Yesterday I had a wonderful night with my sponsor, boyfriend, best friend, and AA fellows. I received my 6 month chip at my home meeting and we went out to Denny’s to celebrate with late night pancakes. So tell me why I’m having this insatiable craving to drink today?? I’m eating tons of food and smoking like a chimney, watching my favorite YouTube channels, and trying not to think about it. I feel strangely empty. I’m not going to drink today, but does anyone have any advice on how to feel better?
Congrats! 6 months is huge!! Love what Growing Trees wrote above. Feel it and heal it
This too shall pass!
First off, yay 6 months GO YOU! Second, i understand that empty feeling right after a milestone. It’s like your expecting some life changing feeling and then life is the same as it was before. Remember, One day at a time. Some days will be the best and some will be boring af. Learn to lean into it. Distractions are good until they aren’t. Try to figure out what truly fulfills you. For example: Volunteering, Art/ Creating, Hiking, Yoga, Cooking/ Baking, Shopping/ Thrifting/ Fashion etc.
Stay strong and when you feel yourself slipping and can’t stay strong trust that your higher power is guiding you on the journey. I promise your higher power won’t let you down and even if it feels like it and your down in the dumps maybe you just need to experience the sadness. Because with out sadness you won’t understand happiness!
I believe addiction can be alot of things. Smoking ya I can be really bad about it and need to quit. Eating. It all can fill the void. Idk if you have done the step work but I really suggest you do it to the best of your ability. It’s about discovering yourself and learning to love yourself and forgive others including yourself.
Well you on top of your game at an position now to chair meeting and ride the year out I believe in you and think you a cutie too so say the serenity prayer when you feeling awful and let you be a hit when you giving a lead cause again you doing your thang love enjoy ......
It is not ever recommended that your sponsor be the opposite gender and definitely never emotional involvement…cravings do pass although they can seem to linger forever…prayer and a meeting along with phone conversations with people who have a lot of sobriety…helps immensely!!!!!!!!! Keith Kayle
I don't think her sponsor is her BF she just listed the people she spent the evening with.
Well that’s good.!!!! Lol
I can’t speak for anyone else, but when I get a craving it’s just a reminder that I’m an alcoholic. Always will be. There are many slogans and cliches about this fact. But my addiction will always be waiting for me to let my guard down. To remember the good times and not the destruction. To believe that it will be different this time. To believe that somehow I’ve learned to control it.
I know better. I’ve surrendered to this. The only way to beat alcohol is to refuse to play its games.
So eat if that helps. Smoke if you must. Lean into that great support system you described above. And remember always that gratitude and service are the 2 easiest and fastest ways through a craving.
Call your sponsor and tell her what your feeling and thinking. She will be able to show you in the book where their are specific instructions for what to do when a craving hits us.
Congrats on 6 months.
I get what you mean . I’m coming up in my 6 months and yesterday I was happy in a good mood going for a walk and keeping myself busy .. but I would of loved to have been able to sit down and have a glass of wine . It’s almost like I have a void in me now that I don’t have alcohol. And I’m so great full for the life I have now but this empty pit is hard to deal with at times . I know I just need to find a healthy way to fill it but I get what you mean . So know you are not alone in that feeling
Congratulations on 6 months!! I don’t know your drinking history, but maybe your body still craves it. It’s a cause for celebration and maybe you’re used to celebrating with alcohol. The longer you go hopefully the easier it’ll get. But I’m not an expert. Just my 2 cents.
I second this response…. I def used to celebrate everything with alcohol also still crave it at times I let it consume my life so when I crave it I try to remember when I had to detox and how sick I was for a long time…not sure your experience but it seems to stop me from picking up a bottle when I remember the gut wrenching pain and sickness I felt
I went to rehab with detox… the whole 9. Worse feeling ever!!! That’s my motivation to never drink again. I’ve come too far to go back.
She never even mentioned the gender of her sponsor?
Well that may be true but my question is this …when you are without mistakes will you behave as you do now? Good luck!
There is a comma after sponsor. It isn’t her boyfriend.
My guess would be most of us rewarded our accomplishments with copious amounts of booze. 6 month chip is a big accomplishment, so naturally your alcoholism is saying "what about me?"
Just do a mental exercise about what predictably happens after that first drink. My hypothetical pretty much descends into other substances and way more drinks and ends in a hangover. I imagine yours is negative as well. Working that out in my head and watching YouTube videos of drunk ppl doing dumb shite also helps 🤷.
Congratulations on the 6 months.
Good luck
Sounds like you’re already doing what I’d suggest which is things you enjoy. Hope you the best!