How to Decrease Alcohol Cravings

The Bright Eye Counseling Services website states that decreasing alcohol cravings is a key component to the successful treatment of alcoholism, as coping with cravings presents quite a challenge to people who abuse alcohol. You can try many different techniques to decrease your alcohol cravings and it may take some experimentation to find what works best for you. A combination of techniques works best for many people.

Instructions

• 1

  Distract yourself from the thoughts of alcohol. Bright Eye Counseling Services advises people to talk to someone, go someplace different for a change of scenery, engage in a task such a video game that requires concentration, or get involved in any enjoyable activity.

• 2

  Exercise regularly. Medicine Net reports that an animal study involving hamsters found that those that got the most exercise consumed the least alcohol, suggesting that people can reduce cravings for alcohol by exercising. Exercising may also serve as a distraction from alcohol cravings for some people, making it doubly effective as a way to decrease cravings.

• 3

  Eat a healthful diet that includes foods high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, eggs and nuts. In a 2004 report on WCHS Eyewitness News, Dr. Joan Matthews-Larson explained that this reduces cravings for alcohol, often in as few as seven days. Vitamin deficiencies, such as thiamine and vitamin B12, may also contribute to alcohol cravings and should be treated when they exist.

• 4

  Schedule an appointment with a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of alcohol addiction. A psychotherapist can teach you techniques for decreasing alcohol cravings and provide support as you practice new coping strategies.

• 5

  Ask your doctor if medication would help in your case. Tarzana Treatment Centers reports that numerous medications reduce alcohol cravings in some patients, including Campral and Vivitrol. These medications can have side effects and may not be appropriate for all patients, so ask your doctor if medication might help you. If your doctor does prescribe medication to decrease alcohol cravings, take it exactly as prescribed and do not skip any doses. Contact your doctor about any side effects you experience.