It is critical to have strategies at hand to manage cravings for food, gambling, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sex, etc.
The techniques that we Highly Recommend that you use are to Delay, Distract and to Decide.
1. Delay
If you have a craving, give yourself some time before you indulge. Set an alarm for 5 – 30 minutes. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to resist as the craving will pass with time.
2. Distract
While you are delaying, find something to do that will occupy your thoughts and attention. It may help to do something physical – take a walk, take a shower, go for a swim, play with the dog, watch a movie, etc.
3. Decide
After the set amount of time, remind yourself why you do not want to engage in the unhealthy behavior. Make a conscious decision not to give in to the craving.
We have a Craving Tracker worksheet and a ‘Coping with Cravings’ worksheet in our Free Online Recovery Program. Get access to these and more worksheets, video lessons and assessments for your recovery journey for free.