It could be the sight of that favorite bar or a favorite memory, like that one time—spurred on by liquor and freed from inhibition—you approached the most perfect-looking human being you have ever seen.
Alcohol is tricky that way. When someone decides to stop drinking, external and internal triggers can drive them to drink. The external factors include people, places, things, and even a specific time of day. The internal triggers can be a passing thought, a memory that brought excitement, or negative emotions like stress or anger. Any of these are enough to compel someone to pick up the bottle again.
Relapse is a common occurrence with drugs and alcohol. About 40 percent to 60 percent of people who have been treated for addiction or alcoholism relapse within a year, according to The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Professional addiction treatment not only improves your chances at avoiding relapse, but it can equip you with strategies to deal with the cravings that come with abstaining from alcohol.
Absent that, there are activities and strategies you can do instead of drinking that can help you avoid the lure of alcohol. But before we get to that, it’s important to know what alcohol cravings are.
Alcohol cravings are characterized by an intense desire to drink. These urges occur in people who actively drink, unleashing an unrelenting cycle of consumption and addiction. By continuing to drink in the midst of these cravings, people avoid the withdrawal symptoms that come when the drinking stops. That’s because they can maintain their blood-alcohol level at a certain point.
There are theories about why alcohol cravings occur. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) selected these models of craving to illustrate why people succumb to alcohol abuse and alcoholism:
Alcohol’s ability to produce an elevated mood or to help relieve an unpleasant mental state such as stress or anger is at the heart of the reinforcement model. Reinforcement is an unconscious learning process that leads to the repetition of a behavior (such as drinking) that produces a positive experience. Over time, environmental triggers, events, and emotions that are consistently associated with drinking alcohol can produce a similar response as powerfully as alcohol itself. These cues can include the sight of a bar,a liquor store, being in the company of friends who drink, or being exposed to alcohol itself.
Alcohol use becomes habitual and requires little conscious effort or attention. That is the cognitive processing model. With cognitive processing, craving represents the effort involved in mobilizing conscious problem-solving skills needed to block the automatic drinking behavior. Such a situation may occur when a drinker finds that his favorite bar is unexpectedly closed. Similarly, following treatment, a person who is addicted to alcohol and motivated to remain abstinent might experience cravings while consciously attempting to avoid the cues and triggers in their environment.
Forces that drive an addiction are hidden in the subconscious. That notion epitomizes the incentive sensitization model. As a result, the underlying reason why people behave as addicts is that their brains have developed an association between alcohol and the feelings it produces. Even when people have undergone treatment and have become sober, it can still take time for this subconscious connection between the two to lose its power. This is why cravings can continue within a person long after they have become sober.
Though alcohol cravings can continue as an endless cycle of episodes, the good news is that they are short-lived. Participating in specific activities instead of drinking can help you conquer those cravings.
One of the biggest hurdles for anyone battling an alcohol addiction is being able to find activities that will not trigger cravings. Newly sober people may believe that life is less interesting without alcohol. They may carry the belief that sober activities are simply not as exciting as a drunken night out on the town or day drinking at a sporting event.
The truth is there are many exciting things one can do that does not involve alcohol. Instead of hitting the bottle, take up one of these five riveting endeavors:
Is there something you have wanted to do but just never had the time or motivation to pursue it? You can fulfill that long-held wish to tackle that hobby you’ve been curious about.
So, fire up those YouTube tutorials and learn photography, chess, or the guitar. Engaging in a hobby of interest can provide a level of fulfillment that far exceeds an alcohol-fueled outing with friends.
Have you always been concerned about your weight or fitness level but never did anything about it? Is there a book you’ve always wanted to read but did not have the time or inclination to crack it open? Ending excessive alcohol use is an act of restoration for your brain and body. You can continue that progression by engaging in a physical activity that gets you into shape like joining a running group or taking up yoga. You can also expand your intellect by finally tackling that reading list you never got around to. The main goal of this activity is to engage in a process that invariably makes you a better version of yourself.
