C is for Cravings

Cravings are something that I deal with on a daily basisBeing a former drug addictA former alcoholicA former smokerAnd a former anorectic Cravings are part and parcel of my lifeThey can hit you when you least expect itAnd I can be triggered by almost anything Tinfoil Spoons Certain smells 7upI could go on and onThe first major thing I gave up was heroinThat was no mean featAnd to this day Is the most difficult thing I've given upAnd overcome But even now After being away from the drug for quite a whileI still get cravings I can't watch anything about drugs in films or on tvCan't listen to certain musicAnd just being in Dublin is one massive triggerI also don't go back to the town I grew up inAs it too is a trigger in itselfA craving is a funny thingWhether it's a craving for heroinOr vodka Or a smoke Or a craving to lose weightThey all start off the same wayWith a longing to escapeAnd I am someone who loves to escapeI get bored easilyAnd if I'm not doing something that captures my attentionLike dancing or my dogs or horse riding I find that my mind wandersThe devil makes work for idle hands and all that
They say that a relapse happens long before you pick up the drugIt happens when you begin to let things slip and slideWhen you stop going to meetingsWhen you start isolating When you start making excuses Good recoveries are made on good foundations If you don't have a good foundation Your recovery will inevitably crumble and fallBut how ever your good and solid your recovery You will encounter cravings It's nigh on impossible to avoid themThey can hit you like a smack in the face  You might be thinking about something completely innocent And before you know You are reminiscing about the good ol' days And wondering how soon you can get to your nearest connectionThe trick about cravings Is to catch them before you do anything stupid As soon as you are aware of itTo do something about it So you don't run away with it in your mindThere are many things you can do before a craving turns in to a slip Talk to someone Get to a meeting Ring a friend/member/sponsor Think about what will happen if you do use It is possible to stop yourself 
I am off cigarettes about 20 months However I still get horrendous cravings for a smoke I know now that they only last minutes Sometimes just seconds And I know if I just hold on It too will pass 
Are any of you doing the A-Z challenge?