Three Deep Breaths
This seems to be the best first response to cravings. When I feel the craving hit I can also feel my breathing get more shallow as my system anticipates the dopamine hit that using gives. I feel my heart beat faster.
So I’ve been practicing, whenever I get that feeling, even if it’s not a craving thing. I sit back, take three deep breaths, try to get my mind, heart, and lungs back to calm.
This also gives me time to make a deliberate, rather than knee-jerk reaction. Is this really what I want to do? Am I heading down a road that will lead back to addiction? What can I do instead?
Usually by the last deep breath I have a plan of escape, and I’m ready to move to a better activity. And if I haven’t thought of a way out after three breaths, well, deep breaths are free. I can take a few more.
184 days so far. There have been some close calls lately, but I’ve stayed free of the stuff.
-A