When Will the Cravings Stop?
anonymous
Anna Deeds Says...
Thank you for your question. Cravings are different for every person in recovery. Some people have a lot of them and some people don't. I think what you are doing in your life has a big impact on how many cravings you have and how strong they are. Cravings are usually triggered by something in your environment. Something you see, hear, taste, feel or smell reminds you of your addiction and sparks a craving. You can avoid some of these cravings by staying away from people, places and things that remind you of your addiction. This includes people you used drugs with, bought them from, places you went to get or use drugs and even TV shows and movies with drug use.
Other cravings are triggered by emotions. Feeling sad, lonely, angry or bored can cause cravings. Emotions cannot be avoided like people, places and things sometimes can. Thinking positive can keep you from having some of these emotions but won't eliminate all of them. You must also learn new, better coping skills. Learning to talk about your feelings and having people to support you can help. Other coping techniques can include journaling, art, music, keeping busy, yoga, deep breathing and many other things.
Self-care is another important part of recovery which can help reduce cravings. Eating healthy, exercising, drinking lots of water and practicing relaxation techniques can help you feel better physically which will lessen cravings.
Many addicts find that spirituality helps relieve cravings. Prayer, meditation, attending religious services or belief and faith in a Higher Power can improve your spiritual well-being. When you have a craving, you can find comfort in your spiritual life.
I would also suggest finding a counselor and perhaps a Psychiatrist if you have a co-occurring mental health disorder. You could possibly be having so many cravings because you are depressed. There could be other underlying issues which led to your being addicted in the first place which you haven't properly dealt with yet.
I hope this helps answer your question. Good luck with trying some of this techniques to reduce cravings.
Page last updated Nov 01, 2013
