This is Annie Grace and you're listening to this naked mind podcast where without

judgment, pain, or rules, we explore the role of alcohol in our lives and culture.

Hi friends, this is Annie Grace, author of this naked mind and I am answering readers questions

and today I have a question from Mike. Mike asks, Annie, what is in your opinion the single best way

to overcome cravings? There's so much advice out there but what do you think the most effective way is?

And you will not be surprised that as the author of this naked mind, my single best way that I believe in

that is scientifically backed up and I'm going to put the studies below and talk to you about some

of them is to be mindful and present with the cravings. So here's what I mean. Studies show numerous

studies that when you try to repress something and not think about something, it actually makes it

worse. So an individual needs to become aware of everything that's going on within that craving

and instead of running from it and trying not to think about it, they need to really go into it

and say what exactly is happening in my mind and in my body and how can I become aware of this?

And it's a very simple technique and there's actually a free audio file by the researcher her name is

Sarah Bowden. She is a researcher for let's see here, the addictive behaviors research center at

the University of Washington and she invented this, not invented but she's packaged this in a very

cool way it's called surfing the urge and it's all based on this really great study but what you do is

you basically say what was I thinking and feeling just before this feeling came on? What were my thoughts?

What are my thoughts now? Are my thoughts, you know, am I going to be missing out if I don't have

this drink? Am I going to be miserable? Am I not as fun as I used to be? What am I thinking? And don't

judge your thoughts, don't try to fix your thoughts, don't try to drop your thoughts, just become

aware of your thoughts and then perhaps ask yourself is that really, is that really true or not true?

You know, it's also very helpful to ask yourself would I feel better not thinking this thought

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