How to Cope With Withdrawal Cravings

Cravings for alcohol or drugs are common among people who have been addicted, or even after a period of intense use. They are both physical and psychological in nature and are most intense during the acute withdrawal period the day or two after you stop using the drug or alcohol. They can, however, also occur months or years after withdrawal.

There are many theories about what causes cravings, but the bottom line is that if you have been addicted you will almost certainly experience cravings. Here are some key points you should understand if you're coping with cravings after withdrawing from an addictive substance:

Medications to Reduce Cravings

You are very vulnerable to cravings shortly after becoming abstinent. However, methods of overcoming cravings that rely on willpower alone often fail. There are medications that can reduce alcohol and substance cravings.

Without medications to help reduce opiate cravings, people who are addicted to opiates are at an increased risk of overdose death from Fentanyl. When used appropriately, methadone and buprenorphine can notably reduce opiate cravings and the risk of relapse.

Acamprosate, for one, can reduce craving for alcohol. Vivitrol is another, which can also reduce craving for opiates. Cravings will often increase with time off the substance, as with the alcohol deprivation effect, which is an increased preoccupation with alcohol after a period of abstinence.

Why and When Cravings Occur

There are psychological triggers that you will almost certainly encounter in your daily life. Here are some specific situations in which cravings are most likely to occur:

• When you're experiencing physical sensations you associate with your addictive substance or activity (fatigue, shakiness, etc.).
• When you are exposed to whatever you're addicted to (alcohol, drugs, foods, etc.)
• When you are feeling particular emotions you associate with the addictive substance or activity (depending upon your particular psychology, you may be most vulnerable when you're frustrated, tired, or stressed—or when you're happy, excited, or eager to share your success). 
• When you are interacting with people, places, times of day, and situations associated with your addictive substance or activity (evenings, weekends, and time with old friends can be particularly difficult)
• When you see others enjoying whatever you're addicted to

Tips for Managing Cravings

Everyone has a different response to cravings; if one of the following tips doesn't work for you, try another!

• Exercise is one of the easiest ways of reducing cravings because it releases endorphins which make you feel better, and it changes your bodily sensations, making it easier to distract your attention away from physical cues to take more drugs or alcohol. However, start gently, particularly if you are also experiencing fatigue and/or muscle weakness, and avoid developing a substitute exercise addiction by keeping your daily exercise under two hours.​
• If you're planning to be in a location or with people who trigger cravings, have a specific plan in mind for managing your feelings. Know what you'll eat or drink, know how you'll leave the situation, know who to call if you need support.
• Keeping busy to distract yourself from the cravings can be helpful in focusing your attention away from the desire to take more of the drug.
• Know your triggers. As you go through your day, take note of cravings—even mild ones—and keep a journal. This will help you to anticipate and plan for cravings as they arise.
• Music therapy is helpful for reducing cravings; listening to music may distract you from the cravings and calm the physical symptoms of cravings, helping you feel better.
• Positive self-talk can often help people through cravings. Yes, you're worth the pain of saying "no" to something that is likely to harm you in the long run.
• "Surfing" through the craving. In some cases, distraction may not help and you may simply need to experience the ups and downs of cravings. In that case, it may help to recall the negatives of the addiction and the hard work you've already done to overcome it.
• Talk about your cravings. For some people, talking about cravings is one way to enlist the support of friends, which can help you to move through and past the need to indulge.