The following activity offers suggestions to support you in your decision to cut back or quit drinking. It can be used with counseling or therapy and is not meant as a substitute for professional help. If you choose to try it on your own and at any point feel you need more help, then seek support (see Help Links). Trying to ignore alcohol cravings is not the best way to manage them. It is better to accept them as normal and actively treat them through a variety of methods, including possibly taking medication.
General Health
Most people who experience cravings notice a mix of internal and external triggers. These changes can lead to tolerance, or a need to drink more in order to feel the same effects. They can also leave you more sensitive to alcohol’s effects and raise your risk of withdrawal symptoms. Below, we’ll explore why cravings happen and offer a few tips to manage them, from in-the-moment techniques to long-term coping strategies.
About this article
Understanding how to wean someone off alcohol and recognizing these factors will help you reduce or manage cravings more effectively. This is especially important if you’re in early recovery from addiction. By recognising and avoiding the places and situations that make you want to drink, you can reduce the likelihood of you slipping up. Steer clear of pubs and bars, plan social activities that don’t involve alcohol and remove alcohol from your house. If you’re struggling with your alcohol cravings and are finding that the urge to continue drinking has become too much for you, you might need specialist support. Gillian Tietz is the host of the Sober Powered podcast and recently left her career as a biochemist to create Sober Powered Media, LLC.
Behavioral Interventions for Alcohol Addiction
A positive distraction can help occupy your thoughts and energy, giving you something to focus on besides the urge to drink. Cravings won’t necessarily affect everyone who cuts back on alcohol. Still, they’re pretty common, especially if you drink regularly or your alcohol use falls into the “heavy drinking” category (binge drinking 5 or more days in the last month).
- Dairy products in general are good sources of calcium, vitamin D, and other vitamins and minerals that you’ll need to replenish to stay healthy and fight cravings.
- Letting others know about your choice to stop drinking may help motivate you to stick with your decision.
- These may include changes in brain chemistry, triggers, and habit formation.
- Satisfying hobbies can distract you from wanting to drink, but they also help you relax — something everyone needs to do.
- Talk with a healthcare professional if you’re concerned you may experience detox symptoms when quitting drinking or cutting back.
It’s important to understand that if you’re new to sobriety, or are still drinking small amounts of alcohol while trying to cut back, it’s likely that your cravings are down to withdrawal. This is your body’s famous fetal alcohol syndrome physical response to having less alcohol in your system. In this situation, the best thing you can do is seek professional support to help you withdraw safely and under medical supervision.
AUD is a condition that occurs when a person has a physical need or desire to consume alcohol that is difficult to control. Certain antidepressants also show promise for helping reduce drinking when you live with depression. Your care team might recommend this approach if you experience symptoms of anxiety and depression along with cravings.
Experiencing alcohol cravings may not automatically mean you have an AUD. All the same, it could be worth talking to a mental health professional — more on that below. Reaching a state of recovery after being actively addicted to alcohol is a major accomplishment. It is important to remember that remaining in recovery, however, is a life-long responsibility that requires a great deal of patience and focus.
Much of this is dependent on factors specific to the individual, such as how severe their alcohol use disorder was and how long it has been since they have engaged in drinking. Exploring, in writing, what you find difficult and when you gallstones and alcohol most want to drink can help you notice patterns that offer more insight into your alcohol use. Comparing the emotions that come up when you have a drink with the feelings you experience when abstaining also helps you recognize when drinking doesn’t fix the problems you’re trying to manage. Some small clinical studies have shown it can reduce alcohol cravings and alcohol withdrawal symptoms.