How To Stop Alcohol Cravings: Remedies, Medication & More

These cravings are a common experience for those trying to reduce their alcohol intake or maintain sobriety, especially in the early stages of recovery. When you are attempting to make changes to your drinking habits or drug use, it can be frustrating trying to figure out how to control urges. You might be doing your best to avoid taking drugs or drinking, but you still find yourself having drug and alcohol urges or cravings. There are a number of ways to manage and reduce urges or cravings.

What Do Alcohol Cravings Feel Like?

• Mindfulness and meditation can appear abstract for beginners, but their application for proactive craving management is strongly backed by science.
• In addition, some new, non-addictive medications can reduce the desire to drink or lessen the rewarding effect of drinking so it is easier to stop.
• You might notice stressful or tense situations tend to fuel cravings more often than not.

“Try doing a ‘dry’ month like Dry January, Go Dry for July or Sober October,” says Moore. In January 2020, more than 6 million people reportedly participated in Dry January, a campaign to reduce alcohol consumption organized by Alcohol Change UK. Follow-up research suggested that most tended to drink in healthier amounts afterward. “Once you have a sense of how much you’re drinking, it’s helpful to track how many drinks you’re having per day,” says Witkiewitz.

• The journey can be challenging, but you are certainly not alone in that challenge.
• When a craving hits, check if you’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
• Triggers are internal or external cues that can set off cravings or the urge to drink.
• Up to 75 percent of people in alcohol recovery will experience PAWS to one degree or another.

Overcoming Alcohol Cravings: Effective Strategies For Long-Term Sobriety Success

You may have close friends or even family members who can contribute to your alcohol intake and habits. According to multiple studies and surveys, peer pressure influences the drinking behavior in young adults who would have otherwise remained sober. Regular showering has an array of physical and mental benefits, but you can experience more of them if you have a bath every so often. Internal triggers are more challenging to handle, but you can learn to cope with them. When the “one drink couldn’t hurt” thought pops up, look back at all those back-to-back drinks you had that started with the same thought.

• The usual dose for treating alcohol cravings is 50 milligrams once per day.
• Participants not only find emotional backup but also gain practical insights and strategies from those on the same journey.
• Overall, keeping a journal can be an effective way to increase self-awareness and identify patterns in your behavior that may be contributing to alcohol cravings.

Plan to handle urges to drink.

Specifically, a few kinds of treatment options can be especially helpful for those learning how to maintain long-term sobriety from alcohol addiction. You might feel a loss of control or an overwhelming desire to consume alcohol, even if you know doing so would produce negative consequences. However, there are heroin addiction some clear neurochemical reasons you might experience cravings. Drugs help manage cravings, but alcohol addiction treatment requires more than just medicine. At 12 South Recovery, we believe in addressing the root causes of addiction through a combination of support, therapy, and education. Studies show that managing stress levels plays a big role in the success of treatment programs.

Learn more about your options and find the perfect treatment center in your area

This can lead to cravings since your brain feels like it needs alcohol to release that key hormone. Cravings are a big concern since they’re a common cause of relapse during alcohol addiction treatment. However, it is important to remember that these natural aids are most effective when integrated into a comprehensive plan tailored to individual needs. This plan should prioritize safety, be informed by evidence, and, where necessary, include professional medical guidance and psychological support. Quitting drinking, especially for those with significant dependence, can present challenges, and professional support can make the process safer and more sustainable. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is well-known for how to stop alcohol cravings its liver-protective properties.