An itch will only go away if you don't scratch it

If you think you are going to get relief from your craving, bitterness or bad feeling by picking up the first bit of sugar, beer, vodka, oxycodin, heroin, crack, internet porn, or anything else, you are sorely mistaken. Picking up the first one relieves nothing. It just creates more craving. The only way to get rid of the craving is to not pick up the first one. Use a recovery tool like following the craving through to its bitter end, like remembering how painful it was to use just to feel normal. And be especially careful about substituting one drug or addictive behavior for another because the new drug may start you on the road to new bad consequences (called cross addiction).


To-do:

Using doesn't relieve cravings so pick up a recovery tool (like calling someone, prayer, finding and going to a meeting, helping someone else) instead of picking up the drug or starting the addictive process you are craving. You don't have to use just because you crave. When you don't act out, you will feel happier than you think you would have if you had acted out.