Cravings, Decoded – Part 1
We tend to think cravings come out of nowhere. One minute we’re fine. The next, the urge to drink hits like a wave.
But cravings aren’t random. They’re conditioned responses—mental loops the brain has practiced over and over again. And until we understand how cravings really work, we’ll keep trying to white-knuckle through them at the surface.
Let’s go deeper.
What Is a Craving, Really?
A craving isn’t just a passing thought. It’s a mental and emotional urge that feels urgent, convincing, and hard to ignore. But it’s not caused by alcohol itself—it’s caused by what our brain believes alcohol does for us.
Over time, the brain learns to associate drinking with relief, connection, confidence, or fun. Not because it’s true—but because it’s been repeated, reinforced, and rewarded with dopamine.
Eventually, the brain links alcohol to specific moments, emotions, and environments—and starts lighting up the craving circuit anytime those cues appear.
That’s not weakness. That’s conditioning. And it runs deep.
The Role of Triggers
Cravings don’t just show up uninvited. Something always comes first—a trigger that kicks off the loop.
And while triggers vary from person to person, they tend to fall into four big categories:
1. Emotional Triggers
These come from how we feel—especially when emotions run high.
- Negative emotions like stress, loneliness, anxiety, or sadness can send a signal: “Drink to feel better.”
- Positive emotions like excitement, celebration, or relief can also trigger cravings: “You earned this. Celebrate.”
We’ve trained the brain to pair emotion with alcohol. So when we feel something intense—good or bad—it reaches for the old solution.
The story it tells us? “This feeling means I need a drink.”
It’s not true. But if we’ve played out that script a hundred times before, it’ll feel automatic.
2. Environmental Triggers
These are cues from the world around us:
- Walking past a familiar bar
- Seeing someone pour a drink on TV
- Music that reminds you of nights out
- Running into people you used to drink with
- Being at an event where everyone else is drinking
Environmental triggers work through memory. They tap into moments your brain linked with alcohol—and they fire off the signal: “This is where we drink.”
3. Routine Triggers
These are built into our habits and schedules.
- That first hour after work
- Certain days (Fridays, holidays, birthdays)
- Activities like watching a game or cooking dinner
The routine becomes a cue. Not because anything special is happening—but because that’s what we always did.
Even something as subtle as a time of day can whisper, “Isn’t this your drinking hour?”
4. Physical Triggers
Sometimes, the craving isn’t emotional or mental—it’s physical. The body sends signals that feel like an urge to drink, but really point to something else:
- Hunger
- Fatigue
- Low blood sugar
- Dehydration
- Nutrient imbalances
The brain feels off—and reaches for what it used to think would help: alcohol. But what we actually need in that moment might be food, water, rest, or movement.
Why Triggers Create Cravings
It’s all about association and reinforcement.
Each time we respond to a trigger with a drink, our brain makes a note: “This worked.”
Even if it didn’t really help.
That small dopamine hit is enough to reinforce the connection—so next time, the brain serves up the same suggestion. “You’re stressed? You know what helps…”
Eventually, it doesn’t even wait for the full scenario. Just a sound, a feeling, or a smell can activate the entire craving loop.
Why Understanding Triggers Changes Everything
You can’t out-muscle a subconscious pattern. But you can interrupt it.
And once you start recognizing cravings for what they are—trained responses, not truths—you create space to choose differently.
Instead of:
“This is overwhelming. I need a drink.”
You pause and say:
“Ah. This is that moment where my brain used to cue up alcohol. But I know that story now—and I’m not buying it.”
That’s how cravings lose power. Not by fighting harder, but by seeing more clearly.
Cravings Aren’t You—They’re Learned
Having a craving doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you.
It means your brain is doing what it was taught to do.
But brains are adaptable. Patterns can be rewired. And every time you respond to a trigger with clarity instead of old habits, you're building a new path.
It might feel small. But it’s everything.
Because the craving is just noise.
And your response? That’s where the real power lives.
🔗 Cravings, Decoded: Full Series
Explore the full series below, or jump straight to the article you need.
Part 1: What Causes Alcohol Cravings ← you’re here
Part 2: The Craving Escalation Cycle
Part 3: When Mental Cravings Feel Physical
Part 4: The Double-Barrel Problem
Part 5: The Hidden Triggers That Mimic Cravings
Part 6: How to Weaken and Destroy Cravings (For Good)
Part 7: Practical Tools for Managing Alcohol Cravings
— Brent