stopping craving

[gary]

Hi
I'm stopping the booze & haven't drunk anything since October, i never
drank a large amount & it was always before food, but i'd have 3-4 beers & a
fiew large stiff ones before a meal or a bottle of wine a night., it has
fucked with my relationships & i'm deterrmined now.
Every so often i get cravings for the 1st beer buzz, how do i stop the
cravings
Cheers (oops)
thanks

[Blue Moon]

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 21:45:56 -0000, "gary"
<gary@marsden74.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

> I'm stopping the booze & haven't drunk anything since October,

Curious choice of words. Are you "stopping" or have you "stopped"?

> i never
>drank a large amount & it was always before food, but i'd have 3-4 beers & a
>fiew large stiff ones before a meal or a bottle of wine a night., it has
>fucked with my relationships & i'm deterrmined now.
> Every so often i get cravings for the 1st beer buzz, how do i stop the
>cravings

Sounds like you have the mental obsession for alcohol which is common
to alcoholics as distinct from merely heavy drinkers. I would suggest
checking out your local AA meetings, and working the AA program. For
that head stuff, the program involves a series of actions that, whilst
they may not make much sense, do tend to work for those who take them.

--
Blue Moon

[Manhattaner32]

The "series of actions" alluded to in the other thread are:

.. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol-that our lives had become
unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to
sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as
we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact
nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make
amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so
would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly
admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact
with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for
us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried
to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all
our affairs.

This isn't everyone's cup of tea.

For a non religious/spiritual approach, check out:

http://www.moderation.org/
http://www.rational.org/
http://www.secularhumanism.org/sos/
http://www.unhooked.com/index.htm
http://www.smartrecovery.org/



"gary" <gary@marsden74.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bv41ru$on$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Hi
> I'm stopping the booze & haven't drunk anything since October, i
never
> drank a large amount & it was always before food, but i'd have 3-4 beers &
a
> fiew large stiff ones before a meal or a bottle of wine a night., it has
> fucked with my relationships & i'm deterrmined now.
> Every so often i get cravings for the 1st beer buzz, how do i stop the
> cravings
> Cheers (oops)
> thanks
>
>

[Julie LaRue]

I agree with Blue. The continula battle (compulsion) to either drink or not
drink continued for me until i put into action the tools and solutions that
AA and NA members shared with me.
"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:76ee4cdbc633bc74312ae13ac99f104c@news.teranew s.com...
> On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 21:45:56 -0000, "gary"
> <gary@marsden74.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > I'm stopping the booze & haven't drunk anything since October,
>
> Curious choice of words. Are you "stopping" or have you "stopped"?
>
> > i never
> >drank a large amount & it was always before food, but i'd have 3-4 beers
& a
> >fiew large stiff ones before a meal or a bottle of wine a night., it has
> >fucked with my relationships & i'm deterrmined now.
> > Every so often i get cravings for the 1st beer buzz, how do i stop the
> >cravings
>
> Sounds like you have the mental obsession for alcohol which is common
> to alcoholics as distinct from merely heavy drinkers. I would suggest
> checking out your local AA meetings, and working the AA program. For
> that head stuff, the program involves a series of actions that, whilst
> they may not make much sense, do tend to work for those who take them.
>
> --
> Blue Moon

[neuro equipoise]

On Mon, Jan 26, 2004, gary@marsden74.fsnet.co.uk (gary) wrote:
**********
> Every so often i get cravings for the 1st beer
> buzz, how do i stop the cravings

I am only a researcher trying to understand the brain chemistry of
alcoholism, and since I've never been a drinker, I can only offer you
advice about what I've learned so far.

Here are some science references about an amino acid protein supplement
which is known for cutting cravings for sugar, alcohol, and
carbohydrates. There are a lot of studies on this protein online in
relation to fighting alcohol cravings. Also, if your diet contains a
lot of sugar, you'll get cravings for more sugar and for alcohol,
because sugar is addictive too.


Research Quotes:

"Research has shown that L-Glutamine, in a dose of 500 mg. four times
daily, decreases the craving for alcohol. This amino acid is now
commonly used in alcoholism clinics.

L-Glutamine has been used, with great success in fighting other types of
cravings and addictions.* In a controlled study a group of alcoholics
were supplemented with L-Glutamine without their knowledge (L-Glutamine
is odorless.)* A reduction in alcohol consumption was seen in 77% of
the cases.

The amino acid (protein building block) glutamine appears to blunt the
craving for alcohol in human research studies.* Take 200 mg glutamine
in tablet or capsule form 5 times daily for 6 weeks.* If effective,
your response should be improvement of sleep, lessened anxiety, and a
reduced desire to drink."

http://www.countcarbs.com/advice/l-glutamine.htm

[Robert McGregor]

"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:76ee4cdbc633bc74312ae13ac99f104c@news.teranew s.com...
> Sounds like you have the mental obsession for alcohol which is common
> to alcoholics as distinct from merely heavy drinkers.

Blue, where on earth did you get that notion?

Bob

[Blue Moon]

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 20:22:23 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
<robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:

>"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:76ee4cdbc633bc74312ae13ac99f104c@news.teranew s.com...
>> Sounds like you have the mental obsession for alcohol which is common
>> to alcoholics as distinct from merely heavy drinkers.
>
>Blue, where on earth did you get that notion?