You may have never been a great dancer, and that has always been your obstacle. One of the reasons you drank was because it was a social lubricant. When you were buzzed off alcohol, you thought you moved better on the dance floor. Here’s an idea: how about improving those awkward moves by enrolling in a dance class? If the prospect of public speaking terrifies you, then join a speech group in your area. The key here is to find something that actually scares you and do it. Actively taking on something you fear can generate an unparalleled sense of accomplishment. What’s more, by tackling a weakness, you engage in one of the highest acts of personal development. Beers with the boys don’t yield that kind of reward.
Alcohol can divert your attention away from the beauty that surrounds you, natural and manmade. Capturing these charms doesn’t require a trip to an exotic destination. Beauty can lie in the landscapes of your local neighborhood. It can also be found in the variety of flowers that bloom at your local botanical garden. The art at your local gallery is another option. When you stop to appreciate beauty, you acknowledge the grace, eloquence, and purpose that exists in the natural world as intended. This principle also applies to humanity. We are every bit as precious and lovely as we are, without the taint of substances like drugs or alcohol. What’s more, seeking out beauty sets you on a path of worthwhile adventures.
Said Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India: “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
A substance addiction steals your focus away from life’s important matters like family, friends. Alcohol addiction can drive you to sever or sabotage those bonds. That’s why in your sober life, nothing can be more healing than re-establishing or strengthening that connection with a spouse, friend, or family member you love. One of the most compelling ways you can demonstrate that appreciation is by sending them a handwritten letter. In it, you can detail the things about them you treasure, whether it be a character attribute, a recent accomplishment, or a memory you share. Love has the power to heal, and nothing is more restorative that freely giving it to someone you care about.
Because alcohol relapse rates are so high and few enter into addiction treatment, the cravings become insatiable. Many invariably heed the call and go back to drinking. If this sounds like you, then one of the most life-affirming things you can do for yourself is acknowledging your addiction and entering into a professional treatment program.
Professional addiction treatment begins with medical detoxification. The goal of detox is to rid your body of alcohol and other toxins to ease you through withdrawal as safely and comfortably as possible. You will receive around-the-clock care from our experienced medical staff. They will help you avoid dangerous complications and ensure that you do not succumb to relapse.
Because alcoholism is a disease of the brain, care that addresses the psychological causes of your addiction is critical as well. That’s why residential treatment is recommended. In this setting, you will receive comprehensive therapy and counseling while you stay at a rehabilitation facility. Experts say that 90 days in a residential program is the most effective treatment plan.”
You will meet with clinicians and therapists who will help you create a plan tailored to your needs. The staff will consider every pressing need you may have, including psychological, medical, emotional, vocational, and financial requirements.
Alcohol abuse that is left untreated can set off health complications that can consume your body, including your brain, heart, liver, and pancreas. Excessive drinking over a long period or during a single occasion can cause life-threatening health problems such as:
Excessive alcohol consumption can do a number on your liver, causing problems such as:
There are also links between alcoholism and these types of cancers: liver, colorectal, breast, esophageal, and head and neck cancers.
And if that weren’t enough, there are the treacherous cognitive impairments that alcohol can exact, many of which can result in legal, social, and professional consequences. The ripple effect of alcohol-fueled decisions often leads to hard, real-world consequences such as:
9 Things To Do Besides Drink When Life Gets You Down. (2017, January 30). from https://www.thefix.com/9-things-do-besides-drink-when-life-gets-you-down
Alcohol's Effects on the Body. (n.d.). from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body
Craving Research: Implications for Treatment from Alcohol Alert No. 54. (n.d.). from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa54.htm
Slomski, A. (2014, June 25). Mindfulness and Substance Abuse Relapse. from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1883017
Swanwick, J. (2016, June 17). 53 Fun Things To Do This Summer (That Don't Involve Alcohol). from https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-25507/53-fun-things-to-do-this-summer-that-dont-involve-alcohol.html