Do you want to know how to overcome alcohol cravings?

Do you often get that craving for more alcohol?  Are you willing to admit that you get alcohol cravings?  Do you get that irresistible urge to drink alcohol every day?  Is that the reason you inevitably find yourself drinking again?  But you don’t have to lose the battle against cravings – there are some simple ways to overcome alcohol cravings.  Because you are worth it!  If you want to avoid the constant battle with alcohol or if you no longer want to feel bad after drinking, then we can take steps to break the vicious cycle caused by alcohol.

Do you want to know how you can avoid succumbing to the urge to drink alcohol every day?

Unfortunately, the problem is caused by the alcohol consumed the day before the cravings come back.  The problem is that the cravings we had yesterday, and the fact that we succumbed to drinking alcohol yesterday, is the reason that the alcohol cravings have returned again today.  To overcome alcohol cravings, we need to break the cycle.

Beware the 24 hour cycle if you drink alcohol every day

In a complex chain of chemical reactions, and the way in which alcohol is broken down in our body, the after effects of drinking alcohol cause a roughly 24 hour cycle of cravings.  Every time we have a drink of alcohol, the time clock is reset.  The alcohol from the previous day is generally completely metabolised in the body after around 12 – 18 hours.  Then, the after effects of the process cause the nasty and all too familiar cycle of alcohol cravings to return.

Often the timing of the return of alcohol cravings coincides with precisely the time that we have become accustomed to relaxing at the end of a long day.  Just when we have become accustomed to pouring a nice glass of alcohol each day may actually have more to do with the onset of the alcohol craving cycle than our need to relax.

What do alcohol cravings feel like?

The feeling we get when we begin craving alcohol is usually a mild agitation.  Or even a slight feeling of anxiety.  Sometimes these feelings can be difficult to distinguish from the normal tiredness or stressed feelings at the end of the day, and sometimes cravings can feel exactly like that fluttering feeling that you get before meal times.  Either way, can you recognize how the alcohol cravings can so easily cause us to weaken our resolve at a tricky and difficult time of the day, when our subconscious is telling us we really need something to help get rid of our stress and anxiety.

Maybe we weren’t stressed or anxious at all

So here is the problem with giving in to alcohol cravings every day, because maybe we weren’t actually tired or stressed or anxious at all.  In all likelihood, the nervous and anxious feelings were due to the alcohol cravings, and these powerful emotions tend to overwhelm our subconscious until such time as we actually believe that drinking alcohol is the only way to feel better.

The opposite is true, because when we succumb to the craving for more alcohol, we have actually reinforced in our subconscious mind that drinking alcohol is associated with relief from stress and anxiety, which is not possible!  Worse still, by succumbing to the craving for alcohol, we have only succeeded in resetting the 24 hour alcohol cycle in our body, which means the alcohol cravings will only return the next day, probably even more strongly than before.

Craving for more alcohol can be different for everybody

Although the feelings associated with alcohol cravings can be slightly different for different people, we need to try to recognize the onset of these thoughts, feelings, emotions and physical reactions so that we understand within ourselves what is happening.

Because the outcome is always the same

Whether your alcohol cravings are making your nerves scream, or whether the voice inside your head whispers “one drink will be okay”, we all know that we can’t stop at just one drink.  No matter how strong your will power, or how solid your convictions are, inevitably we are all left feeling guilty, or weak, or defeated.

No matter how good the alcohol made us feel, or how much stress and anxiety seemed to go away, it always comes back with a vengeance.  If you drink alcohol every day, the pleasure is always short lived, and you will soon be hit by those nasty after effects such as hangover, feelings of guilt and shame, and the uncomfortable way that alcohol makes us feel bad.

I know because that’s how it was for me!

The trouble with learning how to stop alcohol cravings for me was that my subconscious mind truly believed that drinking alcohol would make me feel better.  And just like a true reward cycle, the alcohol cravings would return every day, and I was helpless to try to prevent myself falling into the same old bad habit.  Even though I felt in control, the reality was that I could never control the reaction to dealing with alcohol cravings.

