The key to ongoing sobriety lies in the addict’s “rules” for fighting the Beast. If addicts have no pre-planned “Battle Plans” in place, then when the Beast, in the form of cravings, returns, he will defeat the addict every time.
Before confronting addiction, the principle of, “Know Thine Enemy” is paramount in formulating a successful plan. The following are but a few of the key strategies addicts must acknowledge, internalize and apply.
1. Cope with Cravings
Cravings are a natural part of recovery. As the addict’s drug-of-choice is withdrawn, the brain in a panicked response fights the withdrawal by “craving”.
(a) Overcoming Fear
Many addicts fear that the cravings will never stop and that the “torture” will continue indefinitely. This “fear” overwhelms and eventually causes the addict to succumb. Deal with the fear. Accept that this will pass. The cravings will lessen, not only in severity, but also in frequency. The “using” dreams will go away, and but for an occasional, weak craving that seems to pop up for a few minutes all our lives, a good strategy will vanquish cravings.
(b) Diet
One of the most overlooked aspects of recovery is the role that diet plays in recovery. A healthy diet leads to a healthy body, which in turn produces feelings of well-being and strength. These are some foods that must be drastically cut from an addicts diet
Sugar
There are enormous connections between sugar and alcohol. They are connected just like Siamese twins.
Apart from the hypothesis that sugar “tickles” the same neuro-receptors as drugs and alcohol, it also affects the moods and feelings of the addict. A sudden intake of sugar causes a sugar-high … followed by a low. The body tries desperately to balance the glucose swings … and guess what can make that low feeling instantly better?
When you eat a ton of sugar and cause a glucose imbalance, you cause a craving for alcohol … which when converted to glucose relieve the symptoms of sugar withdrawal.
White Flour
Refined white-flour causes the same glucose rush as alcohol and sugar does. Also, white flour, bleached and processed to death is very unhealthy. It is total junk food, and creates cravings in exactly the same way that sugar does.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a drug. A strong drug. An addictive drug. As any pharmacist will tell you, 200 mg of caffeine is a strong dose. The average cup contains 150 mg, and that’s just in old-fashioned canned coffee! All you need to prove this is to abstain from drinking coffee for 24 hours when you’ll experience the mother of all headaches as vascular pounding beyond belief occurs.
That’s the beginning of caffeine withdrawal. When you drink coffee, your adrenal glands release “catecholamine” which causes your heart to pump harder and your liver to release stored sugars. Your pancreas responds by producing insulin which in turn produces a hypoglycemic state – low sugar … and cravings.
Healthy Foods
To promote health and nutritional balance, avoid “dead” foods and increase the amount of vegetables. fruits and whole grains in your diet. Avoid fats and fast foods. Ensure that your diet contains live, uncooked (not destroyed) vitamins and trace elements.
2. Relapse Prevention
Have in place a relapse prevention plan. Memorize it and never fail to whip it out at the first sign of “addictive thinking” or cravings. (See Chapter 12 – Relapse Prevention)
3. Slippery Slopes
Be aware of your slippery slopes. People, places, times and events that are associated with your using “ecosystem” have to be identified and avoided.
4. Assertiveness
High-risk situations produce “insane” addictive thinking called “Permission-Giving” thoughts. These must be dismantled through the use of assertive counter-statements.
Situation
Colleagues say. “Let’s go for a drink after work”
Permission-Giving Thoughts
“I can handle it. I’ll just have soft-drinks”
Assertive Counter-statement
“This is the sort of situation I’ve decided to avoid. I will not do it!”
There are many more “Rules of War” that can be added to the list.
1. Regularly attend a 12 Step Support Group
- Get a sponsor
- Work a program
- Do service at your “home” group
- Take life “One day at a Time”
- Avoid negative “self-talk”
- Never take sudden decisions
- Discuss major decisions with your sponsor
- Remove yourself from stressful situations
- Seek serenity – avoid turmoil
- Meditate – develope a quiet mind
- Be vigilant – your life depends on it.
