Cravings, Decoded – Part 3
If you’ve read Part 2, this continues the thread—diving into why mental cravings feel so real in the body, even when they’re driven by thought.
Some cravings feel like they hit the body first.
A tightening in the chest. A flutter in the stomach. A sense of tension that rises out of nowhere and makes us feel like we need a drink.
But what if those physical sensations aren’t actually physical at all?
What if they’re mental cravings—so convincing that they create sensations in the body?
This is one of the most important shifts we can make in understanding addiction:
Not all cravings that feel physical are physical. Some are illusions—powered by thought.
How the Mind Triggers the Body
We tend to separate mind and body. But they’re not separate at all.
Think of a moment when you felt emotionally overwhelmed—fear, anger, shame, excitement. Those experiences didn’t just stay in your head. They showed up in your stomach, your chest, your shoulders, your breath.
That’s not a coincidence. It’s a feedback loop:
- A thought creates an emotion
- The emotion creates a physiological signal
- We feel that signal in the body—and assume it means something urgent
This is exactly how mental cravings become physical sensations.
Examples of Mental Cravings Creating Physical Signals
Here’s what this looks like in real life:
- You think: “I need a drink to take the edge off.”
→ Your chest tightens. You feel unsettled. It must be a craving. - You tell yourself: “I’ll never be able to drink again.”
→ You feel deprived. Anxious. You start to sweat or pace. - You imagine drinking—taste, relief, escape.
→ Your gut reacts. Your body prepares for something it expects but doesn’t get.
These are mental processes—but they show up in the body. And because they feel real, we believe them.
The Role of Dopamine and Reward Conditioning
Our brains are wired to chase rewards. Dopamine—the neurotransmitter that powers the brain’s reward system—helps us remember what felt good and motivates us to repeat it.
But dopamine doesn’t care if the reward is harmful. It doesn’t evaluate. It just records and reinforces.
Here’s what happens with alcohol:
- You drink in a pleasurable or relieving situation
- Your brain spikes dopamine
- It learns: alcohol = reward
- Later, when a similar situation arises, your brain lights up—even without the drink
But here’s the problem:
The dopamine spike happens at the thought stage—not after you drink. So just thinking about alcohol triggers a mini “reward prep” signal, which often feels physical.
The craving isn’t about a real need. It’s about a learned belief, reinforced by dopamine, that alcohol equals relief.
The Illusion Becomes a Loop
That’s how we get stuck.
- We have a thought about drinking
- The brain responds with a dopamine flare
- The body reacts with tension or urgency
- We assume it must be a real craving—maybe even a withdrawal
- We drink
- The brain records that the craving was solved by alcohol
- Next time, the craving is stronger
This is the cycle. But it’s not based on truth. It’s based on a misfiring reward system and a misunderstanding of what the body is actually telling us.
How to Break the Illusion
The good news is that this loop can be broken. And the first step is recognizing the craving for what it is: a thought-driven illusion that feels real—but isn’t.
Here’s how:
1. Pause and Name It
“This is a mental craving. It feels physical, but I know where it came from.”
Just naming it interrupts the automatic belief.
2. Track the Thought
What thought came just before the sensation? What story did your brain tell you?
“I need to drink because I’m stressed.”
“I can’t have fun without alcohol.”
“This discomfort means I’m not okay.”
Call that thought out. Challenge it.
3. Let the Sensation Be
Don’t fight the feeling. Let the body do its thing—while you hold steady in the truth.
The feeling will pass. You don’t need to chase a fix.
4. Reinforce the New Belief
Remind yourself:
“This is my brain running an old script. I don’t believe it anymore.”
Each time you do that, you’re rewiring. You’re breaking the connection between thought and craving.
Real, But Not True
Just because a craving feels physical doesn’t mean your body needs anything.
It means your brain is reacting to an old story—and your body is echoing it back.
Mental cravings can feel real. They can feel urgent. But they’re not dangerous. They’re just echoes of a belief system that no longer serves you.
And once you see that clearly, the illusion starts to fall apart.
You feel the craving… and you let it pass.
And in that space, you find your freedom.
🔗 Cravings, Decoded: Full Series
Explore the full series below, or jump straight to the article you need.
Part 1: What Causes Alcohol Cravings
Part 2: The Craving Escalation Cycle
Part 3: When Mental Cravings Feel Physical ← you’re here
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