Expert: Jan Edward Williams - 1/8/2010

Question
all i have done for two months is crave sweets since i have quit drinking,need help

Answer
Hello j,
You do not give me much information to use to try to help you, but I can make some general comments. If you are an alcoholic who has stopped drinking, it is normal to crave sweets. Candy and other sweets are basically empty calories like alcohol that you're body has become habituated to due to your alcoholism. Drinking alcohol or eating sweets causes a flood of feel good chemicals such as GABA and dopamine in the reward pathway of the brain; so when you eat the sweets you are getting some of the same rewards as when you drank but not as intense. I suggest trying moderation as far  as the sweets are concerned, perhaps using the same tools you used to stop drinking; eat three meals a day; exercise; practice good nutrition. Over time, your body will adjust to the absence of alcohol, but, as is true for me after 32 years of not drinking, you will always have a liking for empty calories. Good luck.
Jan Edward Williams, MS, JD, LCADC
www.alcoholdrugsos.com