How to overcome alcohol cravings:

In my search to overcome alcohol cravings, I had to learn many things about myself.  I also had to learn about the effects of alcohol on the brain.  I was challenged to try to change my subconscious understanding of alcohol, and to alter the way I reacted to alcohol cravings. Here are the 10 best ways that I know how  to overcome alcohol cravings!

1. Avoid resetting the 24 hour alcohol cycle

This is the single most effective tip.  Try to resist the alcohol cravings, even if only for a day.  Because this immediately helps to prevent the 24 hour alcohol cycle from returning with a vengeance the very next day.

2. Continue to avoid resetting the 24 hour alcohol cycle

Okay, so if you managed to avoid the alcohol cravings for one day, the trick is to avoid resetting the clock again.  Over about 10 to 14 days, the alcohol cravings will gradually decrease to a much more bearable level, and with a small amount of mindfulness, and recognition of your personal reaction to craving for more alcohol, you can begin to overcome the onset of the feelings of alcohol cravings.

3. One drink of alcohol restarts the cycle all over again!

Here is the problem.  If you can get this, you’ll be on your way to big changes.  If your subconscious mind continues to believe that craving for more alcohol is somehow good for you, or in some way can improve your well being, then there is a risk that you will continue to drink alcohol.  One drink of alcohol can restart the craving for more alcohol all over again, and the full force of the alcohol cravings will return every 24 hours.  See the craving for what it is.  Move away from the idea that anything about alcohol is good for you.

4. Change up the routine

Rather than sit like a deer in the spotlight, do not allow the alcohol cravings to ruin your life.  And don’t let the battle against alcohol become a battle of will power.  Change your daily routine, change your habits, do whatever is necessary to avoid the alcohol cravings cycle.

I know this because the battle of will power over won’t power is too difficult.  When your subconscious mind remains convinced that alcohol is harmless, your inner voice will be continually trying to break down the strength of will power and resolve.  This is why so many people fail to quit drinking.

5. Physical exercise

Exercise is an ideal way to replace the alcohol cravings with a physical outlet.  It’s not only good for your body, but it is also good for your brain.  When you can achieve a natural feeling of well being, rather than relying on the short term boost of alcohol, you’re getting the upper hand.

6. Healthy Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is more than simply getting regular exercise.  Rather is a much more rounded approach to feeling better.  The body is quite capable of replacing those dodgy feelings of anxiety and stress caused by drinking alcohol.  It can replace them with positive emotions and feelings of well being that don’t centre around chemical highs and temporary effects of drinking alcohol.

7. Healthy mind

The simple things can be incredibly healing.  Good food, good sleep, a day off to restore mental health.  Even a little self-indulgence, like a massage or quiet time, can work wonders.  Sometimes you need to get off the merry go round before you fall off.

8. Personal growth

Your brain has an incredible capacity to grow and learn – so feed it!  Never stop learning, reading and seeking information.  Vow to keep ultimately searching for stimulation outside of those destructive habits centered on drinking alcohol every day.

Do yourself a favour, learn about the damaging effects of drinking alcohol every day.  Then you will see why I am so passionate about this subject.  Drinking too much alcohol will kill you eventually.  But often, by the time we find out about the danger, it is too late to do anything about it.

9. Avoid self medicating with alcohol

If you feel the onset of alcohol cravings, take a step back to think.  Try to calm your mind by exploring those feelings rather than simply jumping into action.  We need to recognize not just the feeling of the craving for more alcohol, but also the reasons that we react the way we do.  I know for me it was a subconscious reaction to drink alcohol every day.  It was in a failed attempt to relieve the stress and anxiety of my busy life.  You will be surprised how easily you can break through the instinctive reaction and to overcome alcohol cravings once you identify the cause of the problem.

10. Let me show you that you can love being alcohol free

I know what it is like to break the vicious cycle of drinking alcohol every day.  For me, I had to learn to ignore the craving for more alcohol, because I had to stop drinking!

Let me show you how to overcome alcohol cravings.  And I can show you how you too can love being alcohol free!

Help to Stop Drinking

Sonya and I have poured our hearts and learnings into this neat online course:

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol and Love Being Free

And you can try it out for only $1 for the first month!