these cravings and urges to use alcohol. Moreover, as you learn how to beat alcohol cravings over time, you develop confidence in yourself to stay strong in this path of recovery.
Understand Why Cravings Happen
Before we learn how to stop craving for alcohol, we need to know why they happen in the first place. Firstly, it is important to keep in mind that not everybody experiences a craving for alcohol after they have stopped or changed their drinking patterns. Regardless, experts suggest three reasons behind why cravings happen:
Changes in the Brain Chemistry
Alcoholism is not just the need to drink and drink heavily; it changes your very brain chemistry itself. Over time, your brain gets used to the presence of alcohol, which means you experience withdrawal symptoms if you reduce or stop drinking. So, when you do not drink, you feel a certain kind of anxiety or dread, and this can only be reduced by more alcohol. Hence, the cravings. This is why medical detox becomes the first step to your recovery from alcohol use, as it gradually tapers off alcohol from your body so as to minimize and manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Drinking as a Habit
Drinking is a pleasurable activity. This is why alcohol tends to be the center of every party or occasion in today’s world. When you drink, you feel better, confident – which is why you keep going back for more. Slowly, drinking becomes a habit that reinforces the reward centers in your brain, so you begin to crave the reward in different circumstances.
Triggers
We do not always drink to feel good; we also drink to escape – to numb the pain and suffering. So, whatever gives rise to anxiety or distress becomes a trigger, which, in turn, leads you to crave a drink. Triggers can be both internal and external; for instance, stress or physical pain, or an argument with a parent or spouse.
Plan Ahead to Beat Alcohol Cravings
Now that you know the main reasons for cravings, the next step in how to stop craving alcohol comes with planning ahead, so that you stay in control.
The good thing about cravings or urges is that they are transient – they will pass. They are short-lived and very much under your control. This is also where your recovery learnings come into play. A very common way to plan ahead is to use the recognize-avoid-cope principle of cognitive behavioral therapy:
- Recognize your triggers – both internal and external. Once you recognize them, you plan to either avoid or cope with them.
- Avoid those triggers that are tempting. For instance, it can be those people or places where you have pleasant memories of drinking. Simply avoid them so that you do not give in to your temptations.
- Cope with the triggers you cannot avoid. For instance, you can remind yourself why you have chosen recovery and sobriety, you can distract yourself, or just ride it out instead of fighting it or giving in.
These new responses may seem pretty simple on paper, but as you practice these new responses, over time, they will come more automatically to you than giving in to a drink or two.
Create a Personalized “Craving Toolkit”
When you are serious about how to stop alcohol craving, you need to have a personalized craving toolkit with you to beat these cravings. Here are some common steps you take to create your own craving toolkit:
Track your cravings. Use a journal or a worksheet to track what led to your craving in the first place – this can be internal restlessness/anxiety, out of habit, or a trigger. Accordingly, you can plan your strategy based on the recognize-avoid-cope mechanism we discussed before.
Put together a list of motivational quotes or positive affirmations that remind you to stay focused on your path of sobriety. For instance, “I will not give in to my cravings or urges” is a simple positive affirmation you can speak to yourself over and over again.
Incorporate the best foods into your diet to combat cravings. Here are a few we have put together for you:
- Dark chocolate
- Fruits and vegetables, such as leafy greens, legumes, bell peppers, and berries.
- Brown rice
- Oats
- Lean meats, fish, and tofu.
Keep your body hydrated at all times. Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go – not only does it store water, but it also serves as a reminder for you to drink plenty of water at regular intervals. Alternatively, you can also drink fruit juices and other non-alcoholic beverages.
How to Stop Craving Alcohol at Night?
Nighttime can be really severe when you have just given up alcohol. After a long, winding day, is when you really crave alcohol. The stresses and exhaustion of the day can get to you and often trigger the urge to drink. So, if you are wondering how to stop craving alcohol at night, here are a few strategies that can make a big difference in your life:
- Create the perfect environment, where you remove all alcohol-related paraphernalia from your home and replace it with a cozy, relaxing space that you can look forward to.
- Eat a balanced dinner. Going to bed hungry can intensify cravings, so by including protein and whole grains in your diet, you can feel satisfied.
- Stay hydrated. As we have emphasized before, staying hydrated is really crucial to beating alcohol cravings, as thirst often disguises itself as one. Drink plenty of water after dinner and keep a water bottle by your bedside as well.
- Replace your nighttime alcohol routine with other rituals such as deep breathing, gentle yoga, or even journaling to ease your anxieties before going to bed.
Night cravings are common, but with the right habits, these cravings lose their intensity and power. Over time, evenings become less about alcohol and more about your rest so that you feel rejuvenated to face the new day head-on!
How Long Does it Take to Stop Craving Alcohol?
As we told you before, alcohol cravings and urges are transient elements in your recovery. They, too, shall pass. It can take a while for these cravings to go away, but this will also vary significantly from one person to another. The length of time it typically takes depends on the duration of your alcohol use, the efficacy of your treatment, and your overall physical and mental health.
Generally speaking, alcohol cravings are at their most intense during the early stages of your recovery – typically the first few weeks. While there is no fixed timeline as to when these cravings will completely go away, it will take between a few weeks and a few months. While this can feel like a long time, they will also gradually decrease in intensity and frequency over a period of time.
When to Seek Help for Your Alcohol Cravings?
Sometimes learning how to stop craving for alcohol requires more than just some effective self-help tools. You might need to consider:
Psychotherapy – Psychotherapeutic interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy teach new thinking patterns to change your craving-related emotions and behaviors, as well as new coping skills.
Medication – Your doctor will prescribe medications such as acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone to reduce alcohol cravings and the risk of relapse.
Peer Support – Your alcohol use can indeed affect your family and friends, too, but in recovery, you need support to beat alcohol cravings as well. Whenever you find yourself craving alcohol, call or text your family and friends for support. You can also rely on the connections you made in group therapy or support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous to help you through this time.
A Word From Skyline
Learning how to stop alcohol craving is not about willpower alone; it is a strategy. You need to know your triggers, avoid or cope with the urges whenever they strike, eat a balanced diet, and be patient to trust the process. Every time you overcome a craving, you retrain your brain to take a strong step toward lasting change. However, you do not have to do this all by yourself. Skyline Recovery Center can be there for you in this journey.
We offer outpatient rehab options such as partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, and standard outpatient care programs – designed to help you overcome alcohol use and build long-term recovery strategies by teaching you how to beat alcohol cravings. Please do not hesitate to contact us at (424) 353-5206 to begin healing today!