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Therefore, it’s common for someone in early addiction recovery to crave sweets and other sugary foods to try and produce the large amounts of dopamine they need to feel good. The sugar cravings after quitting alcohol are deeper than that, though. When a person uses alcohol, the brain’s pleasure center is triggered. It releases dopamine, a hormone that helps you to feel happy and good.
Many heavy drinkers are hypoglycemic, or have low blood sugar, which can cause them to crave sweets. This can become especially apparent when alcohol is removed from the equation. Some heavy drinkers may also experience “cross-tolerance” between alcohol why do alcoholics crave sugar and sugar. Cross-tolerance means that someone who is dependent on one addictive substance may also have higher tolerance for another. This can make it easier to become dependent on that other substance—such as replacing alcohol with sugar.
Don’t skimp on food.
It’s not uncommon for individuals who once struggled with alcohol to turn to food in recovery, especially sugary foods. There are psychological and physiological reasons as to why this occurs. There seems to be a distinct link between addiction and sugar cravings that many addicts experience in recovery. If you’re a recovering alcoholic, you may have expected some discomfort and other challenges, but not this. This type of craving is a new one, and you can’t seem to shake it.
This may require you to plan out your meals so you’re not throwing something together last minute when you’re famished. Your body may also be craving the carbohydrates you drank in alcohol, especially if you consumed wine, beer, or sugary mixers. This is what most of my clients believe to be true if they are having sugar cravings.
Alcohol and Serotonin
Alcohol stops this from happening, causing your blood sugar to drop. That’s why alcohol withdrawal and sugar cravings happen frequently. But why did sugar cravings replace the alcohol cravings? The truth is, it’s common https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcoholic-ketoacidosis-symptoms-and-treatment/ for people who quit drinking to, out of nowhere, start craving sugar or sweets. Many people with eating disorders avoid social invitations and daily responsibilities in order to have time to engage in binge eating.
While this statement does oversimplify things to grab your attention, it also has some truth to it. While sugar affects your brain’s reward system slightly differently, the effect is similar overall, and both can be very habit forming. Contact us today to find out which program might be right for you, or to begin the process of arranging for treatment. Try to feel proud of the small steps you’re taking rather than guilty about the changes yet to be made.
Addictions
“There’s the boredom factor and the reward factor,” Witkiewitz added, “And food is a very accessible, natural reward.” It’s because addiction is a lifestyle, as well as a disease. There’s often an underlying reason fueling the addiction. That’s why treatment centers like Silver Maple Recovery offer trauma-informed care and cognitive behavioral therapy. Addressing the underlying cause of your behavior can help you overcome a transfer addiction.