Curb Alcohol Cravings: 3 Medications and 5 Natural Remedies to Drink Less or Quit

Ask yourself, “While these reactions may be unpleasant, will I really go out of my mind if I don’t give in? ” Note how these reactions vary across time as you respond passively to the urge. Click here to learn more about medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Individual Factors That Impact How Naltrexone Works in Your Body

And you don’t have to wait until you hit rock bottom; you can make a change at any time. Whether you want to quit drinking altogether or cut down to healthier levels, these guidelines can help you get started on the road to recovery today. Frequent drinking can cause your body to build a tolerance to alcohol. This means you need to drink more in order to feel ‘drunk’ and you’re likely to be much more susceptible to experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These can include feelings of anxiety, irritability, nausea and headaches, as well as intense cravings for alcohol. If you’re trying to stop drinking or recovering from alcohol addiction, cravings can make it difficult to avoid relapse.

• You might reach for alcohol when you’re really just thirsty, says Crews.
• Furthermore, eating regularly and maintaining a balanced diet can keep your blood sugar levels stable, which may lessen alcohol cravings.
• This forms part of the cycle of alcohol addiction and contributes to the intensity of cravings.
• Sometimes you can’t avoid triggers which may be feelings you have or a physical condition that comes on from time to time.

Expert Tips For Reducing Your Alcohol Consumption

When a craving hits, try engaging in an activity that requires focus and attention. It could be anything from solving a puzzle how to stop alcohol cravings to calling a friend. The idea is to redirect your brain’s energy away from the craving and towards something else.

• Tell your close friends and family before you begin your detox, and ask them to support you.
• Emerging treatments and research are constantly expanding our toolkit for managing addiction cravings.
• Learning to navigate drinking triggers in daily life can be difficult.
• It’s important to acknowledge your ambivalence about stopping drinking.

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Furthermore, research has shown that alcohol cravings can also be influenced by genetic factors. Certain individuals may have a genetic predisposition to experiencing stronger cravings for alcohol, making it even more challenging to overcome addiction. If you would like some extra help in managing drug or alcohol cravings, our outpatient addiction treatment may be beneficial. Dr. Streem https://ecosoberhouse.com/ suggests starting with the World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). It can be a particularly helpful way to help you get a clearer understanding of your drinking habits and your relationship with alcohol. It’s a 10-question screening test that gives you research-backed, personalized advice for quitting or reducing your intake of alcohol.

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Three drugs have FDA approval for alcohol use disorder, and each works differently. In order to change your drinking habits, your first step is to take a close look at your current behaviors and find patterns. For 3 to 4 weeks, write down every time you have a drink and how much you drink.

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