Alcohol cravings are a major form of withdrawal, challenging individuals on the journey out of alcohol addiction. In a world where alcohol is readily available everywhere outside your house, managing these cravings can be a daunting task and undermine your journey toward sobriety. Professionals at Taylor Recovery in Houston, Texas, recognize this challenge and have prepared an informative piece to help you discern what to expect at each stage of the alcohol addiction withdrawal process and achieve successful alcohol detox and recovery.
Alcohol Cravings When Quitting Drinking.
Alcohol use is a pervasive behavior in many social settings that you may be part of while battling alcohol addiction and making significant progress toward recovery. This involvement in such situations makes it hard to manage your alcohol cravings due to temptations and interactions with well-meaning friends who might not fully discern the complexity associated with recovery from alcohol addiction. When quitting, alcohol cravings come from external (environmental) and internal (emotional) triggers that occur in the Acute Alcohol Withdrawal and Alcohol Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) phases.
Acute Alcohol Withdrawal Phase
This phase typically starts within 5 to 10 hours after the last drink. This phase brings about various environmental and emotional alcohol addiction withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, mood swings, depression, clammy skin, and physical discomforts, such as headaches, fevers, excessive sweating, and nausea and sweating. This phase may last up to a week and might trigger alcohol cravings as a way to alleviate yourself from the discomfort they cause.
Alcohol Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) Phase
This alcohol addiction phase follows successfully outlasting and managing triggers of alcohol cravings experienced during the acute alcohol withdrawal phase. This phase may last anywhere between several months to years, depending on the severity of your alcohol addiction prior to quitting. The withdrawal symptoms during this phase are primarily psychological, including anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive thoughts, depression, fatigue, mood swings, insomnia, and persistent alcohol cravings.
How Long Do Alcohol Cravings Last?
There is no established specific timeline that alcohol cravings last when you are trying to quit. Rather, the timeline of alcohol cravings varies per individual and depends on the severity of the associated alcohol addiction. Typically, the alcohol cravings tend to have reduced severity over time and disappear for some people, while others experience alcohol cravings even long after quitting drinking. Since it is difficult to identify when your alcohol cravings will fully disappear or if they will ever disappear, it is advisable to continually engage in relapse-prevention programs that facilitate managing your alcohol cravings,
Managing Alcohol Cravings During Alcohol Addiction Recovery.
To successfully manage your alcohol cravings and fully recover from alcohol addiction, it is imperative to recognize that alcohol cravings are a result of your cognitive process and a normal part of any change. When these alcohol cravings occur, try to avoid sitting and thinking about the craving by distracting your thought process by engaging in activities such as:
- Get up and move around
- Go for a walk
- Drink something cold or hot
- Reward yourself for not giving in to the craving
- Navigate out of the situation that has triggered the craving
In situations where the alcohol cravings are severe and lasting for long durations, consider seeking help by engaging in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based approaches to successfully overcome the triggering effect of the particular environments and emotions jeopardizing your journey from alcohol addiction.
Professionals At Taylor Recovery offer Guidance On Managing Triggers Influencing Your Success In Battling Alcohol Addiction.
If you are looking to deal with issues that are challenging your journey from alcohol addiction, consider Taylor Recovery Center in Houston, Texas. We offer confidential consultation and curate personalized treatment plans that address your specific needs at any step of your recovery journey.
