What to Do When You Feel Like Drinking Again: A Recovery Guide

Feeling like drinking again is something more common than people often admit during recovery. Whether it's triggered by stress, sadness, or even moments of celebration, the urge can show up when you least expect it. It doesn’t mean you've failed. It simply means you're still human, still healing, and still finding your way. Recognizing that these moments will come is a big part of learning how to handle them.

The good news is, you're not alone, and you don’t have to face those moments empty-handed. When you’ve worked so hard to reach this point, the thought of slipping back can stir up fear and confusion. What helps most is having a plan, a way to face these urges head-on without losing everything you’ve built. Knowing what steps to take, who to reach out to, and how to re-center emotionally can keep you grounded and moving forward even in the middle of struggle.

Identify Your Triggers

One of the best things you can do to protect your recovery is to figure out what causes the urge to drink in the first place. These moments don’t appear out of nowhere. They usually come from something deeper. These emotional reactions are often tied to patterns that, once uncovered, give you the power to face them differently.

Some common triggers include:

- Stress after a long day at work or dealing with family issues

- Being in social settings where alcohol is present

- Feeling lonely, bored, or overwhelmed

- Celebrating small wins or milestones without a clear plan

Take a look at what’s usually happening when those cravings begin. Do they show up at the same time each day? Is there a certain place, person, or thought that brings them on? Keeping a simple journal, even if it's just a couple of lines a day, can help you spot patterns. This doesn’t need to be anything fancy, just something to help you connect those dots over time.

Once you know your triggers, you can plan better ways to deal with them. For example, if family tension is a common one, you might schedule a walk or call a supportive friend right after those moments. Creating that space between what triggers you and your reaction helps you think more clearly and choose responses that support your recovery.

Create A Coping Plan That Actually Works

The more you prepare for what might throw you off course, the more control you’ll have in the moment. A coping plan is exactly that. It’s your personal strategy for taking care of yourself when your emotions or environment make sobriety feel harder.

Here’s a simple way to build your own plan:

1. List your most common triggers based on your journal or past experiences

2. Next to each trigger, come up with two or three healthy actions to take when they show up

3. Write out short reminders or phrases that lift your spirits or ground you when things feel tough

4. Keep the plan somewhere easy to reach, like in your phone's notes app or a small card in your bag

Some helpful actions to include might be:

- Going for a short walk to clear your head

- Calling someone who understands your journey

- Playing your favorite playlist or journaling your thoughts

- Practicing deep breathing or a short prayer

- Keeping your hands busy with a hobby, game, or project at home

The goal is to remove the guesswork when the urge hits. Instead of being caught off guard, you’ll have a go-to list of ways to bring calm into your space. Having people you trust nearby or on standby, like a sponsor, family member, or a community leader, can also keep you grounded when coping feels hard to do alone.

Use Faith And Spiritual Practices

When you're feeling overwhelmed or tempted to drink, leaning into your faith can offer a deep sense of comfort. Spiritual practices help give structure during uncertain moments and provide a space to reconnect with something bigger than what you're feeling in that moment. You don’t need to have perfect beliefs to get started, just a willing heart.

Whether you're someone who grew up in church or you're exploring faith now, there are practical ways to bring more of that spiritual strength into your day:

- Start the morning with a short prayer asking for peace and direction

- Read a few verses of Scripture and think about how they apply to your current mood or struggle

- Write down three things you're thankful for, no matter how small

- Set aside a quiet time for reflection, even if it’s just five minutes in the car before going inside

- Attend a community worship service once a week to feel grounded and supported

These habits build inner calm and help you feel less reactive. They don’t make hard days disappear, but they do make them feel a little more manageable. One woman in recovery shared how she opened her Bible every night, even if she didn’t read a word, just to remind herself she wasn’t alone in the fight. That steady routine became an anchor point she could depend on.

Let your faith be a place you return to instead of something you feel pressure to perfect. Over time, these small, steady routines become powerful tools in your recovery. The more personal they are, the more they work.

Reach Out For Professional Help When You Need It

Sometimes, despite journaling your triggers and sticking to your plan, it still feels like too much. Those are the moments when it's important to reach out instead of pushing through it alone. Being strong doesn’t mean doing everything by yourself. It means knowing when to ask for help.

You might reach out to a trusted friend or mentor, someone who has seen you struggle and still believes in your new future. Or you might need to talk to someone who understands the road you're on from a faith-based recovery point of view. Support that aligns with spiritual values can make healing feel more relatable and less distant.

Here’s when to consider calling someone in:

- You’ve had a strong urge to drink for several days in a row

- You’re isolating more than usual or pulling away from people who care

- Negative thoughts or hopelessness keep you from doing basic daily activities

- You're starting to believe that drinking again would solve things, even for a moment

When you recognize those signs, don't let shame or guilt stop you from picking up the phone. Each call, text, or moment of face-to-face honesty is a step away from the urge and toward stability.

Faith-based support that includes ministering and healthy community accountability gives emotional and spiritual tools during the times you need them most. These conversations can help clear the fog, create next steps, and give gentle reminders that you're worth showing up for every single day.

Finding Strength In Community Support

When you're recovering from addiction, community makes a huge difference. Being surrounded by people who get it, who know what it feels like to be scared of going backward, can provide a strong sense of stability. Whether it’s a support group, a chance to serve others, or just someone to share coffee with, you’ll feel less alone.

In places like Frisco and across Collin County, many local groups offer small gatherings centered on shared faith and recovery goals. Look for places where honesty feels safe, where judgment is left at the door, and where compassion takes center stage. Your community doesn’t have to be big, it just needs to be real.

Here are ways to create stronger support around you:

- Join a women’s recovery group that meets regularly with a spiritual focus

- Attend fellowship events where you can connect in low-pressure settings

- Volunteer with groups that support other women in recovery

- Let a trusted friend or mentor check in on you weekly by text or in person

This kind of support works quietly in the background. It keeps you from building walls and staying in isolation. Sometimes, just knowing someone is praying for you or saving you a seat on Sunday is enough to shift your direction for the week.

Keep Choosing Your Future, Even On Hard Days

Recovery doesn’t follow a straight road. It twists, it stalls, and some days feel like you’re starting from zero. But every time you face the urge to drink and choose a better moment instead, that’s progress. That’s courage. You won’t always feel strong, but you don’t have to feel strong to make the next right choice.

The steps you’ve taken so far matter, even if no one else sees them. Every time you write in your journal, attend a meeting, say a prayer, or talk to someone instead of drinking, you’re rewriting your story. These are the choices that build a life of steady hope instead of scattered fixes.

Renewing your mind daily, trusting your support system, and reconnecting with your faith will carry you through longer than any moment of weakness ever could. Healing doesn’t come from one big choice. It grows from all the little ones you keep showing up for. Stay open. Stay honest. Keep walking forward, even if it's at a slow pace. You’re further along than you think.

Embrace the next chapter by finding strength in community and faith. If you're ready to stop drinking and start over with support tailored to your needs, we’re here to help. Connect with Tomohawk Homes to discover how our faith-based approach provides the foundation for a brighter future. Let us walk alongside you on this journey.

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