One of the biggest challenges people face when they are in recovery from a substance use disorder is cravings for drugs or alcohol. Those cravings—especially in the early days of your recovery journey—may be annoyingly prevalent. But even if you have been in recovery for quite some time, cravings can still pop up when you least expect them. And each time they do, they threaten the hard work you have been doing to live your life free from substances.
To meet that threat, it is helpful to have some strategies in mind that you can rely on when cravings arise. In this blog entry, we are going to think about cravings in three different ways and see what each of those ways might teach us about how best to tackle inevitable cravings in recovery.
Let’s get started.
Think of Cravings as a Barking Dog
Have you ever been around—or even had as a pet—a dog that simply will not stop barking? They bark when they hear a sound outside. They bark when they want to go outside. They bark for treats, or they bark at other pets in the household, or they bark at anyone who comes to visit. The insistent barking can be hard to take, especially because when the dog is barking and you can’t really do anything other than pay attention to the dog. You can’t have a conversation or watch television. You can’t take a nap or sleep through the night. You can’t work or relax as long as the dog keeps up the barking.
Cravings can be a lot like that. When you are experiencing a craving, it can seem to occupy your entire world so that you cannot focus on anything else. The craving demands your attention all of the time. Your brain becomes the equivalent of the barking dog and just keeps demanding what it wants.
If you had a dog that would not stop barking, one option would be to get your furry but annoying friend some training. With persistence, a dog can be retrained to bark less frequently and in fewer situations.
That can work for your brain, too. Practicing mindfulness—that is, learning to more consistently ground your thoughts in the present moment—is a way to train your mind to be better able to withstand cravings. That might sound counterintuitive. After all, in the present moment, you are struggling with a desire to use drugs or alcohol. But a specific kind of mindfulness practice known as urge surfing can be a wonderful approach to addressing cravings.
You can learn more about urge surfing—including easy instructions for getting started—here.
Think of Cravings as an Insistent Crowd
Have you ever experienced a time when you were seemingly swept up by a crowd? Maybe you were attending a concert or a sporting event. Maybe it was during a service in your faith community. Maybe it was at a political rally of one sort or another. Crowds can have an energy of their own, and you can get caught up in the moment—even when you usually would not.
Cravings can be a lot like that. A craving for drugs or alcohol can feel like a large crowd shouting endlessly in your head, encouraging you to do something you probably would not usually do.
If you were in a crowd that was making you uncomfortable for one reason or another, you would likely hurry to remove yourself from that environment to regain your equilibrium.
That can work when cravings arise, too. When you are dealing with a craving, a change of scene or of focus can be just what you need. For example, you might spend some time engrossing yourself in a hobby to quiet the crowd of voices in your head. Or you might take a walk or call a friend.
You can learn more about how hobbies can support your recovery here.
Think of Cravings as a Football Blitz
Are you a football fan? If you are, you are probably familiar with a blitz—a play in which the defense tries to overwhelm the offensive line and get to the quarterback quickly and decisively. An effective blitz can really put the offense at a disadvantage.
Cravings can be like a blitz. All of a sudden, you find yourself overwhelmed by the desire to return to drug or alcohol use. It can feel like all of your options have been taken away and that you will have to give in to the pressure you are feeling.
In that sort of situation, you need your own “offensive line” to step up and help protect you from the craving’s blitz. Your teammates in this situation could be any of a number of people, including your recovery meeting community, your sponsor, close and supportive friends and family, and more. Reaching out to them when you experience a craving that feels like a blitz is a good way to protect your recovery.
We love a good sports metaphor. See more here.
Start Your Recovery at Wooded Glen
At Wooded Glen Recovery Center—located in Henryville, Indiana—we offer personalized treatment for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. When you’re ready to make a change, we’re ready to help.