Yeah, sugar is highly addictive, and the refined stuff can be pretty destructive. Like others have already said, the easiest way to fix this is to just get away from it entirely; no sweets, no bread or starchy stuff, no fruit for AT LEAST 3 weeks. When I did this, broccoli became the sweetest stuff I could manage (and yes, broccoli is sweet!
).
The worst withdrawal symptoms will be done by day 4-5, but you will still have the occasional headache or grumpy moment for upwards of another 14-18 days. Give yourself the space and understanding during this time, 'cause it's sometimes pretty ugly.
If you're looking to control the cravings, I find that fat and salt do wonders; chicken broth is a savior. It might just be a matter of giving your brain other 'rewards' to reprogram away from sugar, or the happy hormones might offer enough of a rush to help. At any rate, it's my personal go-to.
Throw out the substitutes (except maybe pure stevia, if you have it and can stand the taste). They just make things harder, and screw around with other bits of your metabolism. Luck! (and report back, to help motivate the rest of us 'sugar junkies'
)