Beat That Urge to Drink – Because Not Every Urge Deserves a Yes

We all get ’em. Those annoying urges. Sometimes you can quash ’em, sometimes you don’t—and you give in. The urge to drink can be one of the hardest to resist, but learning how to resist the urge to drink is what makes all the difference between giving in and breaking free from the cycle.

In a previous blog post, we explored Claire’s newly created ritual and how building a new habit can replace the old, making it easier to resist alcohol cravings and take back control.

At the end of that post, I touched on the dreaded “u” word—urge. Let’s go deeper and talk about how to resist the urge to drink when it strikes unexpectedly.

So Many Urges!

Urges can be downright relentless. Pee urge, poo urge, sex urge, snack urge, shopping urge … we’re urging all the time!

And let’s be real—some urges are easy to handle. The pee urge? Find a bathroom. The hunger urge? Grab a snack. The sex urge? Well, let’s not go there.

But when the urge to drink creeps in, it’s a whole different beast. It doesn’t just nudge—it demands. And it whispers lies: Just one won’t hurt. You deserve to relax. You’ve been so good. It’s all lies.

Because when the urge to drink hits—and it will, especially in the beginning—you need to resist it before it takes control.

How to Resist the Urge to Drink When It Hits Hard

If you’ve ever been on a diet, you know what it’s like when the off-limits food starts calling your name. That voice that says, just one bite won’t hurt—but you already know where that road leads.

The drinking urge works the same way. It’s sneaky and it shows up at the worst times. It catches you off guard. It tries to convince you that your past choices don’t matter, that it’s just this one drink—except it’s never just one, is it?

So, when that “I wanna drink” urge rears its ugly head, you need to shut it down immediately. Instead of arguing with yourself, just say this:

I don’t want a damn drink. It makes me feel awful. It makes me do stupid stuff. I wake up sick, bloated, and full of regret. I am not falling for this again.

By the time you’ve gone through your mental checklist (aka your somatic markers), the urge will pass. But here’s the thing—it’s not just about stopping the urge. It’s about making sure those urges lose their power over you.

Create Strong Enough Reasons TO QUIT!

Your why needs to be bigger than the urge.

Claire was lonely, lost her husband, and felt like a loser. She realized her boozy habit was ruining her life. She hit rock bottom—and that was her catalyst for change.

But here’s the truth: If your reason to quit isn’t strong enough, the urges will win. Every. Damn. Time.

You have to BE the change you want to make. You have to think like a sober person, act like a sober person, until it becomes second nature. Until saying no feels automatic. Until you can see right through the illusion of “just one.” And trust me—it will happen.

What To Do When The Urge Feels Overwhelming

Some urges pass quickly, but some feel like they’re gonna crush you. When that happens, you need a game plan.

Move. Physically get up and do something. Walk, clean, dance—anything to break the cycle of sit, crave, obsess.

Delay. Give it 15 minutes. Tell yourself, not now, I’ll reassess in a bit. Most urges die down if you don’t immediately act on them.

Drink something—but make it something good. Sparkling water, herbal tea, fresh juice. Anything that shifts your brain away from booze and into this is my new normal.

Breathe. Deeply. Close your eyes, inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four. Reset.

And most of all—remind yourself why you started this journey in the first place.

Because the truth is, urges don’t control you. They feel powerful, but they have no real strength unless you give it to them.

You Are In Control. Always.

There will come a day when the urges stop feeling like monsters and start feeling like background noise. A day when saying no isn’t a battle but a reflex.

A day when you’ll look back and realize that every moment you resisted made you stronger. Until then? Keep going and keep choosing yourself. You know that you’re more powerful than this.

Please, be kind to yourself. Believe in yourself. I believe in you. And speaking of belief—I’ll be diving into that in the next post. See you there.

📌 Ready to Take the Next Step?

If someone shared this post with you and you’re ready to break free from the booze urge, visit A New Sober You and start your journey today.

🔸 No kangaroos were harmed in the making of this post.