Tools

Coping with cravings
           Developing a plan
           Suggested strategies

Coping with cravings

Learning to manage cravings - urges and temptations to use – is an important part of reaching goals of reducing use or abstinence. Reducing Tina use is likely to generate carvings especially in high risk situations. Cravings are part of withdrawal and are also commonly experienced when reducing drug use. Indulging in cravings can begin the cycle of slips and relapses that we are trying to change.

Users and ex-users are able to learn how to manage cravings. You can too. It takes practice and commitment. We are building new pathways in our brain and time and experience are required to do this.

Users often find it helpful to remember some truths about cravings. Not all cravings are equal. Cravings occur on a continuum from mild to severe. Mild cravings might be fleeting thoughts. Severe cravings can be extremely strong urges that seem to engulf us. This too shall pass. Cravings do not last forever and most users find that they decrease in number and strength over time.

By thinking about cravings and how we can better manage them while we are sober, we can empower ourselves to avoid indulging them when they do occur. Most people already do things to manage their cravings. Acknowledge these things and think about them. Figuring out what things work and what things don’t work so well can help us achieve our goals faster.