Drug and alcohol cravings are like an itch on the inside of your skin. They’re that powerful tug, pulling you back toward old habits even when your heart is set on a different path. But what are drug and alcohol cravings? What are they in our minds and our bodies?
We will cover the biological fireworks going off in your brain, the psychological landmines that make it tough to resist, and some tried-and-true strategies to manage the madness.
What Are Drug and Alcohol Cravings?
Cravings aren’t just annoying. They’re not just that mosquito buzzing around your head at 2 a.m. No, cravings are a full-body experience, a kind of rebellion in your brain and body, all shouting for the thing you’ve sworn off. And that itch? It gets more insistent the more you try to ignore it. But what’s really going on under the hood when these cravings hit?
The Biology of Cravings
Okay, let’s break it down. Cravings are no joke—they’re not just something you “get over” with sheer willpower (though some willpower helps). These cravings are rooted deep in the biology of your brain.
Cravings are not just something that comes with drugs or alcohol. Our bodies do this naturally. Chocolate, coffee, spending time with friends, Mexican food—we crave all kinds of things. Our brains get a hit of dopamine when something good happens. The next time we eat a Snickers bar, our brain gets that hit again and begins associating the hit of dopamine with the event.
And our brain wants that dopamine. It would love to have a dopamine button to push that releases it on a constant basis.
If you get a lot of dopamine from a single source, which provides a lot of it, your brain begins to depend on that substance to keep running at its normal levels. Our body starts to slow down in the making of dopamine because it comes so easily from drugs or alcohol.
And when it is gone, our subconscious mind and conscious one begin to panic.
Psychological Triggers
But you might be aware it goes deeper than body needs. Our brains get involved in this process, making it even more complex than a simple “just say no” campaign. Psychological triggers can creep out of the woodwork at any time, and often, it’s when we don’t expect it (unless we have safeguards in place).
It could be an activity like going to a sporting event, or it could be an experience of stress, or a celebration. Whatever it is, your brain connects these things with the dopamine hit. It makes you believe you love the taste of something you probably spit out the first time you tried it.
If you always drank a cold beer while bowling, your brain will cue that craving as soon as you put on those stiff, multicolored shoes.
The mind, clever as it is, associates experiences with emotions, and those associations can be harder to break than your worst habit.
Managing Drug and Alcohol Cravings
So we now see that drug and alcohol cravings are both the itch and the trigger that work against us. It puts us at a disadvantage when trying to cut back or quit altogether. But there are a couple of things you can do to manage or curb your cravings so you can keep your recovery in place.
Engage in Physical Activity
Getting moving makes a difference. Get outside and go for a walk. Take a run through the park. Turn up some tunes and have a disco dance at home party. Maybe jump in a pool. Whatever it is, before you take that drink, give your exercise-secret-weapon a chance to calm the storm.
Practice Mindfulness, Meditation, and Prayer
Have you ever heard, “Prayer changes things”? We can attest that meditation, mindfulness, and good ol’ fashioned prayer can help stop your cravings. You can use deep breathing, guided imagery, or just sitting quietly with your thoughts. By staying present and acknowledging the craving without judgment, you let it pass without giving in.
Stay Connected to Your Support Network
When in doubt, reach out. Call a friend, text your sponsor, or go to a meeting. Sometimes, just hearing a familiar voice can snap you out of the craving and remind you why you’re on this path in the first place.
Use Distraction Techniques
Do you know that most short-term cravings only last about 20 minutes? Distract, distract, distract. That could mean just getting busy making dinner or picking up a book that sucks you in, or even jumping on the Nintendo Switch. Whatever it is, if you can distract yourself for a few minutes, you may find that the craving has lost some pull.
Remind Yourself of the Consequences
Remember your life before you quit? Remember that DUI? That emergency room visit? The way you treated someone you love? Take a moment to play the tape forward. Think about the consequences that come from giving in to drug and alcohol cravings. Also, remember that one is never enough. You won’t stop there.
Get Addiction Treatment in Benton County
If you’re finding yourself in the thick of it, struggling with cravings, or just needing some support on this crazy journey called recovery, don’t go it alone. At EagleCrest addiction treatment center in Northwest Arkansas, we help people who have given in to those cravings too many times. Our program helps people get clean from substances, but it also gives the psychological tools to make sure they stay in recovery.
If you want to know more about how we can help you overcome the drug and alcohol cravings for good, call us today: 844-439-7627.
