[Pup]

I'm really tempted to drink. (long story short; been a binge drinker since around age 12/13, a lot of crud has happened in my life, it's another one of my *addictions*, been battling against these temptations since December time last year...)

The urges are getting worse and since my mother is an alcoholic, she has a lot of alcohol around this place... so it's easier to access... gah.

Could use some...
support?

[Christina86]

((((((((((((((((Pupp))))))))))))))))))))))

Can you take a walk, or get out of the house for a bit and away from the alcohol?
Call a friend, read a book - keep posting here, and keep yourself "tied" to the computer so you can't get up and drink?

Good job on denying the urges thus far... you're doing really well.

[Pup]

It's 4:26am so a walk is outta the window unfortunetly! This area is quite rough, too...

I'm just so exhausted and sleepy too, but find it hard to sleep with everything going on... I hate this.

How do you cope with addiction temptations? If you have any?

[idontknow13]

How do you cope with addiction temptations, well I can tell you what I do which is taking it one hour at a time, sometimes one minute at a time, try to get busy doing something, call a non-drinker friend you can share with.
And always remember how I felt on my last drunk, that does it everytime. No matter how I feel, drinking will just make it worse in the end.
Take care of yourself, you are not alone.

[Christina86]

Originally Posted by Pupp

It's 4:26am so a walk is outta the window unfortunetly! This area is quite rough, too...

I'm just so exhausted and sleepy too, but find it hard to sleep with everything going on... I hate this.

How do you cope with addiction temptations? If you have any?

Oh (((((((((((Pupp)))))))))))))) I have more addictions than I can remember at times...

Usually, I try to do the exact opposite of what the addiction is telling me to do... like, if I'm feeling like I hate myself and I should just do <blank> then I do the exact opposite of what that nasty voice is saying... so I try to do something good for myself, even if it's as corny as saying "I love me" (even if I don't believe it).

I try to come up with a list of things to do instead of giving into the urge...

- I call people. Okay, it's a bit early for you to be calling someone - but if you like to talk to people, or like phoning people and can get support that way, then do it!
- I listen to music. Lots of music. I sing along with it too. Out loud.
- I journal. Write down what you're feeling, what the urges are telling you to do, what you want to be doing, and then just keep writing... it sometimes gets the feeling out.
- Resort to a "healthy" addiction... like I really like chocolate and sugar and caffeine... sometimes they're not a healthy addiction, but if it's between eating a bowl of icecream and doing something immediately harmful to myself, I'd choose the ice cream!
- I play with my rats. I love animals. Do you have any pets? Perhaps if you don't, that's something to consider in the future... pets have a remarkable way of distracting us and loving us when we don't love ourselves.
- I write a long ranting post here on PC. Seriously!! I've written a lot here over the years when I've wanted to give into an urge or give into an addiction.
- I read. Something completely frivilous... like a fiction book. Or a funny book... something that's easy to distract yourself with.
- I watch TV or watch a funny movie. Not a scary or traumatizing movie, something funny or fluffy... like a romance comedy.
- I sleep. Sometimes me sleeping is a kind of addiction, but trying to sleep when you want to resort to an addiction is a great coping mechanism!!

[Pup]

Gosh thank you... that's awesome advice. Thank you. I will try and catch some sleep and try some of the suggestions there. Thanks again. And thank you idontknow.

[Christina86]

Originally Posted by Pupp

Gosh thank you... that's awesome advice. Thank you. I will try and catch some sleep and try some of the suggestions there. Thanks again. And thank you idontknow.

Not a problem!! I know that it's in the self-injury forum, but I've found that the pinned topic there ("Things to do instead of Self Injuring") has lots of advice about things you can do instead of giving into an addiction or an urge to do something harmful to yourself.

Hope you get some restful sleep.

[Pup]

Thank you I will check that out...