Suggest you read your book where it refers to certain types of hard
drinker who can leave it alone if given the right incentive. This guy
has been sober 3 months, but is obsessing over booze. What is that
thinking if it's not alcoholic?

--
Blue Moon

[Robert McGregor]

"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dbdad3e8e29ea2f161c5eb44428c9d08@news.teranew s.com...
> On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 20:22:23 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
> <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
>
> >"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:76ee4cdbc633bc74312ae13ac99f104c@news.teranew s.com...
> >> Sounds like you have the mental obsession for alcohol which is common
> >> to alcoholics as distinct from merely heavy drinkers.
> >
> >Blue, where on earth did you get that notion?
>
> Suggest you read your book where it refers to certain types of hard
> drinker who can leave it alone if given the right incentive. This guy
> has been sober 3 months, but is obsessing over booze. What is that
> thinking if it's not alcoholic?
>

Obsessive, just as all the apparently non alcoholic but heavy drinkers I
have ever known appeared obsessive about *their* alcohol.


Bob

[Blue Moon]

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 10:07:15 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
<robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:

>
>"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:dbdad3e8e29ea2f161c5eb44428c9d08@news.teranew s.com...
>> On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 20:22:23 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
>> <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
>>
>> >"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> >news:76ee4cdbc633bc74312ae13ac99f104c@news.teranew s.com...
>> >> Sounds like you have the mental obsession for alcohol which is common
>> >> to alcoholics as distinct from merely heavy drinkers.
>> >
>> >Blue, where on earth did you get that notion?
>>
>> Suggest you read your book where it refers to certain types of hard
>> drinker who can leave it alone if given the right incentive. This guy
>> has been sober 3 months, but is obsessing over booze. What is that
>> thinking if it's not alcoholic?
>>
>
>Obsessive, just as all the apparently non alcoholic but heavy drinkers I
>have ever known appeared obsessive about *their* alcohol.

Even months after they quit drinking? Do they spend many months or
years obsessing over their non-alcoholic obsession for alcohol?

--
Blue Moon

[Robert McGregor]

"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c79eb403be75da27d34c1cc3f5f2c732@news.teranew s.com...
> On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 10:07:15 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
> <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
>
> >
> >"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:dbdad3e8e29ea2f161c5eb44428c9d08@news.teranew s.com...
> >> On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 20:22:23 +1000, "Robert McGregor"
> >> <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> >>
> >> >"Blue Moon" <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >> >news:76ee4cdbc633bc74312ae13ac99f104c@news.teranew s.com...
> >> >> Sounds like you have the mental obsession for alcohol which is
common
> >> >> to alcoholics as distinct from merely heavy drinkers.
> >> >
> >> >Blue, where on earth did you get that notion?
> >>
> >> Suggest you read your book where it refers to certain types of hard
> >> drinker who can leave it alone if given the right incentive. This guy
> >> has been sober 3 months, but is obsessing over booze. What is that
> >> thinking if it's not alcoholic?
> >>
> >
> >Obsessive, just as all the apparently non alcoholic but heavy drinkers I
> >have ever known appeared obsessive about *their* alcohol.
>
> Even months after they quit drinking? Do they spend many months or
> years obsessing over their non-alcoholic obsession for alcohol?
>


I've never bothered to ask. There has been a heavy drinking culture in many
places I have been, such as mining camps, etc., but on reflection, probably
most simply said they grew up.

I know I have a definition of alcoholic that explains the people around me
to my complete satisfaction, but I seldom try and impose that viewpoint on
anyone else. That's why I questioned the source of your apparent imposition.

Most of the hindsight obsessing over alcohol I have seen has been amongst AA
members, arguably turning many non alcoholic recruits into alcoholics merely
by auto suggestion.


Bob

[neuro equipoise]

On Wed, Jan 28, 2004,mfoco@hotmail.com (Blue*Moon) wrote:

> Even months after they quit drinking? Do they
> spend many months or years obsessing over
> their non-alcoholic obsession for alcohol?


It depends on how damaged the basal ganglia portion of the brain is.
Part of what alters dopamine and GABA receptors there, is alcohol and
other neurotoxins. This biological damage determines how "obsessive"and
"compulsive" a person is. Rebuilding the receptors, by retraining the
thoughts is part of the solution.


Research Quote:

"Obsessions occur when the brain generates repetitive, powerful thoughts
that are intrusive and produce anxiety. In essence, patients cannot
"move on," forget about or control their own thoughts. Compulsions are
the physical actions or mental thoughts a patient carries out to reduce
or eradicate the feelings associated with obsessive worrying (i.e.,
anxiety).

Although the patient realizes that these obsessions and compulsions are
"unwanted, unreasonable and excessive," the person cannot stop listening
to the thoughts and acting on them because of the pure feeling of dread
the patient experiences until the compulsions are correctly performed.
Surprisingly, OCD is more common than once suggested. Today, one in
forty people (2.5 percent of the population) have clinical OCD (where
the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with daily functions) and
approximately 10 percent of the population has sub-clinical OCD (where
the thoughts are intrusive, but do not impair daily life and ability to
function). Thus, almost 12.5 percent of the population experiences OCD
symptoms at some point in their lives.

Initially, researchers did not know what caused OCD and many
psychiatrists believed it was purely a mental condition. However,
studies of OCD and related disorders showed that OCD is caused by damage
to a specific part of the brain called the basal ganglia. Thus, OCD is a
biological disorder, rather than a "mental problem."

http://www.hope4ocd.com/research/schwartz1299.html