Coping with alcohol urges after alcohol rehab treatment in Alberta and British Columbia by Options Okanagan Treatment Center in Kelowna, British Columbia treating alcohol addiction and recovery.
Alcohol cravings can be quite intense. And this is especially true during the first six months after a person stops drinking. However, with good treatment, you can be ready for such challenging times. You will be able to develop new coping skills which will help avoid craving for alcohol, social pressure to take alcohol and even stressful situations.
How To Manage Alcohol Cravings
If you you are struggling with alcohol cravings, then you will certainly find these strategies helpful.
1. Talk to someone you trust. It might be a friend, a relative, a sponsor or even someone from your faith community.
2. Keep reminding yourself why you quit: when someone experiences alcohol craving, it is usually due to remembering the good things and forgetting the negative things that alcohol has.
3. Distracting yourself until the craving passes: for distraction, you can listen to music, go for a stroll, walk your dog, play an engaging game or even some house cleaning. This will put your mind of the urge to drink.
You should also learn to accept the fact that you are having an urge to drink, instead of fighting it. Rather than attempting to battle, ignore or judge the urge, you should instead ride it out by accepting it and it will pass even faster than you would expect.
The Steps Of Urge Surfing
1. Taking Note Of How You Experience the Craving
You can do this by sitting on a comfortable chair and taking a few deep breaths to bring your attention inward. You should let your attention go through your body and try to discover which part in your body has the craving and what the sensations feel like. Note each area that you feel the urge and say what you are experiencing. It might be your stomach, your mouth or any other part.
2. Focusing On The Area With The Urge
Know the exact sensations in that particular area. For instance, you might feel numb, tingly or cold. How large is the area involved and are the muscles tense or relaxed? These are some of the sensations you should note. Ideally, notice the changes that occur with the sensation. Maybe you feel tension in your lips and tongue, you might experience dryness on your mouth or even imagine the smell of whisky as you inhale.
3. Repeat The Focus Process With Every Part That Experiences Cravings
You should describe the various changes that happen with the sensations. Ideally, take note of how the urge comes and how it goes. The essence of this exercise is not to get rid of the craving, but to experience it in a whole new way. If you practice this, you will ultimately be familiar with your urges and you will learn how to deal with them until they vanish.
Avoid Drinking Triggers
You should avoid anything that gives you the urge to drink. This can be anything from people, activities, places etc. Try your best to avoid these triggers. Also, do keep in mind that avoiding these triggers may mean changing your lifestyle and even social life. You may be forced to do new things with your friends or even give up on those friends if the influence is inevitable.
You should have a habit of saying no to alcohol in certain situations. Even if you avoid alcohol, there are times where you will be offered a bear. In such situations you should firmly, but politely say “no, but thanks.”
Options Okanagan Opiate and Alcohol Treatment Centers in Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Vancouver, British Columbia – Men and Women are recovering and healing from Alcohol and Drug Abuse at our treatment center here in the Okanagan right now.
Our unique and distinctive Opiate Drug and Alcohol treatment program allows men and women to come in from Calgary as well as Edmonton as we offer airport pickup.
Numerous clients come to us from Calgary and Edmonton and other locations in Alberta and even other provinces for Opiate addiction treatment, meth drug treatment, many other drug and alcohol addictions for rehabilitation because of the uniqueness of our treatment center.
Our Treatment Location:
Options Okanagan Alcohol Treatment Center
551 Sherrydale Crescent, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 2E6
Toll Free Phone Number : 1-855-335-0331